Definition of "square"

I took refuge in the square form and exhibited a picture which consisted of nothing more than a black square on a white field.

1927, Kazimir Malevich, The Non-Objective World

There are so many uses for the square, in fact, that a new model will usually come complete with a booklet enumerating its applications.

a. 2018, Bob Vila, “Carpenter squares”, in Bob Vila‎, retrieved January 9, 2018

The statue of Alexander the Seventh stands in the large square of the town.

1705, J[oseph] Addison, Remarks on Several Parts of Italy, &c. in the Years 1701, 1702, 1703, London: […] Jacob Tonson, […]

You're not in Wisconsin, Dave. The big story isn't about a cow wandering into the town square.

1995 October 10, NewsRadio, season 2, episode 3

he aloneDealt on lieutenantry, and no practice hadIn the brave squares of war

c. 1606–1607, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Anthonie and Cleopatra”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, [Act III, scene xi]

The French cavalry, in proof armour, repeatedly charged our squares, their cannon opening chasms; but the British infantry, though greatly diminished, were inflexible and impenetrable to the last.

1818, quoted in Christopher Kelly, History of the French Revolution and of the Wars produced by that Memorable Event

The sand of the desert is sodden red,— Red with the wreck of a square that broke;— The Gatling's jammed and the Colonel dead, And the regiment blind with dust and smoke.

1897, Henry Newbolt, Vitae Lampada

After disastrous attempts to break the Russian squares, during which, Longworth recounts, ‘the best and the bravest of the warriors fell victim to their own rashness’, the Circassians likewise changed their tactics.

1990, Peter Hopkirk, The Great Game, Folio Society, published 2010, page 144

Good looks are important, but good looks don't hold if he's a square.

1949 March 11, “R.S.V.P.”, in Courier, volume xv, number 9, Harvey, IL: Thornton Junior College, page 3

She said: Wow! What a square! Don't you dig the scene? / Daddy Cool's playing his piano machine!

1957, Frank Slay, Bob Crewe (lyrics and music), “Daddy Cool”, performed by The Rays

The sad sack was a sitting on a block of stone Way over in the corner weepin' all alone. The warden said, hey, buddy, don't you be no square If you can't find a partner, use a wooden chair.

1957, “Jailhouse Rock”, Elvis Presley (music)

Just as the basic unit of real estate measurement across the world is the square

2006, Macquarie Bank (Australia), press release Macquarie releases Real Estate Market Outlook 2006 - "The World Squared", 21 June 2006

The house is very large and open and boasts 39 squares of living space plus over 13 squares of decking area on 3 sides and 17 squares of garage and workshop downstairs.

2007, Your Estate advertisement for Grindelwald Tasmania

They of Galatia [were] much more out of square.

1594-1597, Richard Hooker, Of the Lawes of Ecclesiastical Politie

I have not kept my square.

c. 1606–1607, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Anthonie and Cleopatra”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, [Act II, scene iii]

We live not on the square with such as these.

1693, Decimus Junius Juvenalis, John Dryden, transl., “[The Satires of Decimus Junius Juvenalis.] The Third Satyr”, in The Satires of Decimus Junius Juvenalis. Translated into English Verse. […] Together with the Satires of Aulus Persius Flaccus. […], London: Printed for Jacob Tonson […]

She wanna talk about feelingsBut I don't believe in loveJust give me your square

2019 July 24, “No Feelings”, Quezgo (lyrics)‎Link Up TV, 0:14–0:19

I don’t really care about them man thereTell the bad b “just swing your square”

2021 September 29, “Bars At The Sesh [S3.E7]”, #D15 Trigz (lyrics)‎Dearfxch TV, 1:05–1:08

Get on your knees and suck this dickGet on your knees and slop this quickBro knows I could never put trust in a bitch (Never)Me and Tz like Lilo ’n StitchSo don’t hesitate to swing me your shitYeah, swing your square

2021 November 18, “I Love to Scam”, Tankz (lyrics)‎, 2:01–2:10

The huge square box, parquet-floored and high-ceilinged, had been arranged to display a suite of bedroom furniture designed and made in the halcyon days of the last quarter of the nineteenth century, […] .

1963, Margery Allingham, chapter 1, in The China Governess‎

Take care to make the cut completely square to the edges of the wire to give a good butt join for the ends of the wire.

2017, Julia Rai, Making Metal Clay Jewellery

Why, you would not be boosing till lightman's in a square crib like mine, as if you were in a flash panny?

1828, Edward Bulwer Lytton Baron Lytton, Pelham, Or, Adventures of a Gentleman

I believe you're a good, square man

1900 , Allan Pinkerton, Criminal Reminiscences and Detective Sketches‎, New York: G. W. Dillingham, page 29

I am not very good at analysing things, but I felt that she talked a little uncomfortably and with a suspicion of effort, smiled rather conventionally, and was obviously glad to go. These things seem trifling enough to repeat, but I had throughout the faint feeling that everything was not square.

