square (squares plural & 3rd person present) (squaring present participle) (squared past tense & past participle )
1 n-count A square is a shape with four sides that are all the same length and four corners that are all right angles.
Serve the cake warm or at room temperature, cut in squares..., Most of the rugs are simple cotton squares.
2 n-count; n-in-names In a town or city, a square is a flat open place, often in the shape of a square.
The house is located in one of Pimlico's prettiest garden squares..., ...St Mark's Square.
3 adj Something that is square has a shape the same as a square or similar to a square.
usu ADJ n
Round tables seat more people in the same space as a square table..., His finger nails were square and cut neatly across.
4 adj Square is used before units of length when referring to the area of something. For example, if something is three metres long and two metres wide, its area is six square metres.
ADJ n
Canary Wharf was set to provide 10 million square feet of office space..., The Philippines has just 6,000 square kilometres of forest left.
5 adj Square is used after units of length when you are giving the length of each side of something that is square in shape.
amount ADJ
...a linen cushion cover, 45 cm square., ...two pieces of wood 4 inches square.
6 verb To square a number means to multiply it by itself. For example, 3 squared is 3 x 3, or 9. 3 squared is usually written as 3<superscript>2.
Take the time in seconds, square it, and multiply by 5.12... V n
A squared plus B squared equals C squared. V-ed
7 n-count The squareof a number is the number produced when you multiply that number by itself. For example, the square of 3 is 9.
usu with poss
...the square of the speed of light, an exceedingly large number.
8 verb If you square two different ideas or actions with each other or if they square with each other, they fit or match each other.
That explanation squares with the facts, doesn't it... V with n
He set out to square his dreams with reality. V n with n
9 verb If you square something with someone, you ask their permission or check with them that what you are doing is acceptable to them.
(=okay)
She should have squared things with Jay before she went into this business with Walker. V n with n
11 If you say that someone squares the circle, you mean that they bring together two things which are normally thought to be so different that they cannot exist together.
square the circle phrase V inflects
He has squared the circle of keeping the City happy and doing something to improve business cash flow..., `Nirvana' squared the circle by making a record that was both superb pop and rock music at the same time.
12 If you are back to square one, you have to start dealing with something from the beginning again because the way you were dealing with it has failed.
back to square one phrase v-link PHR, PHR after v
If your complaint in not upheld, you may feel you are back to square one...
13
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fair and square
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fair square off
1 phrasal verb If you square something off, you alter it so that it has the shape of a square.
Peel a thick-skinned orange and square off the ends with a sharp knife. V P n (not pron)
2 phrasal verb If one group or person squares offagainst or with another, they prepare to fight them. (mainly AM) In Florida, farmers are squaring off against cities for rights to groundwater... V P against square up phrasal verb If you square upto a problem, person, or situation, you accept that you have to deal with them and take action to do so. The world's most prestigious insurance company was last night squaring up to take on MPs who have accused it of being riddled with corruption. V P
four-square , foursquare
To stand four-square behind someone or something means to be firm in your support of that person or thing. adj v-link ADJ prep
They stood four-square behind their chief, and they would not accept pressure on him to resign...
square dance (square dances plural )
1 n-count A square dance is a traditional American dance in which sets of four couples dance together, forming a square at the beginning of the dance.
2 n-count A square dance is a social event where people dance square dances.
square meal (square meals plural )A square meal is a meal which is big enough to satisfy you. n-count
They haven't had a square meal for four or five days.
Square Mile
The Square Mile is the part of London where many important financial institutions have their main offices. n-proper the N
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City
square root (square roots plural )The square rootof a number is another number which produces the first number when it is multiplied by itself. For example, the square root of 16 is 4. n-count usu N of num
