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Dictionary

Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

square the circle en · VERB

Pronunciation

  • (Southern-England) audio

Meanings

  1. (qualifier:literal) To construct a square with the same area as a given circle by using only a finite number of steps with compass and straightedge, a task which is mathematically impossible.
    • The problem of squaring the circle is the problem of determining the ratio of the circumference of a circle to the diameter, which is called π. 1946, Bertrand Russell, History of Western Philosophy, I.24:
  2. (figuratively) To solve a famously difficult or impossible problem.

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
squares the circle Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres lexicographic
squared the circle Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
squared the circle Tense=Past lexicographic
squaring the circle Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part lexicographic

Relateds

morbus cyclometricus · square peg in a round hole · squircle

Translations (21)

de die Quadratur des Kreises finden (to solve a difficult problem) · cmn 化圓為方 /化圆为方 (to construct a square with the same area as a circle) · el τετραγωνίζω τον κύκλο (to construct a square with the same area as a circle) · fr trouver la quadrature du cercle (to solve a difficult problem) · el τετραγωνίζω τον κύκλο (to solve a difficult problem) · it trovare la quadratura del cerchio (to solve a difficult problem) · wa trover ene pire k' est ronde et plate et cwårêye (to solve a difficult problem) · ar رَبَّعَ الدائِرة (to construct a square with the same area as a circle) · de den Kreis quadrieren (to construct a square with the same area as a circle) · pl robić kwadraturę koła (to construct a square with the same area as a circle) · hu kört négyszögesít (to construct a square with the same area as a circle) · pl zrobić kwadraturę koła (to construct a square with the same area as a circle) · yue 化圓為方 /化圆为方 (to construct a square with the same area as a circle) · es hallar la cuadratura del círculo (to solve a difficult problem) · it trovare la quadratura del cerchio (to construct a square with the same area as a circle) · pl rozwiązywać zagadkę (to solve a difficult problem) · fi neliöidä ympyrä (to solve a difficult problem) · hu kört négyszögesít (to solve a difficult problem) · cmn 化圓為方 /化圆为方 (to solve a difficult problem) · pl rozwiązać zagadkę (to solve a difficult problem) · fi neliöidä ympyrä (to construct a square with the same area as a circle)