1908, Perceval Landon, Thurnley Abbey

By the confident tone in her voice, you can tell she is square with that.

2007, Lauren Heaton, Holly Bollinger, Catherine Lee Phillips, Susan Gartner, Women of the Harvest, page 63

" […] I will never act on it, but if you're satisfied with the way things are then I am, too. […] So, are we square?”

2009, Ramona Holliday, Winter Murders

The teams were square while at even strength. have to play better than even if we want to win games." said Montreal goalie Jose Theodore

2000 December 16, “Islanders, Devils Make It Tough For Canadian Teams”, in Bryan Times

But the Jays were square again by the end of the inning, as Myers hit a 2-and-0 pitch into the left-center field seats

2003 April 9, “Lowe Struggles Again In Sox Setback”, in Record-Journal

The sides were square to the 14th hole when Goosen took birdie,

2003 November 24, “Els's mates get better with time”, in The Age, Melbourne, Vic.

In each of the last three afternoon foursomes, the Americans were square through 15, but could only come in with two halves and a loss.

2006 September 23, Jim McCabe, “As usual, Americans trailing after first day”, in The Columbus Dispatch

It was a square town, but that didn't bother me. I knew I didn't have to live a square life.

1974, Jack Olsen, The Girls on the Campus, page 100

The square Johns lie more than the in-guys do.

1990, A. W. Gray, In Defense of Judges

By Heaven, square eaters. More meat, I say.

c. 1613 (first performance), John Fletcher, “The Tragedie of Bonduca”, in Comedies and Tragedies […], London: […] Humphrey Robinson, […], and for Humphrey Moseley […], published 1647, Act II, scene iii

It is obvious two o'clock will arrive in about five and a half hours from now, and I presume every gentleman in the House would like to get a square breakfast.

1879, United States. Congress, Congressional Record, Volume 9, page 1594

If some of you who read this paragraph would quit scheming and get down to honest, square effort this year, your creditors would get their due and your families would be better kept.

1899 February, “Stray Shots From Solomon”, in Shoe and Leather Journal, volume 12, number 2, page 51

"Sarah," said her grandmother. "You should eat a good square meal."

1986, Jan Irving, Robin Currie, Mudluscious, page 75

I said that because I didn't want any knives involved, and if Wizzie agreed to a square go now, with half the school listening, she couldn't go back on it.

2012, Cathy MacPhail, Worse Than Boys

Staash tipped up the rim of his hat and looked me square in the eyes as the cigarette dangled from his lips.

2012, Allan A. Zarbock, Nobody, page 211

[…] the process theist may not regard the killing of non-human animals for food or other reasons as generally acceptable. Call the process thinker who regards the killing of non-human animals for food as (usually) morally wrong a zoophile. Even if the zoophile regards human beings as more capable of experience and insight than another animals, and as therefore more valuable than other animals, she may regard non-human animals as moral patients. She may well not regard predatory animals as full moral agents; she will then have no reason to see their killing of other animals for food as itself morally wrong, because predators are not themselves subject to moral assessments. But she may still find it difficult to square God's encouragement of predation with an attractive account of divine goodness.

2006, Gary Chartier, “Non-Human Animals and Process Theodicy”, in Religious Studies‎, volume 41, number 1, page 10

Square my trial To my proportioned strength.

1634 October 9 (first performance), [John Milton], edited by H[enry] Lawes, A Maske Presented at Ludlow Castle, 1634: […], London: […] [Augustine Matthews] for Hvmphrey Robinson, […], published 1637; reprinted as Comus: […] (Dodd, Mead & Company’s Facsimile Reprints of Rare Books; Literature Series; no. I), New York, N.Y.: Dodd, Mead & Company, 1903,

First, former Toffee Mikel Arteta sent Walcott racing clear but instead of shooting he squared towards Ramsey, who was foiled by Tony Hibbert.

2011 December 10, David Ornstein, “Arsenal 1 - 0 Everton”, in BBC Sport‎

No works shall find acceptance […] that square not truly with the Scripture plan.

1782, William Cowper, Charity

Are you such fools / To square for this?

c. 1588–1593 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Lamentable Tragedy of Titus Andronicus”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, [Act II, scene i]

There we stood, well squared up before it, shoulder to shoulder, and foot to foot, with our hands behind us, not budging an inch.

1860 December – 1861 August, Charles Dickens, Great Expectations […], volumes (please specify |volume=I to III), London: Chapman and Hall, […], published October 1861

A stately pallace built of squared bricke, Which cunningly was without morter laid

1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book I, Canto IV”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie

Everything on his writing desk was squared off: blotter, paper knife, pen rack.

2002, William Boyd, Any Human Heart

to square the general sex By Cressid's rule

c. 1602, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Troylus and Cressida”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, [Act V, scene ii]

the icy Goat, the Crab that square the Scales

1697, Thomas Creech, The five books of M. Manilius containing a system of the ancient astronomy and astrology, done into English verse