Forms: α. 4 sqwyr (swyer), 4–6 squyre, 4–7 squire (4 suire), 5 squir, sqvyȝer, sqvyyre, sqvyer, 5–6 squyer, 6 sqwier, 6–7 squier; 6 squere. β. 5 skwar, sqvar, sqware, 6 squair(e, 5– square. [ad. OF. esquire (esquierre) and esquare (es-, equarre, also escuerre, equerre, mod.F. équerre):—pop.L. *exquadra (see QUADRA), whence also It. squadra, Pg. esquadra, Sp. escuadra. Also (in sense 16) f. SQUARE a. The early form squire is chiefly employed in senses 1 and 3.]
I. 1. An implement or tool for determining, measuring, or setting out right angles, or for testing the exactness of artificers’ work, usually consisting of two pieces or arms set at right angles to each other, but sometimes with the arms or sides hinged or pivoted so as to measure any angle; esp. one used by carpenters or joiners. Freq. without article in phr. by square.
α. a. 1300. Cursor M., 2231. Do we wel and make a toure Wit suire [v.rr. squire, squyre] and scantilon sa euen, Þat may reche heghur þan heuen.
c. 1391. Chaucer, Astrol., I. § 12. Next the forseide cercle of the A. b. c. … is Marked the skale, in Maner of a Squyres.
1426. Lydg., De Guil. Pilgr., 4906. Fyrst ye shal a squyre take, A Squyre off a carpenter; And ye shal vse thys maner.
c. 1449. Pecock, Repr., II. i. 135. This werk is to be mad by cumpas, and thilk werk bi squyer and suche othere.
1474. Caxton, Chesse, III. ii. (1883), 86. The carpenters ben signefyed by the dolabre or squyer.
1553. in Archaeol. (1796), XII. 341. John Keyme, smith, for 40 socketts, 8 sqwiers, withe other necessaries.
1599. T. M[oufet], Silkwormes, 35. Holding his file in right hand hansomly, In left his paire of compasses and squire.
1626. Bacon, Sylva, § 373. Take a Turreted Lamp of Tinne, made in the forme of a Squire.
1656. W. Du Gard, trans. Comenius’ Gate Lat. Unl., 155. They search out … the straightness of a line, with a squire.
fig. 1582. Stanyhurst, Æneis, Ep. Ded. (Arb.), 5. Hauing no English writer beefore mee in this kind of poetrye with whose squire I should leauel my syllables.
1590. Spenser, F. Q., II. i. 58. But temperance … with golden squire Betwixt them both can measure out a meane.
1620. Quarles, Feast of Wormes (1638), 29. Fate … tels when dayes, and moneths, and termes expire, Meas’ring the lives of Mortals by her squire.
β. 1412. York Fabric Rolls (Surtees), 432/1. Pro levells, Squares, et reules, xxd.
a. 1562. in Norf. Antiq. Misc., II. 5. A square and a compass.
1579. Gosson, Sch. Abuse (Arb.), 57. This inforceth Magistrates … with vnskilful Carpenters, to vse the Square and the compasse,… not to builde, but to ouerthrow.
1618. Barnevelt’s Apol., E 2 b. I beseech you, that the stone is to be fitted to the square, not the square to the stone.
1660. Barrow, Euclid, I. prop. 11. The practice of this and the following is easily performed by the help of a square.
a. 1763. Shenstone, Elegies, X. 35. The poor mechanic wanders home, Collects the square, the level, and the line.
1781. Cowper, Conversat., 79. A poet does not work by square or line, As smiths and joiners perfect a design.
1826. Art Brewing (ed. 2), 196. When you have made the face of the roller as true as the square and the chisel can render it.
1872–4. Jefferies, Toilers of Field (1892), 173. A somewhat superior description is built in the shape of a carpenter’s ‘square.’
† b. fig. In phr. by the square, with extreme accuracy or exactness; precisely, exactly. Obs.
1570. T. Norton, trans. Nowell’s Catech., 51 b. He will not deale with vs after extremitie of lawe, nor call our doinges to exacte accompt, nor trie them as it were by the squire.
1588. Shaks., L. L. L., V. ii. 475. Do not you know my Ladies foot by th’ squier?
1633. B. Jonson, Tale Tub, IV. ii. Why you can tell us by the squire, neighbour, Whence he is call’d a constable.
† c. As a heraldic bearing. Also per square, used to denote that a shield is divided by a line in the form of a carpenter’s square. Obs.
