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affairs. | We think we can do business with them, but we've sent a representative to spy out the land (=collect some more information about them) before we decide. 3 [T] especially lit to catch sight of; discover after some looking: She suddenly spied her friend in the crowd. | [+obj+v-ing] I spied him hiding behind the door.
**spy-glass** /'spaɪglɑːs||-glæs/ n a small TELESCOPE used especially in former times
**spy-hole** /'spaɪhəl/ n BrE a hole in a door, wall etc through which you can look at someone secretly
**Spy Who Came in from the 'Cold, The** (1963) a novel by John Le Carré about a British SPY (=someone whose job it is to find out secret information about another country) in EAST GERMANY who wants to go back to the West → see also **come in from the cold** (COLD²)
**sq** written abbrev. for square: 6 sq metres
**squab** /skwɒb||skwɑːb/ n a young PIGEON (=kind of bird) especially as food
**squab·ble** /'skwɒbəl||'skwɑː-/ v [I (about, over)] to take part in a continuing quarrel, especially over something unimportant: What are you children squabbling about now? —squabble n
**squad** /skwɒd||skwɑːd/ n [C+sing./pl. v] 1 a group of people, usually highly trained, working as a team: a bomb squad | a fire-fighting squad | The final England football team will be chosen from their squad of 14. 2 a small group of soldiers, often together for a particular duty: a drill squad → see also DEATH SQUAD, FIRING SQUAD, FLYING SQUAD
**squad car** n especially AmE a car used by police on duty; PATROL CAR
**squad·dy** /'skwɒdi||'skwɑː-/ n especially BrE infml a soldier, especially one who is not an officer
**squad·ron** /'skwɒdrən||'skwɑː-/ n [C+sing./pl. v] a military or naval unit, especially a middle-sized airforce unit with between 10 and 18 aircraft: a squadron of bombers/warships
**squadron leader** n an officer in the British airforce below a WING COMMANDER → see TABLE 3
**squal·id** /'skwɒlɪd||'skwɑː-/ adj 1 very dirty and unpleasant, especially as a result of lack of care or lack of money: How can they live in such squalid conditions? | squalid slums 2 having or concerning low moral standards; SORDID: a squalid story of sex and violence —ly adv
**squall¹** /skwɔːl/ n a sudden strong wind often bringing rain or snow: (fig.) domestic squalls (=short but noisy arguments) —y adj; squally showers
**squall²** v [I] to cry (out) noisily: Can't you stop that baby squalling? —squall n
**squal·or** /'skwɒlə||'skwɑː-/ n [U] the condition of being SQUALID: ten people living in squalor in a single room | The refugees are forced to live in squalor.
**squan·der** /'skwɒndə||'skwɑːn-/ v [T(on)] to spend foolishly; use up wastefully: The council has been squandering the ratepayers' money. | to squander a valuable opportunity —er n
**Squan·to** /'skwɒntəʊ||'skwɑːn-/ (?1585–1622) a Native American who helped the PILGRIM FATHERS, the first English people to come to America, by showing them where to hunt and fish and how to plant corn
**square¹** /skweə/ n 1 a shape with four straight equal sides forming four right angles → compare OBLONG, RECTANGLE 2 a piece of material in this shape: a square of cloth 3 (the buildings surrounding) a broad open area in a town, usually in the form of a square: The market is held in the town square. | The American embassy in London is in Grosvenor Square. 4 [(of)] the number obtained when another number is multiplied by itself: 16 is the square of 4. → see also SQUARE, SQUARE ROOT 5 a space on a game board: He moved his queen two squares forward. 6 old-fash slang a person who does not know or follow the latest ideas, styles etc 7 a straight-edged often L-shaped tool for drawing and measuring right angles → see also SETSQUARE, T-SQUARE 8 on the square old-fash infml honestly; fairly
**quare²** adj 1 [no comp.] having four equal sides and four right angles; being a square: a handkerchief is usually square. | a square tower/box 2 forming a right angle: a square corner | square shoulders 3 [A no comp.] being a measurement of area equal to that of a square with sides of the stated length: 10,000 square centimetres equals 1 square metre. | The forest covers an area of 1500 square miles. 4 [after n; no comp.] being the stated length from a corner in both directions: The room is six metres square. 