Squareis slang for a person who is conventional and old-fashioned, similar to afuddy-duddy.[1][2][3]This sense of the word "square"originated with the Americanjazzcommunity in the 1940s in reference to people out of touch with musical trends.[1]Older senses of the termsquare,referring positively to someone or something honest and upstanding, date back to the 16th century.[3][4]
History
editThe English wordsquaredates to the 13th century and derives from theOld Frenchesquarre.By the 1570s, it was in use in reference to someone or something honest or fair.[3][4]This positive sense is preserved in phrases such as "fair and square",meaning something done in an honest and straightforward manner,[5]and "square deal",meaning an outcome equitable to all sides.[6]AWest Countryvariant on the phrase, "fairs pears", bears the same meaning and was first traced by Cecil Sharp in 1903 when visiting his friend (and lyrics editor)Charles Marsonin Hambridge, South Somerset.[7]
The sense ofsquareas a derogatory reference to someone conventional or old-fashioned dates to thejazzscene of the 1940s; the first known reference is from 1944. There it applied to someone who failed to appreciate the medium of jazz, or more broadly, someone whose tastes were out of date and out of touch. It may derive from the rigid motion of aconductor's hands in a conventional, four-beat rhythm.[3]It is used as both an adjective and a noun.[1][2]A square contrasted with someone who waship,or in the know.[1] The cub scout promise included the pledge "to be square" from the 1950s to the 1970s. In contemporary language, U.S. branches of the military refer to "squared away" to describe things that are ordered.
See also
edit
References
edit- ^abcd"square,adj.,d. ".Oxford English Dictionary(Online ed.).Oxford University Press.(Subscription orparticipating institution membershiprequired.)
- ^ab"square,n.,16 a. ".Oxford English Dictionary(Online ed.).Oxford University Press.(Subscription orparticipating institution membershiprequired.)
- ^abcdHarper, Douglas."square".Online Etymology Dictionary.RetrievedMarch 29,2018.
- ^ab"square,adj.,c. ".Oxford English Dictionary(Online ed.).Oxford University Press.(Subscription orparticipating institution membershiprequired.)
- ^"fair and square,adv.andadj.".Oxford English Dictionary(Online ed.).Oxford University Press.(Subscription orparticipating institution membershiprequired.)
- ^"deal,n.22. c. ".Oxford English Dictionary(Online ed.).Oxford University Press.(Subscription orparticipating institution membershiprequired.)
- ^Sharp, C and Marson, CFolk Songs from Somerset vols 1-31904-1906 Simpkin
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