1572. Bossewell, Armorie, II. 117. He beareth Sable, a Squire direct from the chiefe, to the dexter parte of the shield de Argent. Ibid. Note also, that there may be vsed particion per Squere, although it be rare seene.
1610. Guillim, Her., 208. He beareth Argent, a Cheueron betweene three Carpenters Squires, Sable.
† d. A piece of ironwork, etc., having the form of a carpenter’s square. Obs.
1530–1. Rec. St. Mary at Hill (1905), 354. Paid to the Smyth for a dogg of Iron for þe Roodloft…. Paid for a Sqvyer for the same.
1551–2. in Feuillerat, Revels Edw. VI. (1914), 72. ij longe plates and two squiers for a geblot.
2. fig. A canon, criterion or standard; a rule or guiding principle; a pattern or example. (Very common c. 1550–1650.) a. Const. of (the thing serving as a standard, etc.). Now rare or Obs.
1549. E. Allen, Par. Leo Jude Rev., 9. As the Christen religion shalbe restored and reformed after the rule and square of holy scripture.
1579. W. Wilkinson, Confut. Fam. Love, B ij. Judge all thinges according to the ballance of equitye, and trying squaire or measure line of righteousness.
1604. T. Wright, Passions, I. iii. 13. To governe the body … by the square of prudence, and rule of reason.
1654. R. Whitlock, Ζωοτομια, 24. Let thy Actions be justified by the Square of Religion and Justice.
1688. Bunyan, Jerusalem Sinner Saved (1886), 75. Upon the square, as I may call it, of the worthiness of the blood of Christ, grace acts.
1720. Humourist, 64. My Countrymen must excuse me, if I say, upon the Square of right Reason we make as ill a Figure as they do in Italy or Asia.
1809. Malkin, Gil Blas, X. viii. (Rtldg.), 357. They would not deal with Antonia upon the square of modern law and gospel.
† b. Const. of (the thing regulated or judged).
1567. Jewel, Def. Apol., V. 556. Syluester Prierias saith, that the Romishe Church is the Squier, and Rule of Truthe.
1594. West, 2nd P. Symbol., Chancerie, § 23. Lawes appointed to be rules and squares of mens actions.
1617. Collins, Def. Bp. Ely, II. viii. 322. The square of our faith is the Scripture, not the Fathers.
1642. Fuller, Holy & Prof. St., III. xxv. 233. Is merit everywhere else made the exact square of preferment?
a. 1684. Leighton, Serm., Wks. (1868), 678. It is not the way to advance their Master’s Kingdom, which end should be the Square of all their Contrivances.
† c. Without const. Obs.
c. 1550. Rolland, Crt. Venus, III. 536. For in sic luif is nother reull nor squair … Bot blindid lufe.
1571. Golding, Calvin on Ps. i. 6. Whose duetye it is to settle the state of the world according to the right squyre.
1603. Daniel, Panegyric Congratulatory, xxviii. Wks. (Grosart), I. 152. And all will seeme compos’d by that same square By which they see the best and greatest are.
1616. Breton, Good & Badde, Worthy Judge, Wks. (Grosart), II. 7/1. His study is a square for the keeping of proportion betwixt command and obedience.
1640. Carew, Poems, Wks. (1824), 84. A life so straight, as it should shame the square Left in the rules of Katherine or Clare.
† d. Const. of (the person, etc., setting the standard). Also with possessives. Obs.
1602–3. Daniel, Musophilus, 101, Wks. (Grosart), I. 228. Ignorance will liue By others square, as by example lost.
1607. J. Davies (Heref.), Summa Totalis, Wks. (Grosart), I. 8/1. This Truth is not squar’d by Platoes squire.
1643. W. Stampe, Serm., 18 April, 18. The naturall square of the very Indians, is enough to condemne our want of obedience.
† 3. Geom. a. A plane figure having the form of a carpenter’s square. Obs.
1551. Recorde, Pathw. Knowl., I. No. 21. When any two quadrates be set forth, howe to make a squire about the one quadrate, whiche shall be equall to the other quadrate. Ibid., Defin., A syseangle … whose vse commeth often in Geometry, and is called a squire, is made of two long squares ioyned togither, as this example sheweth.
† b. In a square, at right angles. Obs.
1571. Digges, Pantom., I. xviii. F j. E is the fourth staffe running sydewise orthogonally or in a squire from the third.
II. † 4. Rectangular or square shape or form. Chiefly without article in prep. phrases, as in or to square. Obs.
1382. Wyclif, Ezek. xlviii. 20. Alle the premisses of fyue and twenti thousandis, by fyue and twenti thousandis in sqware [L. in quadrum], shuln be departid in to primisses of the sayntuarie.
a. 1513. Fabyan, Chron., Prol. 3. The Prentyse that hewyth the rowgth stone, And bryngeth it to square, with harde strokes and many.