5 [F(with)] level: That shelf isn't quite square (with the other one); can you straighten it? 6 fair and honest: a square deal → see also fair and square (FAIR) 7 [F] equal in points: The teams are all square at one goal each. 8 [F] having no debts to one another that are still to be settled: I've paid what I owe them so we are all square now. 9 old-fash slang of or like a SQUARE; old-fashioned 10 (in cricket) in a position at (about) right angles to the hitter 11 a square peg in a round hole infml someone who is not suited to the job they hold, the group they belong to etc; MISFIT → see also SQUARELY —ness n [U]
measurement of area equal to that of a square with sides of the stated length: 10,000 square centimetres equals 1 square metre. | The forest covers an area of 1500 square miles. 4 [after n; no comp.] being the stated length from a corner in both directions: The room is six metres square. 5 [F(with)] level: That shelf isn't quite square (with the other one); can you straighten it? 6 fair and honest: a square deal → see also fair and square (FAIR) 7 [F] equal in points: The teams are all square at one goal each. 8 [F] having no debts to one another that are still to be settled: I've paid what I owe them so we are all square now. 9 old-fash slang of or like a SQUARE; old-fashioned 10 (in cricket) in a position at (about) right angles to the hitter 11 a square peg in a round hole infml someone who is not suited to the job they hold, the group they belong to etc; MISFIT → see also SQUARELY —ness n [U]
**square³** v 1 [T[OFF, UP]] to put into a shape with straight lines and right angles: He squared off the end of the piece of wood. | 'I won't be threatened,' she said, squaring her shoulders defiantly. 2 [T[OFF]] to divide into squares or mark with squares: squared paper 3 [T usually pass.] to multiply (a number) by itself once: 2 squared equals 4. (written 2²=4) → see also SQUARE, SQUARE ROOT 4 [I;T(with)] to (cause to) match known or accepted facts, standards, aims etc; be in agreement or bring into agreement: His statement doesn't square with (=fit) the facts. | They've tried to persuade me to do it, but I can't square it with my conscience. | I haven't got time to ask the boss if it's all right – would you square it with her for me? 5 [T] to cause (totals of points or games won) to be equal: Britain won the second match to square the series at one each. 6 [T] infml to pay or pay for; settle: I've squared my account at the store. 7 [T] infml to pay or settle dishonestly, especially by a BRIBE: There are government officials who will have to be squared if we're to get this scheme approved. 8 square the circle to attempt something impossible
**square (sthg.) away** phr v [T; usually pass.] AmE infml 1 to finish, especially the last details: I have to get this report squared away before I leave tonight. 2 to tidy (a place): As soon as the station wagon is squared away (=things are put in the right places in the car) we can go.
**square up** phr v [I] 1 infml to pay what is owed; settle a bill: Let's square up; how much do I owe you? 2 [(to)] also **square off** — to stand as if ready to begin fighting
**square up to sthg./sbdy.** phr v [T] to face (an opponent or a difficult situation) with determination: I admire the way she squared up to the problem.
**'quare-bashing** n [U] BrE infml practice, especially in marching, by soldiers
**'square bracket** n [usually pl.] especially BrE a BRACKET
**'square dance** n a type of country dance in which four pairs of dancers face each other to form a square
**'square knot** n AmE for REEF KNOT
**square 'leg** n (in cricket) a fielding (FIELD) position
**square·ly** /'skweəlɪ||'skwer-/ also **square** adv 1 in a fair and honest way 2 [+prep] directly: He looked her squarely in the eye. | The report puts the blame for the accident squarely on the driver of the train.
**square 'meal** n infml a good satisfying and healthy meal: You need to eat three square meals a day.
**Square 'Mile, the** another name for the CITY OF LONDON (=the financial and banking centre of London), used especially in news reports. It is called this because the area of the City is about one square mile.
**square 'one** n [U] the starting point: The committee rejected all our plans, so now we're back to square one.
**square-rigged** adj (of a ship) having sails set across rather than along the length of the ship → compare FORE AND AFT
**square 'root** n the number which when multiplied by itself equals a particular number: If 3 is the square root of 9 (written √9), then 3 x 3=9.
**squash¹** /skwɒʃ||skwɑːʃ, skwɔː/ v 1 [T] to force into a flat shape; crush: I sat on my hat/the box/the tomato and squashed it. | The car was squashed flat by the lorry. | The flowers I was carrying got squashed in the crowded train. 2 [+adv/prep;T+obj+adv/prep] to push or fit into a small space, especially with difficulty; SQUEEZE: They all squashed