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Squad - 5 dictionary results

squad

  [skwod] ,noun, verb, squad⋅ded, squad⋅ding.
Use Squad in a Sentence
–noun
1. a small number of soldiers, commonly 10 privates, a staff sergeant, and a corporal; the smallest military unit.
2. a group of police officers, esp. one organized to deal with a particular area of law enforcement: drug squad; fraud squad.
3. any small group or party of persons engaged in a common enterprise.
4. a sports team or a group of players from which a team is selected.
–verb (used with object)
5. to form into squads.
6. to assign to a squad.
Origin:
1640–50; < F esquade, alter. of esquadre < Sp escuadra square; so called from square shape of the formation
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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squad   (skwŏd)   
n.  
  1. A small group of people organized in a common endeavor or activity.
  2. The smallest tactical unit of military personnel.
  3. A small unit of police officers.
  4. Sports An athletic team.

[Obsolete French esquade, from Old French escadre, from Old Spanish escuadra and Old Italian squadra, both from Vulgar Latin *exquadra, square; see square.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Squad

Squad\, n. [F. escouade, fr. Sp. escuadra, or It. squadra, (assumed) LL. exquadrare to square; L. ex + quadra a square. See Square.]

1. (Mil.) A small party of men assembled for drill, inspection, or other purposes.

2. Hence, any small party.

Squad

Squad\, n. Sloppy mud. [Prov. Eng.] --Tennyson.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Language Translation for : Squad
Italian: squadra,
German: die Gruppe,
Japanese: 分隊
More Translations »

squad 
1649, "small number of military men detailed for some purpose," from Fr. esquade, from M.Fr. escadre, from Sp. escuadra or It. squadra "battalion," lit. "square," from V.L. *exquadra (see square). Until the introduction of automatic weapons, infantry troops tended to fight in a square formation to repel cavalry or superior forces. Sports sense is recorded from 1902.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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