1591. Spenser, Visions Bellay, iii. Then did a sharped spyre of Diamond bright, Ten feete each way in square, appeare to mee.
1615. Tomkis, Albumazar, II. iii. I haue a parler Of a great square and height, as you desire it.
1663. Gerbier, Counsel, 77. The sawing, and bringing of the Timber to a square.
† b. fig. In phrases with preps. or verbs.
In some cases not clearly distinct from sense 2.
1576. Fleming, Panopl. Epist., 91. Such be the present troubls and turmoyles, that nothing is left in iust square.
1597. Breton, Wit’s Trenchmour, Wks. (Grosart), II. 19/1. Her thoughts keepe the square of such discretion, that no idle humour dare enter the list of her conceit.
1606. Shaks., Ant. & Cl., II. iii. 7. I haue not kept my square, but that to come Shall be done by th’ Rule.
1610. Healey, St. Aug. Citie of God, II. 80. Budæus … was neuer drawne from his true square with any profit or study to augment his estate.
a. 1641. Bp. Mountagu, Acts & Mon. (1642), 111. They have a Rule which will not hold square with his Position.
5. † a. A side of a square, rectangle or polygon; a face of a cube. Obs.
c. 1400. Maundev. (Roxb.), vi. 21. It was made foure square, and ilka square contened sex myle or more.
c. 1440. Jacob’s Well, 91. Þis wose of wrethe is foure-square: o sqware of wrethe is a-ȝens god. Ibid., An-oþer sqware of wrethe is aȝens þi-self. Ibid. Þe iij. sqware of wretthe is aȝens þi meyne.
c. 1593. Rites Durham (1903), 22. A foure squared stonn,… in euerye square a faire Large Image.
1617. Moryson, Itin., I. 86. It is built foure square, each square containing forty foot.
1634. Sir T. Herbert, Trav., 112. The Sepulchre … is of foure Equilaterall squares.
1656. Heylin, Surv. France, 196. The figure of it [a tower] is six square, every square of it being nine paces in length.
1753. Hanway, Trav., III. xxxiv. (1762), I. 157. This city is inclosed within a wall above a mile in each square.
b. The measurement of each side of a square object. rare–1.
1771. Luckombe, Hist. Printing, 294. Four inches … is the square of the Hind-post.
8. A square or quadrilateral space, esp. one of several marked out on a board, paper, or other surface for playing certain games or for purposes of measurement, etc.; a square surface or face.
Magic, Nazik squares: see MAGIC a. 3, NAZIK. Square of Pegasus: see PEGASUS 1 c.
c. 1440. Pallad. on Husb., II. 110. An aker lond … therout of may be tolde Of squaris x feet wide,… ccc square of x, and twyes twelue.
1483. Cath. Angl., 357/1. A Square,… quadra.
1551. Sir J. Williams, Accompte (Abbotsf. Cl.), 101. For cutting and slyppinge of two greate saphures into many squares.
1611. Cotgr., Marelle, a square in a chesse-boord.
1667. Milton, P. L., V. 393. Rais’d of grassie terf Thir Table was,… And on her ample Square from side to side All Autumn pil’d.
1694. Motteux, Rabelais, V. xxiv. 108. So that the Golden King was on a White Square, the Silver’d King on a Yellow Square.
1735. Bertin, Chess, 55. The queen gives a check in the black queen’s second square.
1832. L. Hunt, Hero & Leander, II. 104. The casement, at the dawn of light, Began to show a square of ghastly white.
1847. Tennyson, Princess, IV. ix. When unto dying eyes The casement slowly grows a glimmering square.
1898. Eclectic Mag., LXVII. 653. All white squares … belong to the government, and can be homesteaded.
fig. 1834. Mar. Edgeworth, Helen, iv. Whatever I may have been … on the great squares of politics, I believe I never have been accused … of being a manœuvrer on the small domestic scale.
† b. fig. Affairs, events, matters, proceedings. Only in the phr. how (the) squares go. Now Obs.
Very common in the 17th c.
1607. Middleton, Fam. Love, I. iii. How goes the squares.
1642. Howell, True Informer, 2. I pray be pleased to make me partaker of some forraigne news, and how the squares goe betwixt France and Spaine.
