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square

square

24 7.7
Very old-fashioned and not willing to try new things
  • adjective
  • /skwɛr/
  • Offensive
: carca
  • She called him square for always sticking to traditional ways and never trying anything new.

I just probably put the the dial a little more toward being boring and square than most people do.

Examples

Synonyms

straight
vssquare
196 7.7

Very traditional and not open to change

is informal and used in casual speech
square-toed
vssquare
  • Informal
8.8

Very old-fashioned and formal in behavior or views

is less extreme and not exaggeratedly proper

Antonyms

174 5.5

Having new ideas or methods to do things better

69 3.6

Willing to try new and sometimes risky things

Idioms

fair and square
  • Informal
37 3.3

In a just and honest way that follows the rules

square one
  • Informal
32 4.1

The place where you start again after something goes wrong

21 4.3

To start again after a failure

at square one
  • Informal
5 4.9

You must start again at the beginning after a failure

square on
  • Informal
1 6.5

Being completely honest, direct, and fully committed to something

A person who does not fit into a job or group

Words people say to announce a correct answer or a win

To stand or sit with shoulders pulled back to show confidence before something difficult

Compounds

144 1.4

A measure of area equal to a square one foot on each side used for rooms and land

108 2.7

A busy part of Manhattan with bright lights, theaters, and New Year's Eve celebrations

87 1.9

An area equal to a square with sides one mile long

29 1.4

A measure of area equal to a square one inch on each side

17 2.6

An area equal to a square one kilometer on each side

square root
  • Specialized
15 3.4

A number that when multiplied by itself gives a given number

12 1.0

The area of a square one meter on each side

public square
  • Texting
9 4.0

An online place where people meet to discuss public issues and share ideas

8 3.4

A unit that measures pressure equal to one pound of force on one square inch

8 3.2

A country dance for four couples who face each other and follow a caller

7 5.3

Having a wide jaw that makes the face look square

7 3.3

A country dance with four couples in a square led by a caller

An open area in a town or city where people meet and events happen

A large open place in central London with a monument to Nelson and big lion statues

4 2.2

A full, filling meal that gives enough energy and nutrition

4 1.6

A solid piece shaped like a cube that is as long as it is wide and tall

Having four equal sides and four corners

3 1.8

A unit of area equal to a square one yard on each side

An open area in a town where people sell food and goods

2 3.7

Fair and honest treatment of people in a situation or agreement

square knot
  • Specialized
1 3.9

A knot used to join two ends of rope or cord by tying two opposite small knots

square centimeter
  • Specialized
1 2.2

An area equal to a square one centimeter on each side

A very small area equal to a square one millimeter on each side

A sign like [ or ] used to show words added in text

1 6.7

A tool with a long straight edge and a T-shaped top used to draw straight or parallel lines

1 3.4

A person who dances with three other couples standing in a square

1 6.0

A shoe with a front that is flat and straight across

square-rigged
  • Specialized
1 8.4

Having square sails set across the masts as the main sails

1 6.4

A square puzzle where the same words read across and down

magic square
  • Specialized
1 7.2

A square grid of numbers whose rows, columns, and main diagonals add to the same total

square sail
  • Archaic
1 8.5

A four-sided piece of cloth hung on a bar across a ship's mast to catch the wind

square-rigger
  • Specialized
1 9.9

A ship with large square sails hung on horizontal bars across the masts

A unit for area like a square meter or square foot

square shooter
  • Informal
1 4.6

A person who is honest and tells the truth

square pyramid
  • Specialized
1 5.3

A solid shape with a square base and four triangular faces that meet at a top point

square matrix
  • Specialized
1 3.7

A table of numbers with the same number of rows and columns

A large flat L-shaped metal tool carpenters use to measure and mark right angles

1 4.8

A person or animal with a broad, strong body and a sturdy look

Music played to accompany square dancing, often with lively fiddle or banjo rhythms

Latin square
  • Specialized
1 9.1

A square grid filled with different symbols so each symbol appears once in each row and column

1 3.9

A tool to draw and check right angles

try square
  • Specialized
1 6.2

A metal tool with a ruler and handle for checking right angles in wood or metal

chi-square statistic
  • Specialized
1 6.8

A number that shows if the data you see differ from what you expect

square nut
  • Specialized
1 4.2

A small metal piece with four flat sides that fits on a bolt to hold things together

bevel square
  • Specialized
8.2

A hand tool with two arms joined at one end to measure or mark angled lines

A person honored for great bravery who leads troops and carries a square banner

A large filling meal that gives you energy

square capitals
  • Specialized
9.2

A Roman style of writing using upright block capital letters often carved on stone

square fathom
  • Archaic
9.1

An area the size of a square six feet on each side

square flipper
  • Archaic
9.9

A medium-sized Arctic seal with whiskers on each side of its nose, also called the bearded seal

9.9

Repeated marching drills that soldiers do during basic training

square toes
  • Archaic
9.6

A person with very old-fashioned and strict ideas about how people should behave

How Conventional

stuffy
  • Informal
31 5.6
square
  • Offensive
24 7.7
old-fashioned
365 4.7
traditional
979 1.5
conservative
778 4.4

Surface Forms

square positive
squarer comparative
squarest superlative

Etymology

A square attitude is rigid and old-fashioned, like a box with hard angles, so the word means unwilling to try new things.