foursquare

[ fawr-skwair, fohr- ]

adjective

1. consisting of four corners and four right angles; square:

   a solid, foursquare building.

2. firm; steady; unswerving:

   He maintained a foursquare position in the controversy.

3. forthright; frank; blunt:

   a foursquare presentation of the company's financial condition.

adverb

1. without equivocation; frankly; forthrightly.

noun

1. a square.

foursquare

/ ˌfɔːˈskwɛə /

adverb

1. squarely; firmly

adjective

1. solid and strong
2. forthright; honest
3. a rare word for square

Derived Forms

• ˌfourˈsquarely, adverb
• ˌfourˈsquareness, noun

Other Words From

• foursquarely adverb
• foursquareness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of foursquare¹

First recorded in 1250–1300, foursquare is from the Middle English word fouresquare. See four, square

Example Sentences

Biden offered foursquare support for the union, taking the unprecedented step for a sitting president of walking the picket line with them at a GM factory in Michigan in September.

From Los Angeles Times

The painting’s rich detail and foursquare frontality all but command attention.

From Washington Post

And yet Dodd manages to give this picture a foursquare, almost archetypal quality.

From Washington Post

But her 1957 painted aluminum “12 Concentric Circles,” with its openwork curves spinning off into space, is a departure from the foursquare Constructivist model set by much geometric work of the period.

From New York Times

I don’t recall ever hearing such a foursquare interpretation of the Largo theme, a tune meant to evoke Black spirituals that became more familiar as the melody of “Goin’ Home.”

From New York Times

Related Words

• rectangular