1678. J. Phillips, trans. Tavernier’s Trav., V. ii. 203. Sha-Abbas,… to know how squares went in his kingdom,… oft’n disguis’d himself, and went about the City … to discover whether Merchants us’d false weights.
1692. R. L’Estrange, Josephus, Antiq., XVI. xvii. (1733), 451. He first gave him an account of what had passed at Berytus; and then ask’d him how Squares went at Rome.
1828. Carr, Craven Gloss., II. 158. ‘How gang squares?’ a familiar form of salutation, equivalent to ‘how d’ ye do.’
7. Geom. A plane rectilinear and rectangular figure with four equal sides; † a rectangle with unequal sides (cf. next).
1551. Recorde, Pathw. Knowl., II. No. 36. If a right line be parted into ij. partes … the square that is made of that whole line, is equall to bothe the squares that are made of the same line, and the twoo partes of it seuerally.
1571. Digges, Pantom., I. B iij. If all the sides be equall, and al the angles right, than is that Paralelogramme called a square.
1660. Barrow, Euclid, I. Def. 29. Of Quadrilateral, or four-sided figures, a Square is that whose sides are equal, and angles right.
1728. Chambers, Cycl., s.v. Geometry, They observ’d, that God and Nature affect Perpendiculars, Parallels, Circles, Triangles, Squares, and harmonical Proportions.
a. 1777. Fawkes, Voy. to Planets, 32. An astrologer decks the wall with triangles and squares.
1815. J. Smith, Panorama Sci. & Art, II. 713. To obtain the perspective of a circle EFGH,… draw round it the square ABCD. Divide the square into small squares.
1854. Poultry Chron., II. 151. In shape the body divested of head, tail, and legs should give a square.
1881. Routledge, Science, ii. 36. To find … the length of the side of a square which has precisely the same area as the circle.
fig. 1852. Bailey, Festus, 493. Peace, piety, and innocence, and joy Made up the square of Being.
b. With qualifying term; esp. long or oblong square, a rectangle. ? Obs.
1551. Recorde, Pathw. Knowl., II. No. 39. Nowe by the theoreme, that longe square F.G.M.O, with the iuste square L.M.O.P, muste bee equall to the greate square E.K.Q.L.
1611. Cotgr., Paralelogramme, a Paralelogramme, or long Square.
1723. Chambers, trans. Le Clerc’s Archit.,I. 105. Windows … are usually long Squares; their height being sometimes double their width, or very nearly so.
1726. Leoni, Alberti’s Archit., II. 26/2. An equilateral and right-angled square.
1791. Newte, Tour Eng. & Scot., 61. This castle formed an oblong square.
1842. Loudon, Suburban Hort., 159. They are made in frames in the following manner:—An oblong square … is formed of four laths [etc.].
† c. Geometrical square: see QUADRAT 1 b. Obs.
1571. Digges, Pantom., I. xxix. I j b. The other plate wherein youre square Geometricall and Theodelitus was described. Ibid., I ij. The double scale is compound of two Geometricall squares.
1728. Chambers, Cycl., Quadrat, call’d also Geometrical Square and Line of Shadows, is an additional Member on the Face of the common Gunter’s and Sutton’s Quadrants.
d. Logic. A square diagram used to illustrate the four kinds of logical opposition.
1864. Bowen, Logic, vi. 168. That the various points in the doctrine of this sort of Immediate Inference might be more easily remembered, the old logicians contrived … the accompanying ingenious diagram, which may be called the Square or Opposition.
1891. Pall Mall Gaz., 5 May, 2/2. It is a logical square, and its squareness is supposed to carry some metaphysical virtue.
8. Arith., Alg. and Geom. The product of a number multiplied by itself; a second power.
1557. Recorde, Whetst., G iij b. Twoo multiplications doe make a Cubike nomber. Likewaies .3. multiplications doe giue a square of squares.
1571. Digges, Pantom., I. xxx. K, Now square 2400 pase, so haue you 5760000, wherevnto yf you adioyne the square of HD the product will amount to 5763600.
1674. Jeake, Arith. (1696), 193. Then set down the Square of this Quotient figure.
1715. trans. Gregory’s Astron., Pref. (1726), I. p. xii. He understood … that the Gravity of the Planets towards the Sun … were reciprocally as the Squares of their Distances from the Sun.
1764. J. Ferguson, Lect., ii. 21. The squares of the times of their going round are as the cubes of their distances from the centers of the circles they describe.
1838. De Morgan, Ess. Probab., 62. Hence it follows, that when the number is large, the preceding fraction … is very nearly one half the square of that number.
