squire
nounverbnounattested in dialogue
- United Kingdom//ˈskwaɪə//
- United States//ˈskwaɪɚ//
A shield-bearer or armor-bearer who attended a knight.
noun
- 1
A shield-bearer or armor-bearer who attended a knight.
A Squire he had, whose name was Ralph[.]
- 2
A title of dignity next in degree below knight, and above gentleman. See esquire.
[object Object]
- 3
A male attendant on a great personage.
- 4
historicalA landowner from the English gentry during the early modern period.
Third Suitor was Young Country Squire, well born, Perſon indifferent, Cloaths (fondly worn)[.]
- 5
A devoted attendant or follower of a lady; a beau.
- 6
A title of office and courtesy. See under esquire.
- 7
A term of address to a male equal.
Sorry squire, I've had a look 'round the back of the shop, and uh, we're right out of parrots.
- 8
An Australian snapper (Chrysophrys auratus), a food fish also found in eastern Asia.
- 9
A grass emperor (Lethrinus laticaudis), of coral reefs of the western Pacific.
Etymology
From Middle English esquire, from Old French escuier, from Latin scūtārius (“shield-bearer”), from scūtum (“shield”).
verb
- 1
To attend as a squire.
- 2
To attend as a beau, or gallant, for aid and protection.
[O]n ſome occaſions, he diſplayed all his fund of good humour, vvith a vievv to beguile her ſorrovv; he importuned her to give him the pleasure of ’ſquiring her to ſome place of innocent entertainment; and, finally, inſiſted upon her accepting a pecuniary reinforcement to her finances, vvhich he knevv to be in a moſt conſumptive condition.
Perceiving, however, that I had on my best wig, she offered, if I would ’squire her there, to send home the footman.
To man a lady was, in former times, a phrase similar to the vulgar one at present in use, to squire.
Yes, such a thing as thou wouldst make of me should wear a book at his girdle instead of a poniard, and might just be suspected of manhood enough to squire a proud dame-citizen to the lecture at Saint Antonlin’s, and quarrel in her cause with any flat-capped threadmaker that would take the wall of her.
noun
- 1
obsoleteA ruler; a carpenter's square; a measure.
But temperaunce, said he, with golden squire, / Betwixt them both can measure out a meane.
do not you know my lady's foot by the squire.
as for a workman not to know his axe, saw, squire, or any other toole, […].
twelve foot and a half by the squire.
Etymology
From Middle English squire, borrowed from Middle French esquierre (“rule, carpenter's square”), or from Old French esquire, another form of esquarre (“square”). Cognate with French équerre. Doublet of square.
Forms
- plural
- squires
- past tense
- squired
- past participle
- squired
- present participle
- squiring
- third person singular
- squires
squire · A shield-bearer or armor-bearer who attended a knight.
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