SQUARE ONE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does square one mean? 

• SQUARE ONE (noun)
  The noun SQUARE ONE has 1 sense:

1. the situation in which you begin an endeavor and to which you return if your efforts fail

  Familiarity information: SQUARE ONE used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• SQUARE ONE (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

The situation in which you begin an endeavor and to which you return if your efforts fail

Classified under:

Nouns denoting stable states of affairs

Context example:

she has tried to diet but always ends up back at square one

Hypernyms ("square one" is a kind of...):

situation; state of affairs (the general state of things; the combination of circumstances at a given time)