1869. Rankine, Machine & Hand-tools, App. 9. The square of the proof stress, divided by the modulus of elasticity, is called the Modulus of Resilience.
1885. Watson & Burbury, Math. Th. Electr. & Magn., I. 258. The law of the inverse square in electric action.
9. Mil. A body of troops drawn up in a square formation, either with solid ranks or leaving an open space in the center (see b).
1591. Garrard’s Art Warre, 1160. To defend and flanke the maine square.
1599. Shaks., Hen. V., IV. ii. 28. Our superfluous Lacquies, and our Pesants, Who in vnnecessarie action swarme About our Squares of Battaile.
1602. Marston, Ant. & Mel., III. Wks. 1856, I. 33. Huge troups of barbed steeds, Maine squares of pikes, millions of harguebush.
1606. Shaks., Ant. & Cl., III. xi. 40. He alone Dealt on Lieutenantry, and no practise had in the braue squares of Warre.
1770. Langhorne, Plutarch (1851), II. 599/2. He drew up the legions in a close square.
1791. Cowper, Iliad, XV. 751. In even square compact so firm they stood.
1815. Wellington, in Gurw., Desp. (1838), XII. 529. I had the infantry for some time in squares.
1847. Tennyson, Princess, V. 236. When we saw the embattled squares, And squadrons of the Prince, trampling the flowers With clamour.
1896. Baden-Powell, Matabele Campaign, vi. The square halted, and each man lay down to sleep just where he stood.
b. Hollow, solid square (see quots. 1702, 1802).
1702. Milit. Dict. (1704), s.v., Hollow Square, a Body of Foot drawn up with an empty space in the middle for the Colours, Drums and Baggage, facing and cover’d by the Pikes every way, to oppose the Horse.
1711. Lond. Gaz., No. 4817/5. He … form’d the Foot … into hollow Squares.
1802. James, Milit. Dict., s.v., Solid Square, is a body of foot, where both ranks and files are equal.
1845. Syd. Smith, Wks. (1859), II. 334. It is … to be discussed in hollow squares, and refuted by battalions four deep.
1876. Voyle & Stevenson, Milit. Dict., 398. The solid square, which faces outwards … to resist cavalry; and the hollow square, in which the men face inwards, for the purpose of hearing orders, &c. read.
c. Without article in phr. into square.
1859. F. A. Griffiths, Artill. Man. (1862), 27. Men are formed into square to resist attacks of cavalry. Ibid. A battalion may be formed into square two deep to protect baggage or treasure against infantry only.
10. † a. A square piece of material covering the bosom; the breast-piece of a dress. Obs.
1579. E. Hake, Newes out of Powles, iv. (1872), D iv b. She must haue Partlet, Square & Lace, with Chaine about hir neck.
1600. Fairfax, Tasso, XII. lxiv. Betweene her brests the cruell weapon riues Her curious square, embost with swelling gold.
1611. Shaks., Wint. T., IV. iv. 212. You would thinke a Smocke were a shee-Angell, he so chauntes to the sleeue-hand, and the worke about the square on’t.
1614. in 10th Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm., App. I. 43. As for lace to be a band and cuffs, and square with long peaks, pleas yoor ladyship know that it is not the fashon to weare such now.
c. 1710. in J. Ashton, Soc. Life Q. Anne (1882), I. 173. A round Sable Tippet,… with a piece of black Silk in the Square of the neck.
b. An object of a square (or approximately square) form or shape; a square or rectangular piece, block, etc.
1601. Holland, Pliny, II. 447. Likewise morimals … and those sores which be filthy … are commonly healed with the old squares of the Tunie fish.
1662. J. Davies, trans. Mandelslo’s Trav., 4. The Sepulchre is in a little Chappel built of white marble, upon a high square of free-stonework.
1698. M. Lister, Journ. Paris (1699), 124. I saw a Picture here of about 6 inches over, finely painted in Mosaic, the very little squares were scarce visible to the naked Eyes.
1756. Phil. Trans., L. 111. Then they cut out the true peat,… in long pieces, vulgarly called long squares, about three inches and a half broad every way, and four feet long.
1794. Mrs. Radcliffe, Myst. Udolpho, xliv. The floor inlaid with small squares of fine marble.
1815. Scott, Guy M., xx. He … bolted his food down his capacious throat in squares of three inches.
1857. Miller, Elem. Chem., Org., vi. § 1. 375. The distilled fat is … distributed in layers … upon squares of cocoa-nut matting.
1879. Cassell’s Techn. Educ., IV. 338/1. The moulds themselves correspond in shape to the familiar tapering form of the ‘squares’ of salt, as they are called in shops.
