Why in this line from A Midsummer Night's Dream, “square” means “quarrel”?












4















When refer to dictionaries, there seems to be no such meaning as "quarrel" under the word "square", but only "in agreement".



But in II 1 of A Midsummer Night's Dream, "square" in the following line means "quarrel":



And now they never meet in grove, or green,
By fountain clear, or spangled starlight sheen,
But they do square, that all their elves for fear
Creep into acorn cups, and hide them there.



I wonder where does this meaning come from.



Thank you.










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    4















    When refer to dictionaries, there seems to be no such meaning as "quarrel" under the word "square", but only "in agreement".



    But in II 1 of A Midsummer Night's Dream, "square" in the following line means "quarrel":



    And now they never meet in grove, or green,
    By fountain clear, or spangled starlight sheen,
    But they do square, that all their elves for fear
    Creep into acorn cups, and hide them there.



    I wonder where does this meaning come from.



    Thank you.










    share|improve this question







    New contributor




    kimXU is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
    Check out our Code of Conduct.























      4












      4








      4








      When refer to dictionaries, there seems to be no such meaning as "quarrel" under the word "square", but only "in agreement".



      But in II 1 of A Midsummer Night's Dream, "square" in the following line means "quarrel":



      And now they never meet in grove, or green,
      By fountain clear, or spangled starlight sheen,
      But they do square, that all their elves for fear
      Creep into acorn cups, and hide them there.



      I wonder where does this meaning come from.



      Thank you.










      share|improve this question







      New contributor




      kimXU is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
      Check out our Code of Conduct.












      When refer to dictionaries, there seems to be no such meaning as "quarrel" under the word "square", but only "in agreement".



      But in II 1 of A Midsummer Night's Dream, "square" in the following line means "quarrel":



      And now they never meet in grove, or green,
      By fountain clear, or spangled starlight sheen,
      But they do square, that all their elves for fear
      Creep into acorn cups, and hide them there.



      I wonder where does this meaning come from.



      Thank you.







      etymology shakespeare






      share|improve this question







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      kimXU is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
      Check out our Code of Conduct.











      share|improve this question







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      kimXU is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
      Check out our Code of Conduct.









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      asked 5 hours ago









      kimXUkimXU

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          1 Answer
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          The sense of to "fall out, to be at variance or discord, to disagree or quarrel, with a person, etc." (OED, sense 8a of square, v.; paywalled) is obsolete. It appears in historical dictionaries. OED attests the sense with quotes from 1530 to 1561.



          Shakespeare's use in A Midsummer Night's Dream, which was written in 1595 or 1596, attests that the sense was still in use and understood in that sense at that time.






          share|improve this answer





















          • 3





            Thank you. I also check the meaning of quarrel and found out that one of its meanings as a noun is "A short, heavy, square-headed arrow or bolt used in a crossbow or arbalest." And its origin is "Middle English: from Old French, based on late Latin quadrus ‘square’." I think there might be some kind of relation generated from this sense. And this kind of arrow is used around middle age, so it makes sense I guess.

            – kimXU
            5 hours ago











          • @kimXU The derivation of "square" (to argue) from "quarrel" (square-headed arrow) feels like a folk etymology to me. Unless you have evidence of some intermediate forms I wouldn't believe it.

            – Martin Bonner
            4 mins ago











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          1 Answer
          1






          active

          oldest

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          1 Answer
          1






          active

          oldest

          votes









          active

          oldest

          votes






          active

          oldest

          votes









          3














          The sense of to "fall out, to be at variance or discord, to disagree or quarrel, with a person, etc." (OED, sense 8a of square, v.; paywalled) is obsolete. It appears in historical dictionaries. OED attests the sense with quotes from 1530 to 1561.



          Shakespeare's use in A Midsummer Night's Dream, which was written in 1595 or 1596, attests that the sense was still in use and understood in that sense at that time.






          share|improve this answer





















          • 3





            Thank you. I also check the meaning of quarrel and found out that one of its meanings as a noun is "A short, heavy, square-headed arrow or bolt used in a crossbow or arbalest." And its origin is "Middle English: from Old French, based on late Latin quadrus ‘square’." I think there might be some kind of relation generated from this sense. And this kind of arrow is used around middle age, so it makes sense I guess.

            – kimXU
            5 hours ago











          • @kimXU The derivation of "square" (to argue) from "quarrel" (square-headed arrow) feels like a folk etymology to me. Unless you have evidence of some intermediate forms I wouldn't believe it.

