Square | Webster's Dictionary (1865)

Square, a.

adjective

(4), a. [See infra.] 1. Having four equal sides and four right angles; as, a square room; a square figure.

Sense 2. Forming a right angle; as, a square corner.

Sense 3. Having a shape broad for the height, with rectilineal and angular rather than curving outlines; as, a man of a square frame.

Sense 4. Exactly suitable or correspondent; true; just. She's a most triumphant lady, if report be square to her. Shak.

Sense 5. Rendering equal justice; exact; fair; honest; as, square dealing.

Sense 6. Even; leaving no balance; as, to make or leave the accounts square.

Sense 7. Leaving nothing; hearty; vigorous.

By Heaven, square eaters.

More meat, I say. Beau. & Fl.

Sense 8. (Naut.) (a.) At right angles with the mast or the keel, and parallel to the horizon. (b.) Of greater length than usual; as, a square sail. Totten.

All square, all settled; all right. Dickens. — Square measure, the square of a lineal measure; the measure of a superficies or surface, which depends on the length and breadth taken conjointly. — Square number. See SQUARE, n., 5. — Square root of a quantity (Math.), that number or quantity which, multiplied by itself, produces the given quantity. — Three-square, five-square, &c., having three or five equal sides, as, a three-square file. — Square-built, square-cut, square-rigged, and other similar compounds, are formed from this word.

Squâre, n.

noun

n. [O. Fr. esquarre, esquierre, N. Fr. équerre, Sp. escuadra, It. squadra, from Lat. ex and quadra, a square. See SQUAD.]

Sense 1. (Geom.) (a.) The corner or angle of a figure. [Obs.] (b.) A rectilineal figure having four equal sides and four right angles.

Sense 2. Hence, that which is square, or nearly so, or is reckoned by squares or square measure; as, (a.) A square piece or fragment. “He bolted his food down his capacious throat in squares of three inches.” W. Scott. (b.) A pane of glass. (c.) (Print.) A certain number of lines, forming a portion of a column nearly square;—used chiefly in reckoning the prices of advertisements in newspapers. (d.) One hundred superficial feet of boarding. Simmonds.

Sense 3. An area of four sides, with houses on each side; sometimes, a solid block of houses; also, sometimes, an open place or area formed by the meeting or intersection of two or more streets.

The statue of Alexander VII. stands in the large square of the town. Addison.

Sense 4. (Carp. & Joinery.) An instrument which consists essentially of two pieces, each having at least one straight edge, firmly joined together at right angles;—used to lay out or test square work. It is of several forms, as the T square, the carpenter’s square, and the like.

Sense 5. Hence, a pattern or rule. [Obs.]

Those that affect antiquity will follow the square thereof. Milton.

Sense 6. (Geom. & Arith.) The product of a number or quantity multiplied by itself; thus, 64 is the square of 8, for 8 × 8 = 64.

Sense 7. Exact proportion; justness of workmanship and conduct; regularity; rule. [Obs.] “They of Galatia much more out of square.” Hooker.

I have not kept my square. Shak.

Sense 8. (Mil.) A square body of troops used to resist the charge of cavalry on critical occasions; a squadron. “The brave squares of war.” Shak.

When he has stormed the heights, and broken the center, and trampled the squares, and turned the staggering wings of the adversary, then he sounds his imperial clarion along the whole line of battle, and moves forward with all his hosts in one overwhelming charge. E. Everett.

Sense 9. A quaternion; four. [Obs.] Shak.

Sense 10. The relation of harmony or exact agreement; equality; level.

We live not on the square with such as these. Dryden.

Sense 11. (Astrol.) The position of planets distant ninety degrees from each other; quartile. [Obs.]

Sense 12. The front of the female dress, near the bosom, generally worked or embroidered. [Obs.]

Sense 13. A quarrel. [Obs. and rare.]

Magic square. See MAGIC.—On the square, or upon the square, in an open, fair manner; honestly, or upon honor.—On, or upon, the square with, to be upon equality with; to be even with. Nares.—To be at square, to be in a state of quarreling. Nares.—To break no squares, to give no offense; to make no difference.—To break squares, to depart from an accustomed order.—To see how the squares go, to see how the game proceeds;—a phrase taken from the game of chess, the chess-board being formed with squares. L'Estrange.

An L-shaped carpenter’s square with a broad horizontal arm and a taller vertical arm. — Carpenter's Square.

Squâre, v. t.

verbtransitive

[imp. & p. p. SQUARED; p. pr. & vb. n. SQUARING.] [See supra.]

Sense 1. To form with four equal sides and four right angles.

Sense 2. To reduce to a square; to form to right angles; as, to square masons’ work.

Sense 3. To turn squarely, or completely, as in dislike, anger, &c.; to turn.

The Saxon domestics squared their shoulders, and continued to devour their supper, paying not the least attention to the wants of the new guests. W. Scott.

Sense 4. To compare with, or reduce to, any given measure or standard. Shak.

Sense 5. To adjust; to regulate; to mold; to shape; to fit; to accommodate; as, to square our actions by the opinions of others.

Square my trial To my proportioned strength. Milton.

Sense 6. To make even, so as to leave no difference or balance; as, to square accounts.

Sense 7. (Math.) To multiply by itself; as, to square a number.

Sense 8. (Astrol.) To hold a quartile position respecting. “The icy Goat and Crab that square the Scales.” Creech.

Sense 9. (Naut.) To place at right angles with the mast or keel; as, to square the yards.

To square the circle (Math.), to determine the exact contents of a circle in square measure. The solution of this famous problem is now generally admitted to be impossible.

Squāre, v. i.

verbintransitive

Sense 1. To accord or agree exactly; to conform or agree; to suit; to fit.

Sense 2. To go to opposite sides; to take an attitude of offense or defense, or of defiance; to quarrel. [Obs.]

*Are you such fools To square for this? Shak.*

Sense 3. To take a boxing attitude;—often with up, sometimes with off. Dickens.