squad
English edit
Etymology 1 edit
From French escouade, from Italian squadra (“square”) (whence also French escadre). Doublet of squadra and square.
Alternative forms edit
- escouade (archaic)
Pronunciation edit
- (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˈskwɒd/
- (General American) IPA(key): /ˈskwɑd/
Audio (AU) (file) - Rhymes: -ɒd
Noun edit
squad (plural squads)
- A group of people organized for some common purpose, usually of about ten members.
- A unit of tactical military personnel, or of police officers, usually of about ten members.
- 1912, The New England magazine, volume 47:
- A squad of soldiers ordered them to disperse but instead of doing so they commenced throwing ice and rocks.
- (cricket, soccer, rugby) A group of potential players from whom a starting team and substitutes are chosen.
- (informal) A collective noun for a group of squid.
- 1970, TV Guide, volume 18:
- At one point, the 400-ton Calypso was brought to a standstill by a squad of squid which clogged the engines and caused a power failure. Other, highlights included an attack by predatory blue sharks, […]
- 2002, Let's Go Inc., Let's Go 2003: Britain & Ireland, Let's Go Publications:
- The Sea Life Centre retains a squad of squid and such.
- 2012, S. Louis King, Gnome Home Papers, AuthorHouse, →ISBN, page 546:
- There's several new symbols next to the doorway symbol. Beso pushed all six of them without waiting to see what they brought; like a herd of charging rhinos or rampaging squad of squid. Next best thing though.
- 2017, Kristen Joy Wilks, Athens Ambuscade, Pelican Ventures Book Group, →ISBN:
- I pulled in as deep a breath as my gag allowed and began relaxing my body. I used a little trick I'd learned in college. I imagined that a friendly squad of squid were massaging every muscle on the bottoms of my feet; the tension began to drain.
- A unit of tactical military personnel, or of police officers, usually of about ten members.
- (slang) One's friend group, taken collectively; one's peeps.
- 2019, Bernardine Evaristo, Girl, Woman, Other, Penguin Books (2020), page 52:
- anyway, sheʼs resigned herself to hanging out with the squad at uni rather than going manhunting
Derived terms edit
- awkward squad
- bomb squad
- cheer squad
- circular firing squad
- death squad
- firing squad
- flying squad
- fraud squad
- God squad
- goon squad
- hit squad
- hold-up squad
- mendicancy squad
- pep squad
- practice squad
- red squad
- rummage squad
- snatch squad
- split-squad
- squad automatic weapon
- squad bay
- squad car
- squaddie
- squad goal
- squad room
- suicide squad
- tac squad
- taxi squad
- touring squad
- truth squad
- vice squad
Related terms edit
Translations edit
small group of people organized for a purpose
|
unit of tactical military personnel or police officers
|
sports team
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See also edit
Verb edit
squad (third-person singular simple present squads, present participle squadding, simple past and past participle squadded)
- (intransitive) To act as part of, or on behalf of, a squad.
- We squad on the fifth of the month.
- (transitive, US, medical slang) To transport by ambulance.
Etymology 2 edit
Uncertain. Compare squick (“disgust”), squalid (“dirty”) with similar initial sounds.
Pronunciation edit
Noun edit
squad
- (UK, dialect) Sloppy mud. [from mid-17th c.]
- 1875 March 13, Leicester Chronicle, quoted in the EDD:
- The lass ran all among the muck and squad.
- 1895, Alfred Tennyson, The Poetical Works of Alfred Tennyson: Poet-laureate, page 791:
- An' she did n't not solidly mean I wur / gawin' that waäy to the bad,
Fur the gell was as howry a trollope as / iver traäpes'd i' the squad.
- 1875 March 13, Leicester Chronicle, quoted in the EDD:
Further reading edit
- Robert Eden George Cole, A Glossary of Words Used in South-west Lincolnshire (1886), page 140
Anagrams edit
Spanish edit
Pronunciation edit
Noun edit
squad m (plural squads or squad)