n.
- a country gentleman, especially the chief landowner in an area.
▸US archaic a title given to a magistrate, lawyer, or judge in some rural districts.
- Brit. informal used as a friendly form of address by one man to another.
- historical a young nobleman acting as an attendant to a knight before becoming a knight himself.
v.
(of a man) accompany or escort (a woman).
▸dated (of a man) have a romantic relationship with (a woman).
Derivative
- squiredom n.
- squireship n.
Etymology
ME: shortening of OFr. esquier ‘esquire’.