Square ( slang ) - wikipedia Square ( slang ) Square is slang for a person who is conventional and old - fashioned. This sense of the word `` square '' originated with the American jazz community in the 1940s, in reference to people out of touch with musical trends. Older senses of the term square referring positively to someone or something honest and upstanding date back to the 16th century. History The English word square dates to the 13th century and derives from the Old French esquire. By the 1570s, it was in use in reference to someone or something honest or fair. This positive sense is preserved in phrases such as `` fair and square '', meaning something done in an honest and straightforward manner, and `` square deal '', meaning an outcome equitable to all sides. The sense of square as a derogatory reference to someone conventional or old - fashioned dates to the jazz scene of the 1940s ; the first known reference is from 1944. There it applied to someone who failed to appreciate the medium of jazz, or more broadly, someone whose tastes were out of date and out of touch. It may derive from the rigid motion of a conductor 's hands in a conventional, four - beat rhythm. It is used as both an adjective and a noun. A square contrasted with someone who was hep, or in the know. See also Look up square in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. Hip ( slang ) The Man The Establishment L7 ( band ) References ^ Jump up to : `` square, adj., d. ''. Oxford English Dictionary ( 3rd ed. ). Oxford University Press. September 2005. ( Subscription or UK public library membership required. ) ^ Jump up to : `` square, n., 16 a. ''. Oxford English Dictionary ( 3rd ed. ). Oxford University Press. September 2005. ( Subscription or UK public library membership required. ) ^ Jump up to : Harper, Douglas. `` square ''. Online Etymology Dictionary. Retrieved March 29, 2018. ^ Jump up to : `` square, adj., c. ''. Oxford English Dictionary ( 3rd ed. ). Oxford University Press. September 2005. ( Subscription or UK public library membership required. ) Jump up ^ `` fair and square, adv. and adj. ''. Oxford English Dictionary ( 3rd ed. ). Oxford University Press. September 2005. ( Subscription or UK public library membership required. ) Jump up ^ `` deal, n. 2 2. c. ''. Oxford English Dictionary ( 3rd ed. ). Oxford University Press. September 2005. ( Subscription or UK public library membership required. ) GND : 4182299 - 7 Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Square_(slang)&oldid=866296115 '' Categories : 1940s slang 1950s slang 1960s slang 1970s slang American slang Jazz culture Pejorative terms for people Slang Hidden categories : Wikipedia pages move - protected due to vandalism Wikipedia articles with GND identifiers Talk About Wikipedia Čeština Edit links This page was last edited on 29 October 2018, at 14 : 16 ( UTC ). Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution - ShareAlike License ; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia ® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization. About Wikipedia

Question: where does be there or be square come from
Answer: originated with the American jazz community in the 1940s, in reference to people out of touch with musical trends