square

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   A flat shape with four equal sides and four right angles.

   Draw a square and colour it in.

2. 2
   noun

   An open, usually four-sided public space in a town, with buildings around it.

   We met for coffee in the town square.

3. 3
   adj

   Shaped like a square, with four equal sides and right angles.

   They sat at a small square table.

4. 4
   verb

   To multiply a number by itself.

   Four squared is sixteen.

5. 5
   adv

   Directly and firmly, straight at something.

   I looked him square in the eye.

From Middle English square, sqware, squyre; from Old French esquarre, esquerre, (modern French équerre), from Vulgar Latin *exquadra, from Latin ex- + quadro, from quadrus (compare English quad and quadra). Doublet of squad and squadra. Displaced Old English fēowerecge (fēower nominative + ecg accusative, as in "four-edged").

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