SQUARE

Pronunciation (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does square mean? 

• SQUARE (noun)
  The noun SQUARE has 8 senses:

1. (geometry) a plane rectangle with four equal sides and four right angles; a four-sided regular polygon
2. the product of two equal terms
3. an open area at the meeting of two or more streets
4. something approximating the shape of a square
5. someone who doesn't understand what is going on
6. a formal and conservative person with old-fashioned views
7. any artifact having a shape similar to a plane geometric figure with four equal sides and four right angles
8. a hand tool consisting of two straight arms at right angles; used to construct or test right angles

  Familiarity information: SQUARE used as a noun is common.

• SQUARE (adjective)
  The adjective SQUARE has 6 senses:

1. having four equal sides and four right angles or forming a right angle
2. characterized by honesty and fairness
3. providing abundant nourishment
4. leaving no balance
5. without evasion or compromise
6. rigidly conventional or old-fashioned

  Familiarity information: SQUARE used as an adjective is common.

• SQUARE (verb)
  The verb SQUARE has 8 senses:

1. raise to the second power
2. make square
3. cause to match, as of ideas or acts
4. position so as to be square
5. be compatible with
6. pay someone and settle a debt
7. turn the paddle; in canoeing
8. turn the oar, while rowing

  Familiarity information: SQUARE used as a verb is common.

• SQUARE (adverb)
  The adverb SQUARE has 3 senses:

1. in a straight direct way
2. in a square shape
3. firmly and solidly

  Familiarity information: SQUARE used as an adverb is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• SQUARE (noun)

Sense 1

square [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

(geometry) a plane rectangle with four equal sides and four right angles; a four-sided regular polygon

Classified under:

Nouns denoting two and three dimensional shapes

Synonyms:

square; foursquare

Context example:

you can compute the area of a square if you know the length of its sides

Hypernyms ("square" is a kind of...):

rectangle (a parallelogram with four right angles)

regular polygon (a polygon with all sides and all angles equal)

Domain category:

geometry (the pure mathematics of points and lines and curves and surfaces)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "square"):

quadrate (a square-shaped object)

Sense 2

square [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

The product of two equal terms

Classified under:

Nouns denoting quantities and units of measure

Synonyms:

second power; square

Context examples:

nine is the second power of three / gravity is inversely proportional to the square of the distance

Hypernyms ("square" is a kind of...):

number (a concept of quantity derived from zero and units)

Sense 3

square [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

An open area at the meeting of two or more streets

Classified under:

Nouns denoting spatial position

Synonyms:

public square; square

Hypernyms ("square" is a kind of...):

parcel; parcel of land; piece of ground; piece of land; tract (an extended area of land)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "square"):

piazza; place; plaza (a public square with room for pedestrians)

Instance hyponyms:

Trafalgar Square (a square in central London where there is a memorial to Admiral Nelson)

Holonyms ("square" is a part of...):

city (an incorporated administrative district established by state charter)

Sense 4

square [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Something approximating the shape of a square

Classified under:

Nouns denoting two and three dimensional shapes

Hypernyms ("square" is a kind of...):

form; shape (the spatial arrangement of something as distinct from its substance)

Sense 5

square [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Someone who doesn't understand what is going on

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Synonyms:

lame; square

Hypernyms ("square" is a kind of...):

simple; simpleton (a person lacking intelligence or common sense)

Sense 6

square [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

A formal and conservative person with old-fashioned views

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Synonyms:

square toes; square

Hypernyms ("square" is a kind of...):

conservative; conservativist (a person who has conservative ideas or opinions)

Domain usage:

colloquialism (a colloquial expression; characteristic of spoken or written communication that seeks to imitate informal speech)

Sense 7

square [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Any artifact having a shape similar to a plane geometric figure with four equal sides and four right angles

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Context example:

a checkerboard has 64 squares

Hypernyms ("square" is a kind of...):

artefact; artifact (a man-made object taken as a whole)

Holonyms ("square" is a part of...):

checker board; checkerboard (a board having 64 squares of two alternating colors)

Sense 8

square [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

A hand tool consisting of two straight arms at right angles; used to construct or test right angles

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Context example:

the carpenter who built this room must have lost his square

Hypernyms ("square" is a kind of...):

hand tool (a tool used with workers' hands)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "square"):

carpenter's square (a steel square used by carpenters; larger than a try square)

try square (a square having a metal ruler set at right angles to another straight piece)

