Square has 30 different meanings across 5 categories:
Noun · Verb · Adjective · Adverb · Proper Noun
(geometry) a plane rectangle with four equal sides and four right angles; a four-sided regular polygon
"you can compute the area of a square if you know the length of its sides"
the product of two equal terms
"nine is the second power of three"
"gravity is inversely proportional to the square of the distance"
an open area at the meeting of two or more streets
"We decided to meet under the old oak tree in the square for our afternoon picnic."
something approximating the shape of a square
"The developer tried to arrange the garden beds in perfect squares, but the irregular terrain made it impossible."
a formal and conservative person with old-fashioned views
"Despite everyone else's excitement for modern art, my uncle remained convinced that only classical paintings were truly valuable."
any artifact having a shape similar to a plane geometric figure with four equal sides and four right angles
"a checkerboard has 64 squares"
a hand tool consisting of two straight arms at right angles; used to construct or test right angles
"the carpenter who built this room must have lost his square"
A polygon with four sides of equal length and four right angles; an equilateral rectangle; a regular quadrilateral.
"The architect drew a perfect square on the blueprint to ensure the foundation had four equal sides and ninety-degree corners."
In plain English: A square is a flat shape with four equal sides and four right angles.
"She bought some fabric to make a square for her quilt."
raise to the second power
"To find the area of a square garden, you simply take the length of one side and square it."
cause to match, as of ideas or acts
"The manager tried to square his ambitious sales targets with the company's limited budget, but the numbers simply didn't add up."
To adjust so as to align with or place at a right angle to something else; in particular:
"The carpenter used a level to square the new shelf against the wall before drilling it into place."
To place at a right angle to the mast or keel.
"The sailor carefully adjusted the sail until it was set square to the mast and perpendicular to the boat's hull."
In plain English: To square something means to make it perfectly level or straight, like fixing a crooked picture frame.
"She squared her shoulders and walked into the meeting with confidence."
Usage: Use this verb when physically adjusting an object, such as a sail or rudder, until it stands perfectly perpendicular to another part like a mast or keel. It specifically describes aligning items at a 90-degree angle rather than simply making them level or straight.
having four equal sides and four right angles or forming a right angle
"a square peg in a round hole"
"a square corner"
providing abundant nourishment
"a hearty meal"
"good solid food"
"ate a substantial breakfast"
"four square meals a day"
without evasion or compromise
"a square contradiction"
"he is not being as straightforward as it appears"
Shaped like a square (the polygon).
"The architect insisted that every room in the new building must be perfectly shaped like a square."
In plain English: Square means honest and straightforward, not trying to trick anyone.
"The table has four square legs that keep it steady on the floor."
A surname.
"The neighbors always asked if Mr. Square was coming to the block party, not knowing he was actually a farmer from down the road."
The word square comes from the Latin quadrus, meaning "block" or "cube," which entered Middle English via Old French. It eventually replaced an earlier Old English term for a four-sided shape to describe both geometric forms and honest behavior.