† c. A surveying instrument made in the form of a square. Obs. rare.
1600. Surflet, Countrie Farme, 655. In this figure you see the Squire and the Staffe each of them by themselues.
1712. J. James, trans. Le Blond’s Gardening, 82. The Square, or whole Circle,… an Instrument much made use of in … Surveying of Land.
d. A rectangular pane of glass.
1687. Miége, Gt. Fr. Dict., II. A Square of glass.
1714. S. Sewall, Diary, 16 July (1882), III. 10. It … lifted up the Sash window, broke one of the squares.
1775. W. Williamson, Trials at York, 13/1. There were two squares of the window broke.
1842. Loudon, Suburban Hort., 219. Thus directing all the water … down the centre of the squares.
1877–. in Linc., Somerset, and Cornw. glossaries and texts.
11. A square or rectangular area or piece of ground; spec. a garden plot of this shape.
1615. W. Lawson, Country Housew. Gard. (1626), 10. If within one large square the Gardner shall make one round Labyrinth or Maze.
1623. Markham, Country Housew. Gard., III. i. This is the cause … that Gardners raise their squares.
a. 1700. Evelyn, Diary, 27 Feb. 1644. On one of these walkes, within a square of tall trees, is a basilisc of copper.
1706. London & Wise, Retir’d Gard., I. I. x. I now want to know how many Dwarfs I ought to have in the Squares of my Garden.
1746. Francis, trans. Horace, Art Poetry, 47. One happier Artist of th’ Æmilian Square.
1791. Washington, Lett., Writ. 1892, XII. 90. It is of great importance … that the city should be laid out into squares and lots.
1800. Wordsw., Hart-leap Well, 103. It chanced that I saw standing in a dell Three aspens at three corners of a square.
1850. Tennyson, In Mem., cxv. Now burgeons every maze of quick About the flowering squares.
1867. Morris, Jason, V. 38. But Jason and his fair folk … Came to a square shaded about by trees.
attrib. 1719. London & Wise, Compl. Gard., 288. Sow for the last time, your Square Peas in the middle of July.
12. An open space or area (approximately quadrilateral and rectangular) in a town or city, enclosed by buildings or dwelling-houses, esp. of a superior or residential kind, freq. containing a garden or laid out with trees, etc.; more generally, any open space resembling this, esp. one formed at the meeting or intersection of streets; also, the group of houses surrounding an area of this kind.
1687. A. Lovell, trans. Thevenot’s Trav., II. 79. There are many squares in Ispahan, but of all, that which is called the Meidan … is the greatest and finest place in the World.
a. 1700. Evelyn, Diary, 18 April 1680. Going early from his house in the square of St. James.
1716. Gay, Trivia, I. 9. I … the silent Court, and opening Square explore.
1782. Miss Burney, Cecilia, X. vii. She told the coachman, therefore, to drive to the corner of the square.
1816. Southey, Poet’s Pilgr., IV. liii. Methought that in a spacious Square Of some great town the goodly ornament, Three statues I beheld.
1849. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., iii. I. 358. We should greatly err if we were to suppose that any of the streets and squares then bore the same aspect as at present.
1886. C. E. Pascoe, Lond. of To-day, xxxiv. (ed. 3), 303. There is little to engage the wayfarer’s interest westward of the Circus if we except some of the squares … lying on the north side.
attrib. 1883. Besant, All in Garden Fair, II. iii. To end as his uncle was ending, with a square house and a one-horse carriage!
1893. Daily News, 12 Jan., 3/1. Square-gardens innumerable will occur to every one—in Bloomsbury, in Mayfair, in Belgravia.
b. A rectangular building or block of buildings; U.S. a block of buildings bounded by streets.
a. 1700. Evelyn, Diary, 23 May 1645. The house is a square of 4 pavilions.
1725. in Foley, Rec. Eng. Prov. S. J., VII. Introd. p. xl. From thence it [the fire] communicated itself to the great square, or new building of the College on both sides.
1867. Latham, Black & White, 16. A square at Philadelphia means a solid block of houses, not an open space enclosed by buildings.
1891. Cent. Dict., s.v., The house is four or five squares further up-town.
13. An area of a hundred square feet, forming the measure or standard by which the price of flooring, roofing, tiling, or similar work is reckoned.
1663. Gerbier, Counsel, 63. Old Tiling at thirteen shillings foure pence a square. New Tiling at 1. pound 5 shillings a square.
