square noun - Definition, pictures, pronunciation and usage notes | Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary at OxfordLearnersDictionaries.com

Definition of square noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

square

noun
 
 
/skweə(r)/
 
/skwer/
Idioms
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    shape

  1.  
     [countable] a shape with four straight sides of equal length and four angles of 90°; a piece of something that has this shape
    • First break the chocolate into squares.
    • The floor was tiled in squares of grey and white marble.
    see also set square, T-square
    Extra Examples
    • A square of light shone from the skylight.
    • Cut the sandwiches into neat squares.
    Topics Colours and Shapesa2
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • perfect
    • neat
    verb + square
    • cut something into
    • divide something into
    preposition
    • square of
    See full entry
    2.

    in town

  2.  
     [countable] an open area in a town, usually with four sides, surrounded by buildings
    • The hotel is just off the main square.
    • the town/central/public/market square
    Extra Examples
    • The crowd filled the square.
    • the east side of the square
    • The next day, a large crowd gathered in the market square.
    Topics Buildingsa2
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • central
    • main
    • public
    • …
    verb + square
    • fill
    • throng
    preposition
    • in a/​the square
    phrases
    • the centre/​center of the square
    • the middle of the square
    • the side of the square
    • …
    See full entry
  3. Square
     [singular]
    (abbreviation Sq.)
    (used in addresses)
    • They live at 95 Russell Square.
    4.

    mathematics

  4. [countable] the number obtained when you multiply a number by itself
    • The square of 7 is 49.
    Topics Maths and measurementc2

    5. boring person

  5. [countable] (old-fashioned, informal, disapproving) a person who is considered to be boring, for example because they are old-fashioned or because they work too hard at school
    6. Word OriginMiddle English: shortening of Old French esquare (noun), esquarre (past participle, used as an adjective), esquarrer (verb), based on Latin quadra ‘square’.
Idioms
back to square one
  1. a return to the situation you were in at the beginning of a project, task, etc., because you have made no real progress
    • If this suggestion isn't accepted, we'll be back to square one.
See square in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee square in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic English
Check pronunciation: square

Nearby words

elaborate
adjective
 
 
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