T-square (a square used by draftsmen to draw parallel lines)

• SQUARE (adjective)

Sense 1

square [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Having four equal sides and four right angles or forming a right angle

Context examples:

a square peg in a round hole / a square corner

Similar:

squarish (somewhat square in appearance or form)

squared (having been made square)

right-angled (forming a right angle or containing one or more right angles)

quadrate (having four sides and four angles)

Also:

angular; angulate (having angles or an angular shape)

Antonym:

round (having a circular shape)

Sense 2

square [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Characterized by honesty and fairness

Synonyms:

square; straight

Context examples:

straight dealing / a square deal

Similar:

straightarrow (conventionally moral and upright)

guileless; transparent (free of deceit)

aboveboard; straightforward (without concealment or deception; honest)

Also:

lawful (conformable to or allowed by law)

honest; honorable (not disposed to cheat or defraud; not deceptive or fraudulent)

Attribute:

honestness; honesty (the quality of being honest)

Sense 3

square [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Providing abundant nourishment

Synonyms:

satisfying; hearty; square; substantial; solid

Context examples:

a hearty meal / good solid food / ate a substantial breakfast / four square meals a day

Similar:

wholesome (conducive to or characteristic of physical or moral well-being)

Sense 4

square [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Leaving no balance

Context example:

my account with you is now all square

Similar:

paid (marked by the reception of pay)

Domain usage:

colloquialism (a colloquial expression; characteristic of spoken or written communication that seeks to imitate informal speech)

Sense 5

square [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Without evasion or compromise

Synonyms:

straightforward; square; straight

Context examples:

a square contradiction / he is not being as straightforward as it appears

Similar:

direct (extended senses; direct in means or manner or behavior or language or action)

Sense 6

square [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Rigidly conventional or old-fashioned

Synonyms:

square; straight

Similar:

conventional (unimaginative and conformist)

Domain usage:

argot; cant; jargon; lingo; patois; slang; vernacular (a characteristic language of a particular group (as among thieves))

• SQUARE (verb)

Sense 1

square [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Raise to the second power

Classified under:

Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting

Hypernyms (to "square" is one way to...):

multiply (combine by multiplication)

Domain category:

arithmetic (the branch of pure mathematics dealing with the theory of numerical calculations)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 2

square [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Make square

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

square up; square

Context examples:

Square the circle / square the wood with a file

Hypernyms (to "square" is one way to...):

form; shape (give shape or form to)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 3

square [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Cause to match, as of ideas or acts

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

Hypernyms (to "square" is one way to...):

adapt; adjust; conform (adapt or conform oneself to new or different conditions)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

Sense 4

square [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Position so as to be square

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Context example:

He squared his shoulders

Hypernyms (to "square" is one way to...):

position (cause to be in an appropriate place, state, or relation)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "square"):

even up; jog; square up (even up the edges of a stack of paper, in printing)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 5

square [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Be compatible with

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

Context example:

one idea squares with another

Hypernyms (to "square" is one way to...):

agree; check; correspond; fit; gibe; jibe; match; tally (be compatible, similar or consistent; coincide in their characteristics)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Sense 6

square [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Pay someone and settle a debt

Classified under:

Verbs of buying, selling, owning

Context example:

I squared with him

Hypernyms (to "square" is one way to...):

settle (dispose of; make a financial settlement)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s PP

Sense 7

square [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Turn the paddle; in canoeing

Classified under:

Verbs of fighting, athletic activities

Synonyms:

feather; square

Hypernyms (to "square" is one way to...):

paddle (propel with a paddle)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s

Sense 8

square [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Turn the oar, while rowing

Classified under:

Verbs of fighting, athletic activities

Synonyms:

feather; square

Hypernyms (to "square" is one way to...):

row (propel with oars)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s

• SQUARE (adverb)

Sense 1

square [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

In a straight direct way

Synonyms:

square; squarely

Context examples:

looked him squarely in the eye / ran square into me

Sense 2

square [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

In a square shape

Synonyms:

square; squarely

Context examples:

a squarely cut piece of paper / folded the sheet of paper square

Sense 3

square [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Firmly and solidly

Synonyms:

squarely; square

Context examples:

hit the ball squarely / the bat met the ball squarely / planted his great bulk square before his enemy