            – Martin Bonner
            4 mins ago
















          3














          The sense of to "fall out, to be at variance or discord, to disagree or quarrel, with a person, etc." (OED, sense 8a of square, v.; paywalled) is obsolete. It appears in historical dictionaries. OED attests the sense with quotes from 1530 to 1561.



          Shakespeare's use in A Midsummer Night's Dream, which was written in 1595 or 1596, attests that the sense was still in use and understood in that sense at that time.






          share|improve this answer





















          • 3





            Thank you. I also check the meaning of quarrel and found out that one of its meanings as a noun is "A short, heavy, square-headed arrow or bolt used in a crossbow or arbalest." And its origin is "Middle English: from Old French, based on late Latin quadrus ‘square’." I think there might be some kind of relation generated from this sense. And this kind of arrow is used around middle age, so it makes sense I guess.

            – kimXU
            5 hours ago











          • @kimXU The derivation of "square" (to argue) from "quarrel" (square-headed arrow) feels like a folk etymology to me. Unless you have evidence of some intermediate forms I wouldn't believe it.

            – Martin Bonner
            4 mins ago














          3












          3








          3







          The sense of to "fall out, to be at variance or discord, to disagree or quarrel, with a person, etc." (OED, sense 8a of square, v.; paywalled) is obsolete. It appears in historical dictionaries. OED attests the sense with quotes from 1530 to 1561.



          Shakespeare's use in A Midsummer Night's Dream, which was written in 1595 or 1596, attests that the sense was still in use and understood in that sense at that time.






          share|improve this answer















          The sense of to "fall out, to be at variance or discord, to disagree or quarrel, with a person, etc." (OED, sense 8a of square, v.; paywalled) is obsolete. It appears in historical dictionaries. OED attests the sense with quotes from 1530 to 1561.



          Shakespeare's use in A Midsummer Night's Dream, which was written in 1595 or 1596, attests that the sense was still in use and understood in that sense at that time.







          share|improve this answer














          share|improve this answer



          share|improve this answer








          edited 37 mins ago

























          answered 5 hours ago









          JELJEL

          27.3k45191




          27.3k45191








          • 3





            Thank you. I also check the meaning of quarrel and found out that one of its meanings as a noun is "A short, heavy, square-headed arrow or bolt used in a crossbow or arbalest." And its origin is "Middle English: from Old French, based on late Latin quadrus ‘square’." I think there might be some kind of relation generated from this sense. And this kind of arrow is used around middle age, so it makes sense I guess.

            – kimXU
            5 hours ago











          • @kimXU The derivation of "square" (to argue) from "quarrel" (square-headed arrow) feels like a folk etymology to me. Unless you have evidence of some intermediate forms I wouldn't believe it.

            – Martin Bonner
            4 mins ago














          • 3





            Thank you. I also check the meaning of quarrel and found out that one of its meanings as a noun is "A short, heavy, square-headed arrow or bolt used in a crossbow or arbalest." And its origin is "Middle English: from Old French, based on late Latin quadrus ‘square’." I think there might be some kind of relation generated from this sense. And this kind of arrow is used around middle age, so it makes sense I guess.

            – kimXU
            5 hours ago











          • @kimXU The derivation of "square" (to argue) from "quarrel" (square-headed arrow) feels like a folk etymology to me. Unless you have evidence of some intermediate forms I wouldn't believe it.

            – Martin Bonner
            4 mins ago








          3




          3





          Thank you. I also check the meaning of quarrel and found out that one of its meanings as a noun is "A short, heavy, square-headed arrow or bolt used in a crossbow or arbalest." And its origin is "Middle English: from Old French, based on late Latin quadrus ‘square’." I think there might be some kind of relation generated from this sense. And this kind of arrow is used around middle age, so it makes sense I guess.

          – kimXU
          5 hours ago





          Thank you. I also check the meaning of quarrel and found out that one of its meanings as a noun is "A short, heavy, square-headed arrow or bolt used in a crossbow or arbalest." And its origin is "Middle English: from Old French, based on late Latin quadrus ‘square’." I think there might be some kind of relation generated from this sense. And this kind of arrow is used around middle age, so it makes sense I guess.

          – kimXU
          5 hours ago













          @kimXU The derivation of "square" (to argue) from "quarrel" (square-headed arrow) feels like a folk etymology to me. Unless you have evidence of some intermediate forms I wouldn't believe it.

          – Martin Bonner
          4 mins ago





          @kimXU The derivation of "square" (to argue) from "quarrel" (square-headed arrow) feels like a folk etymology to me. Unless you have evidence of some intermediate forms I wouldn't believe it.

          – Martin Bonner
          4 mins ago










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