Square?

[roselily]

What did they mean back in the day by square? The book my play is based on (An Agatha Christie) describes my character as square. As in "that dark square girl by the fireplace."

I'm thinking this predates the term as a non-cool person. I thought at first maybe it meant I'm supposed to be fat (ie, as wide as I am tall= square), but I'm also described alot as "poor" and, more importantly, "little"...
Does it just mean I'm ugly?

It's not vital to my characterization since she took that particular description out of the play version, but I'm kinda curious...

 

[LizzieMaine]

"Square" was used as far back as the twenties to refer to someone who was conservative and conventional, in both US and UK slang, although without the overtones of "non-hipness" that it has today, and rarely as a a noun. Calling someone a "square girl" would mean she wasn't undisciplined or unusually adventurous, and might be perfectly happy to sit home quietly by the fireside. Depending on who was speaking, it could even be taken as a compliment.

 

[roselily]

Okay, that makes ALOT of sense- my character is a very good, slightly mousy girl!

**whew**!

 

[Feraud]

I seem to recall the term "square" to also mean fair.
As in, We will cut you a square deal."

Does this sound familiar to anyone?

 

[K.D. Lightner]

The phrase was still around when I was a young thing. If someone was square, they were conventional, not likely to do anything out of the ordinary.
Perhaps today we would say straight-laced or unhip.

One of the online dictionaires refers to such a person as dull, rigidly unconventional and out of touch with current trends.

karol

 

[dhermann1]

The Cub Scout oath, when I was a Cub (during the early Cretaceous period), included the phrase "To be square", meaning to be on the square, honest and straightforward. I believe this sense of the word predates the sense of being stuffy. Used in the sense of "Are you being square with me?" Interestingly nuanced word.

 

[roselily]

This is really interesting. The way I read it in the book I thought it was a physical description- I'm so relieved that it isn't!


:eusa_clap I'm still cute! :eusa_clap

 

[Miss Neecerie]

Housekeeping note

Since this is not really about Beauty...moving it to the Obs bar

 

[roselily]

sorry- it STARTED as a beauty question! [huh]

 

[Senator Jack]

'On the square' was (still is?) a Freemason's term relating to the compass and the square. A fellow freemason is said to be 'on the level' or 'on the square'

 

[reetpleat]

'On the square' was (still is?) a Freemason's term relating to the compass and the square. A fellow freemason is said to be 'on the level' or 'on the square'

You are okay because I don't think it means fat, as in the song Mr. 5x5.

I suppose that is doubly good since you wre cast for the role. You might have gotten mad at the casting director.

I imagine it started as a compliment, as in, solid, straight, true, but a person like that might come across as boring and unadventurous, hence the pejorative nature of it.

 

[Tinseltown]

Funny... I JUST saw CryBaby for the first time 2 days ago... In that, the girl is a Square.

 

[PrettySquareGal]

Square is my name. To me, it means I'm no fun at all to be around because I don't drink or smoke. If someone called me a square I'd take it as a compliment.

 

[Helen Troy]

I seem to recall the term "square" to also mean fair.
As in, We will cut you a square deal."

Does this sound familiar to anyone?

" All fair and square", isn't that an english or american expression? Or am I imagining things?

 

[Girl Friday]

L7 for sure.

 

[Micawber]

'On the square' was (still is?) a Freemason's term relating to the compass and the square. A fellow freemason is said to be 'on the level' or 'on the square'

Still is.

 

[HadleyH]

In the 40s 50s 60s this was the meaning of the word square for example:

"Jerry is so square, all he does is his homework, watch TV, and he doesn't even like Elvis."

In the 1920s I think it had the same meaning. may be it also meant square deal but for this I know they used the expression on the level. Anyway may be they used both.

 

[twobarbreak]

I believe there are different Valid definitions...

the free mason term, of being on the square, can equal being honest etc...

and then the term "You are a square" or "You are square" would have been used by Flappers in the 20's or Jitterbugs, Jazz Musicians during the 30's & 40's, to describe someone who is not "In the know" or dislikes their way of life,music and culture.
----------------------

from Cab Calloways Hepsters Dictionary 1939

Square (n)
an un-hip person (see icky and jeff)

jeff (n)
a pest, a bore, an icky

icky (n)
one who is not hip, a stupid person, one who can't collar the jive.
--------------------

It's never been a good thing to be a square....

 

[Mid-fogey]

It has been around...

...a while.

Check the lyrics

TAMPICO
(Fisher / Roberts)
June Christy & Stan Kenton - 1945


I, Tampico, Tampico, on the Gulf of Mehico
Tampico, Tampico, down in Mehico

You buy a beautiful shawl
A souvenir for Aunt Flo
Authentic Mexican yarn
Made in Idaho

I, Tampico, Tampico, on the Gulf of Mehico
Tampico, Tampico, down Mehico

The senoritas, they waive, when you arrive at the dock
The native costumes they wear
Are slacks and bobby socks

I, Tampico, Tampico, on the Gulf of Mehico
Tampico, Tampico, down in Mehico

You buy some pottery there
To beat the luxury tax
You find that when you get home
They sell it cheaper at Sachs

I, Tampico, Tampico, on the Gulf of Mehico
Tampico, Tampico, down in Mehico

You ask a Mexican band
To play a rumba-down-dare
He turns and says to the boys
“Hey, fellas, dig that square!”

I, Tampico, Tampico, on the Gulf of Mehico
Tampico, Tampico, down in Mehico

Down in Mehico

 

[Twitch]

Perhaps "square" originally defined the shape of one's thinking as well. Square would define a rigid, set, compartmentalized, measured way of thought, devoid of the curves that are gracile and lanquid in other other more free moving forms of visual expression.