square meal
A (nutritionally) complete and satisfying meal, especially one suitable for a person performing physical labour.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“I need a proper square meal after working all day.”
“After hiking for six hours, we were all ready for a hot, square meal.”
“The charity provides a daily square meal to those who otherwise struggle to find consistent, nutritious food.”
From square, in the sense of hearty or vigorous, and meal. The term is a compound of these two elements.
- 01
back to square one
Located back at the start, as after a dead end or failure.
- 02
make a meal of
To spend more time and energy on some task than it warrants; to make something overly complicated; to make a big thing out of.
- 03
meal ticket
Someone or something that provides income or livelihood, especially as an exploited source.
- 04
square away
To finish, complete, tidy or put in order.
- 05
square on
accurately, correctly.
- 06
square one
The place where one begins; a lack of progress.
- 07
square peg in a round hole
Someone or something that does not fit well or at all in a certain setting; a misfit; hence, someone or something that will not succeed in an endeavour, except possibly with much effort and force.
- 08
square shooter
A person who is fair, trustworthy, or forthright; a person who bargains or transacts business in a fair, honest manner.
Last updated August 10, 2026