squire n.
1. a fool [one who is foolish enough to serve another].
Alchemist Prologue: No clime breeds better matter, for your whore, / Bawd, squire, imposter, many persons more, / Whose manners, now called humours, feed the stage. | ||
Whores Rhetorick 76: Such squires will be credulous enough to believe this circumspection is all but necessary. | ||
Dict. Canting Crew n.p.: The Squire, a Sir Timothy Treat-all; also, a Sap-pate. . . . A fat Squire, a rich Fool. | ||
New Canting Dict. [as cit. c.1698]. | ||
, , , | Universal Etym. Eng. Dict. [as cit. c.1698]. |
2. a general title used ironically in a number of contexts, e.g. apple squire under apple n.1 ; see also phrs. below.
Blurt, Master Constable C3: I am Frisco, Squire to a bawdy house. | ||
Honest Whore Pt 2 (1630) V ii: hip.: Oh, an Apple-squire. bots.: Yes, sir, that degree of scuruy Squiers, and that I am maintained by the best part that is commonly in a woman. | ||
A Fair Quarrel IV iv: When thou art dead, may twenty whores follow thee, that thou mayst go a squire to thy grave. | ||
Emperour of the East I ii: Marry there I am calde The Squire of Dames, or seruant of the sex. | ||
Constant Maid V iii: [Knights who] lose their spurs In women’s petticoats, and turn squires again To whores. | ||
Ipswich Jrnl 9 June 1/3: John Jeremiah Temple, who also goes by the Name of Squire Stward and Squire Shaw, was committed [...] upon a strong Suspicion of Felony. | ||
Works (1794) III 58: Dear as sham-fights to that same ’Squire of Coals. | ‘The Rights of Kings’||
Lawrie Todd I Pt II 120: I ain’t special ’bout pedigrees; but my wife [...] wont have nobody call me but squire. | ||
Brought to Bay 105: It was no light-minded squire of dames who sat alone in the smoking-room, rolling his Syrian cigarettes. |
3. a general term of address, no particular rank or intimacy indicatedcit. 1935 means ‘yourself’.
Notions I 102: The New-Englandman is too kind in all his habits to call any man stranger. His usual address is ‘friend’, or sometimes he contemplates a stranger of a gentlemanly appearance, with the title of ‘squire’ . | ||
Clockmaker II 286: Mornin’, squire, said he. | ||
Bertie 80: ‘Good morning, squire!’ replied we in chorus. | ||
Artemus Ward, His Book 55: ‘It is a middlin fine day Square,’ I obsarved. | ||
Peck’s Sunshine 240: Hold on, squire! | ||
Living (1978) 321: ‘Why squire’ Mr Tarver said. | ||
Spring in Tartarus 23: Well, Merrion, how’s tricks? How’s the squire? | ||
Absolute Beginners 68: Hail, squire [...] Long time no see. | ||
Fill the Stage With Happy Hours (1967) Act III: Mine’s a light ale pale ale, Squire, thank you. | ||
Porridge [TV script] I’ll give it serious consideration, squire. | ‘Prisoner and Escort’||
(con. 1941) Gunner 27: What would you like, squire? A leg-break or full toss? | ||
Separate Development 72: Suits me, squire. Waiting goes on the meter, see. | ||
Kowloon Tong 34: You’d better get used to it, squire. | ||
Davey Darling 88: Right you are then, squire. | ||
Secret Hours 24: [‘This] is therefore outside your jurisdiction, squire’. |
4. (UK Und.) a successful criminal.
Life and Trial of James Mackcoull 18: The squire’s a good little fellow. | ||
Leaves from Diary of Celebrated Burglar 84/2: ’Twas a shocking dirty domicile for a ‘squire’ to live in. |
5. (US) a magistrate.
‘Uncle Sam’s Peculiarities’ Bentley’s Misc. IV 587: I went before one of the rascally squires in New York, who [...] ordered some of his people to put a belt round me and tie me to the wall. |
In derivatives
foolish.
