Definition

1. Noun:

   • A man who attends or escorts a woman: A man who accompanies a woman, often in a polite or courtly manner, especially in a social context.
   • An English country landowner: Historically, a man of high social standing who owned land in a country district, often ranking below a knight.
   • A young nobleman attendant on a knight: In medieval times, a young man of noble birth who served a knight as an attendant and was in training for knighthood.

2. Verb:

   • To attend upon as a squire; to serve as a squire: To act as an attendant or escort for someone, particularly in a chivalrous or attentive manner.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:

  • He acted as her squire for the evening, holding her coat and opening doors.
  • The local squire owned most of the farmland in the village.
  • As a squire, his duties included caring for the knight's armor and horse.

• Verb:

  • He offered to squire his aunt around the city during her visit.
  • The young nobleman spent years squiring for a famous knight.

Advanced Usage

• "To squire someone around": To escort someone from place to place, often showing them things.
  • During the conference, a junior associate was assigned to squire the important clients around the city.

Variants and Related Words

• Squirearchy (noun): Government by, or the collective body of, country squires as a class.
  • The 18th-century political landscape was heavily influenced by the local squirearchy.
• Squirehood (noun): The state or rank of being a squire.
• Squirely (adjective): Characteristic of or befitting a squire.

Synonyms

• Noun (Attendant): Escort, attendant, chaperone, gallant.
• Noun (Landowner): Landowner, gentleman farmer, country gentleman.
• Verb: Escort, accompany, attend, chaperone.

Related Phrases (Phrasal Verbs)

• Squire around: To act as an escort or guide for someone in various places.
  • He spent the day squiring the tourists around the historic sites.

Related Idioms

• Squire of dames: (Archaic/Humorous) A man who is excessively attentive to women or who frequents their company.
  • With his charming manners, he gained a reputation as quite the squire of dames.

Noun

1. a man who attends or escorts a woman
2. an English country landowner
3. young nobleman attendant on a knight

Verb

1. attend upon as a squire; serve as a squire