square
verb/skweə(r)/
/skwer/
Verb Forms
Idioms Phrasal Verbs| present simple I / you / we / they square | /skweə(r)/ /skwer/ |
| he / she / it squares | /skweəz/ /skwerz/ |
| past simple squared | /skweəd/ /skwerd/ |
| past participle squared | /skweəd/ /skwerd/ |
| -ing form squaring | /ˈskweərɪŋ/ /ˈskwerɪŋ/ |
- square something (off) to make something have straight edges and corners
- The boat is rounded at the front but squared off at the back.
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- [usually passive] square something to multiply a number by itself
- Three squared is written 32.
- Four squared equals 16.
- square yourself/your shoulders to make your back and shoulders straight to show you are ready or determined to do something
- Bruno squared himself to face the waiting journalists.
- square something (especially British English) to make the number of points you have scored in a game or competition equal to those of your opponents
- His goal squared the game 1–1.
- square somebody (informal) to pay money to somebody in order to get their help
- They must have squared the mayor before they got their plan underway.
shape
mathematics
shoulders
in sport
pay money
Word OriginMiddle English: shortening of Old French esquare (noun), esquarre (past participle, used as an adjective), esquarrer (verb), based on Latin quadra ‘square’.
Idioms
See square in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee square in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic Englishsquare the circle
- to do something that is considered to be impossible
- Marketing companies are trying to square the circle of profitability and growth with strong ethical values and sustainability.
Check pronunciation:
square