1667. Primatt, City & C. Builder, 59. Carpenters do for the most part deal by the square, which is ten foot every way, and an hundred in all.
1703. R. Neve, City & C. Purchaser, 23. 4s. per Square for Sawing the Boards … and … 3s. 6d. per Square for Framing the Carcass.
c. 1738. in E. B. Jupp, Carpenters’ Co. (1887), 567. To do the new plain tyleing att £1. 6. 0 per square, and the Pan tyleing att 18s. per square.
1825. J. Nicholson, Operat. Mechanic, 550. A square of plain tiling will require a bundle of laths.
1883. Law Times Rep., XLIX. 139/1. The deceased had slated seven or eight houses,… and … had been paid … upon the terms that he was to have 4s. a square.
1894. Times, 31 May, 10/5. The flooring … fetched 5s. ‘a square.’
† 14. Astrol. and Astr. Quartile aspect; quadrature. Obs.
1667. Milton, P. L., X. 659. Thir planetarie motions and aspects In Sextile, Square, and Trine, and Opposite.
1686. Goad, Celest. Bodies, I. xv. 97. Other causes may help to irritate that Passion, which the ☽ in Square to the Sun inclineth to.
1690. Leybourn, Curs. Math., 449. Mars … is observed by Kepler, when in Square with the Sun, to be Dichotomous,… at other times, between its Square and Opposition to the Sun to be Gibbous.
15. In various special or technical senses:
† a. (See quots.) Obs.–0 † b. Arch. A square molding; an abacus. Obs. c. The squared part at the top of an anchor-shank. d. (Miscellaneous uses: see quots.) e. A thin piece of wood or metal, in the shape of a right-angled triangle, used as a bell-crank or connected with a tracker of an organ. f. U.S. A group of bracts surrounding the flower of the cotton-plant. Hence square-borer (an insect).
a. 1688. R. Holme, Armoury, III. xviii. (Roxb.), 134/2. The seuerall parts of the Barrell of a Muskett. The Barrell. The squares. The mullets. Ibid., 135/1. A screwed barrell, is when the bore is of six or eight squares, or thrids, all throughout.
b. 1703. T. N., City & C. Purchaser, 5. Annulet…. ’Tis the same Member as the Sieur Mauclerc, from Vitruvius, calls a Fillet,… and Brown from Scamozzi a … Square, and Rabit.
c. 1839. Ure, Dict. Arts, 44. In fig. 7 A is the shank [of the anchor];… E, the square; F, the nut.
1852. Burn, Naval & Mil. Techn. Dict., II. s.v., Square of an anchor, carré de la verge.
d. 1841. Hartshorne, Salop. Ant., Gloss., Squares, broad hoops of iron which are used to hold coal in ‘the Baskets,’ whilst being drawn up a pit.
1844. Parnell, Appl. Chem., II. 65. The furnaces for the melting-pots, and for the pots called the ‘squares’ or ‘cuvettes,’… are placed in a range along the middle of the room lengthways.
1875. Knight, Dict. Mech., 2294/2. Square (Horology), that portion of the arbor on which the winding-key is placed; a similar part on the arbor of the hands of a watch, whereby they are set.
1879. Cassell’s Techn. Educ., IV. 398/1. The ‘square’ (the strong iron plate which connects the two parts of the carriage at the headstock).
e. 1881. C. A. Edwards, Organs, 74. Backfalls are dispensed with, and squares inserted in their stead.
1884. Encycl. Brit., XVII. 834/1. In square and trackerwork … the old squares were made of wood. They resemble in function the squares used for taking bell-wires round a corner.
f. 1895. in Funk’s Stand. Dict.
1906. E. W. Hilgard, Soils, 503. The writer found a ‘patch’ of cotton with luxuriant stalks…, but almost devoid of ‘squares’ or blooms.
1906. Westm. Gaz., 19 Dec., 2/1. The devastation caused by … the cotton aphis, the web-worm, and the square borer.
16. Elliptical uses of the adj.: A square piano; a square dance; a square drink, etc.
1883. Daily News, 19 Sept., 1/7. A number of superior Secondhand Instruments,… including Grand Squares for India.
1893. Family Herald, 131/1. ‘Which is the next [dance]?’ ‘A square, I think.’
1896. ‘H. S. Merriman,’ Flotsam, xii. 136. The stoutest and most middle-aged civil servant, provided he was single, was accorded a ‘square.’
1899. N. & Q., 7 Jan., 8/1. In several parts of Glamorgan ‘a square of beer,’ measuring two-thirds of a pint, is also a favourite drink, so called, I have heard it said, because it is a ‘square drink.’
