squire

plural squires

1. A shield-bearer or armor-bearer who attended a knight.

   A Squire he had, whose name was Ralph[.]

   1663, Samuel Butler, Hudibras, London, page 18

2. error lua execA title of dignity next in degree below knight, and above gentleman. See esquire.
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)[.]

   1684, John Harington, The Grecian Story, London: William Crook, page 89

5. A devoted attendant or follower of a lady; a beau.
6. A title of office and courtesy. See under esquire.
7. UKcolloquialA 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.

   1969, Dead Parrot sketch, Monty Python's Flying Circus

8. An Australian snapper (Chrysophrys auratus), a food fish also found in eastern Asia.

   Synonyms: silver seabream, Pagrus auratus

9. A grass emperor (Lethrinus laticaudis), of coral reefs of the western Pacific.

present singular third person squires · participle present squiring · participle past squired · past squired

1. transitiveTo attend as a squire.
2. transitiveTo attend as a beau, or gallant, for aid and protection.

   To man a lady was, in former times, a phrase similar to the vulgar one at present in use, to squire.

   1812, Henry [William] Weber, “The Spanish Curate”, in [John Fletcher, Philip Massinger], edited by Henry Weber, The Works of Beaumont and Fletcher, […], volume III, Edinburgh: […] James Ballantyne and Company, for F. C. and J. Rivington; [et al.], Act IV, scene vii, footnote 3, page 326

   5 more examples

   [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.

   1753, [Tobias Smollett], “Count Fathom Unmasks His Battery; is Repulsed; and Varies His Operations without Effect”, in The Adventures of Ferdinand Count Fathom. […], volume II, London: […] W. Johnston, […], →OCLC, pages 107–108

   Perceiving, however, that I had on my best wig, she offered, if I would ’squire her there, to send home the footman.

   1759 October 23 (Gregorian calendar), [Oliver] Goldsmith, “On Dress”, in The Bee, a Select Collection of Essays, on the Most Interesting and Entertaining Subjects, […], new edition, London: […] W[illiam] Lane, […], published c. 1790, →OCLC

   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.

   1821 January 8, [Walter Scott], chapter IV, in Kenilworth; a Romance. […], volume (please specify |volume=I to III), Edinburgh: […] Archibald Constable and Co.; and John Ballantyne, […]; London: Hurst, Robinson, and Co., →OCLC

   And raising good cotton, riding well, shooting straight, dancing lightly, squiring the ladies with elegance and carrying one’s liquor like a gentleman were the things that mattered.

   1936 June 30, Margaret Mitchell, chapter I, in Gone with the Wind, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company, →OCLC

   A butch entered squiring a blonde whore tottering along on spike heels under dairy whip hair, her chubby hand rising again and again to tuck a stray wisp back into the creamy dome.

   1988, Edmund White, chapter 6, in The Beautiful Room is Empty, New York: Vintage International, published 1994

   Synonyms: escort

plural squires

1. obsoleteA ruler; a carpenter's square; a measure.

   twelve foot and a half by the squire.

   c. 1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Winters Tale”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene iv], line 348

   3 more examples

   But temperaunce, said he, with golden squire, / Betwixt them both can measure out a meane.

   1590, Edmund Spenser, “(please specify the book)”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC

   do not you know my lady's foot by the squire.

   c. 1595–1596 (date written), William Shakespeare, “Loues Labour’s Lost”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene ii], line 474

   as for a workman not to know his axe, saw, squire, or any other toole, […].

   1624, Democritus Junior [pseudonym; Robert Burton], The Anatomy of Melancholy: […], 2nd edition, Oxford, Oxfordshire: […] John Lichfield and James Short, for Henry Cripps, →OCLC

plural Squires

1. countableuncountableA surname originating as an occupation.
2. countableuncountableAn unincorporated community in McDowell County, West Virginia, United States.