Dict. Canting Crew n.p.: Squirish, foolish. | ||
New Canting Dict. [as cit. c.1698]. | ||
, , , | Universal Etym. Eng. Dict. [as cit. c.1698]. | |
Life and Adventures. | ||
, , | Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue. | |
Lex. Balatronicum. | ||
Grose’s Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue. |
In phrases
1. a gentleman who has been drawn to the criminal world and there found himself fleeced, robbed and generally rendered destitute by its denizens.
[play title] The Squire of Alsatia. | ||
Dict. Canting Crew n.p.: Squire of Alsatia, a Man of Fortune, drawn in, cheated, and ruin’d by a pack of poor, lowsy, spunging, bold Fellows that liv’d (formerly) in White-Fryers. |
2. an overly generous man.
Dict. Canting Crew n.p.: Squire of Alsatia [...] a Sir Timothy Treat-all. |
3. a rich fool.
Dict. Canting Crew n.p.: Squire of Alsatia [...] a Sap-pate. | ||
, , | Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue n.p.: Squire of Alsatia. A weak profligate spendthrift; one who pays the whole reckoning, or treats the company, called standing squire. | |
Lex. Balatronicum [as cit. 1785]. | ||
Grose’s Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue. | ||
London Dly News 27 Apr. 2/2: Genuine old-fashioned inns [where] many a ‘Squire of Alsatia’ took his ease, his tabacco, and strong waters. |
a pimp, or a term of abuse.
Honest Whore Pt 2 (1630) V ii: I liue (like those that keepe Bowling-alleyes) by the sinnes of the people, in being a Squire of the body. | ||
Newes from the New Exchange 6: You have had many a one by that excellent Squire of the Body young Lenthall. | ||
Eng. Rogue I 71: Prithee, Sweet-heart, from what Dunghil didst thou pick up this Shakerag, this Squire of the body? This thing drest up in sippets? This Scarecrow, what shall I call him? | ||
in Pills to Purge Melancholy III 67: Knights of the garter, two were Call’d, / Knights of the Shoe-string, two install’d / [...] / But oh! the Squire of the Body was / A better place than both. |
one who treats the rest of the company.
Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue. |
(UK Und.) a thief.
Paul Clifford II 108: Gentlemen of the Road, the Street, the Theatre and the Shop! Prigs, Toby-men, and Squires of the Cross! |
a publican, a tapster.
DSUE (1984) 1140/1: ca. 1670–1800. |
a highwayman.
Visions of Quevedo 318: We were in the other world intitled to the Order of the Squires of the Pad; and borrow’d now and then a small sum upon the Kings High-way. | (trans.)||
Amusements Serious and Comical in Works (1744) III 60: Sometimes they [i.e. gamblers] are squires of the pad, and now and then borrow a little money upon the King’s high-way. | ||
Thief and the Cordelier in Works (1959) I 459: There the Squire of the Pad, and the Knight of the Post, Find their Pains no more balk’d and their Hopes no more crost. |
a pimp; as a term of abuse.
‘A Quarrel betwixt Tower-hill & Tyburn’ Rump Poems and Songs (1662) I 342: The next among these Petticoat-Peers / Is Harry Martin, take him thither. | ||
‘City Ballad’ Rump Poems and Songs (1662) II 41: The late Petticoat Squire / From his shop mounted higher / To the Sword. | ||
Sl. and Its Analogues V 179/1: petticoat-pensioner (squire or knight of the petticoat) = a male keep. |
a pimp.
Marriage Broaker I i: He is one who makes provision for the belly; Squire of the Placket. | ||
DSUE (1984) 1140/1: ca. 1630–1800. |
to treat the company.
, , | Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue n.p.: The squire of the company; one who pays the whole reckoning, or treats the company, called standing squire. | |
Lex. Balatronicum [as cit. 1785]. | ||
Grose’s Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue. |