Definition

1. Adjective:

   • Honest, direct, and unwavering: Characterized by firmness, honesty, and a straightforward, uncompromising attitude.
   • Solid and substantial: Suggesting a solid, stable, and reliable structure or character.

2. Adverb:

   • In a direct and unwavering manner: Acting or speaking with firmness, conviction, and without compromise.
   • Solidly and squarely: In a firm, stable, or square position.

3. Noun:

   • (Geometry) A square: A plane figure with four equal straight sides and four right angles.

Examples of Usage

• Adjective:
  • She gave a foursquare defense of her principles during the debate.
  • He is known for his foursquare honesty in business dealings.
• Adverb:
  • The leader stood foursquare against the proposed policy changes.
  • The old house stands foursquare against the coastal winds.
• Noun:
  • The architect used a foursquare as the basic module for the design.
  • A foursquare has equal sides and angles.

Advanced Usage

• "To stand foursquare behind/for something": To support something firmly and without reservation.
  • The party stands foursquare behind its candidate.
• Architectural Style: In American architecture, a "Foursquare" or "American Foursquare" is a house style popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, known for its simple, boxy, two-and-a-half-story shape.
  • They bought and restored a classic 1910 Foursquare.

Variants and Related Words

• Square (noun, adjective, verb): The more common geometric term and source of the metaphorical meanings (e.g., , ).
• Foursquarely (adverb): A less common adverbial form meaning "in a foursquare manner."
  • He answered the criticism foursquarely.

Synonyms

• Adjective/Adverb: Unwavering, steadfast, resolute, uncompromising, direct, forthright, solid, stalwart.
• Noun: Square, quadrilateral, rectangle (specifically a regular rectangle).

Related Phrases

• Firm and foursquare: An emphatic phrase reinforcing strength and stability.
  • The community remained firm and foursquare in its support.
• Four-square: Sometimes hyphenated, especially when used as a compound modifier.
  • A four-square refusal.

Adjective

1. characterized by firm and unwavering conviction
   • a foursquare refusal to yield

Adverb

1. with firmness and conviction; without compromise
   • he stood foursquare for religious liberty and toleration- C.G.Bowers
   • dealt straightforwardly with all issues
2. in a square position
   • the building stood foursquare

Noun

1. (geometry) a plane rectangle with four equal sides and four right angles; a four-sided regular polygon
   • you can compute the area of a square if you know the length of its sides