III. † 17. A quarrel, dispute, wrangle; discord, dissension, quarrelling. Obs. (Cf. 18 and SQUARE v. 8.)
1545. St. Papers Hen. VIII., X. 721. We talked sumwhat vively, but without any square.
1579–80. North, Plutarch (1676), 66. Afterwards they fortuned to fall at jar one with the other,… yet this square bred no violent inconvenience between them.
a. 1603. T. Cartwright, Confut. Rhem. N. T. (1618), 434. Thus through a perpetual square and iar, of the voice and of the hart, there can be no musique.
1627. Mageoghagan, trans. Ann. Clonmacnoise (1896), 39. They did agree without any square at all.
IV. In various phrases.
To break a square, no square, etc.: see BREAK v. 46.
† 18. At square, in a state of disagreement, discord or dissension; at variance; esp. to be or to fall at (a) square, to quarrel, differ or wrangle. Obs.
Freq. from c. 1545 to c. 1600.
(a) 1545. St. Papers Hen. VIII., X. 724. The Scottes, with whom they had amytie,… and never … but twyse wer at any square togithres.
1559. Mirr. Mag., Malin, vi. My yongest brother,… Whose hauty minde and mine were still at square.
1566. T. Stapleton, Ret. Untr. Jewel, II. 47. M. Jewell is so at square with all Writers.
a. 1602. Forman, Diary (Halliw.), 10. Oftentymes they too were also at square, insomuch that twise he had like to have killed hir.
(b) a. 1548. Hall, Chron., Hen. VI., 140. Yet their children and cosyns … fell so far at square, that the house of Burgoyne was spoyled of the fairest flower of his garland.
1568. Grafton, Chron., II. 99. The Monkes of Cauntorbury now hauyng the whole election in their owne handes, fell also at a square among themselues.
1577–87. Holinshed, Chron., I. 40/2. She falling at square with hir husband, married Uellocatus.
1602. Carew, Cornwall (1764), 103. She and hers fell at square, which discord … brake forth into a blow.
[1632. J. Hayward, trans. Biondi’s Eromena, b 4. What? laid aside thy Compasse?… with the Circle art thou fallen at square?]
(c) 1549. Coverdale, etc., Erasm. Par. Rom., 1. Leste either sectes or names of countreys put you now at square.
1577–87. Holinshed, Chron., II. 54. Diuerse in Normandie desired nothing more than to set the two brethren at square.
19. Out of square, out of the true, proper or normal state or condition; out of (right) order or rule: a. In predicative use.
Very common from c. 1540 to c. 1630.
1542. Udall, Erasm. Apoph., 72. Neither shall the sense bee out of square, if ye take ye greke vocable λόγον … for reason.
1556. Olde, Antichrist, 25 b. How great (and how out of square) this errour of ye world is.
1612. Two Noble K., IV. iii. 109. This may reduce what’s now out of square in her, into their former law, and regiment.
1621. Bp. Mountagu, Diatribæ, 224. There are in Porphyrie two sorts of men irregular and out of square in the seruice of their gods.
1661. J. Stephens, Procurations, 129. That which … in him … seemeth absonum, untunable and out of square, and friendly compasse.
1850. Carlyle, Latter-d. Pamph., viii. (1872), 253. Something must be wrong in the inner man of the world, since its outer man is so terribly out of square!
b. With various verbs. In later use passing into the sense ‘in or into disorder, irregularity or confusion.’
1555. Eden, Decades, 346. Wherin he speaketh not greatly owt of square.
1596. Spenser, F. Q., V. Introd. i. Me seemes the world is runne quite out of square.
1622. Peacham, Compl. Gent., v. (1906), 39. The least disorder or ranknesse of any one flower, putteth a beautifull bed or well contrived knot out of square.
1650. Howell, Giraffi’s Rev. Naples, I. 50. Had not a secret Treaty … against Masaniello, and his followers, bin discovered, which put all things again out of square.
1837. Carlyle, Fr. Rev., III. I. vii. This shrieking Confusion of a Soldiery, which we saw long since fallen all suicidally out of square, in suicidal collision. Ibid. (1864), Fredk. Gt., IV. 74. All things … much fallen out of square.
c. In literal sense.
1576. Fleming, Panopl. Epist., 377. There was nothing in him that was out of square, but every joynte and limme, both in measure and in place,… passing hansome.
1603. Fowldes, Homer’s Battle Frogs & Mice (1634), D 6 b. Exceeding were their [crabs’] shoulders out of square.
