be there or be square

phrase

Used to encourage someone to attend an event.

“There's a huge party on Saturday night; be there or be square.”

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Meanings

phrase
  1. humorousinformalUsed to encourage someone to attend an event.

    There's a huge party on Saturday night; be there or be square.

Origin

See square (“conventional, boring”).

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Chinese Cantonese 不見不散 /不见不散
  • 不見不散 /不见不散encourage someone to attend an event
Chinese Mandarin 不見不散 /不见不散
  • 不見不散 /不见不散 (bùjiànbùsàn)encourage someone to attend an event
Finnish tule sinne tai olet tylsä (unidiomatic)
  • tule sinne tai olet tylsä (unidiomatic)encourage someone to attend an event
Hebrew מי שלא בא מרובע
  • מי שלא בא מרובע (mi shelo ba meruba)encourage someone to attend an event
Russian будь та́м и́ли будь как все́, я́вка обяза́тельна
  • будь та́м и́ли будь как все́ (budʹ tám íli budʹ kak vsé)encourage someone to attend an event
  • я́вка обяза́тельна (jávka objazátelʹna)encourage someone to attend an event
Scottish Gaelic bi ann no bi fann
  • bi ann no bi fannencourage someone to attend an event
Cite this entry
APA

be there or be square. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/be%20there%20or%20be%20square

MLA

“be there or be square.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/be%20there%20or%20be%20square. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “be there or be square,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/be%20there%20or%20be%20square.

Source: be there or be square on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.