Also 6 squadrone, -onne, 7 Sc. squadroun. [ad. It. squadrone (f. squadra square), whence also Sp. escuadron, Pg. esquadrão, older F. squadron (scadron) and esquadron (mod.F. escadron).]
I. † 1. Mil. A body of soldiers drawn up or arranged in square formation, Obs.
1562. J. Shute, trans. Cambini’s Turk. War, Ep. Ded. *iiij b. There shalbe a squadrone ordered and in the myddest of the same shalbe a voyde space throughoute the squadrone.
1581. Styward, Mart. Discipl., II. 156. The poore Swizers,… not beeing able to furnishe themselues with horse, were the first deuisers of the pike and the Squadronnes.
1616. Bullokar, Eng. Expos., Squadron, a square forme in a battell.
1656. Blount, Glossogr., Squadron,… a certain number of Soldiers ranged into a square Body or Battalion. This word is most commonly appropriated to Horsmen.
2. Mil. A relatively small body or detachment of men.
1579. Digges, Stratiot., 91. That euery Squadron or bodie of the watche haue theyr Armour … in readinesse.
1579. Fenton, Guicciard., I. (1599), 27. His army contained little lesse then a hundreth squadrons of men at armes, accounting xx. men to a squadron.
1590. Sir J. Smyth, Disc. Weapons, 3 b. A squadron of armed men in the field being readie to encounter with another squadron.
1617. Moryson, Itin., II. 66. Leaving his foot in two squadrons of 250 each, himselfe with the horse passed to Dundalke.
1672. Villiers (Dk. Buckhm.), Rehearsal, V. (Arb.), 121. To have a long relation of Squadrons here, and Squadrons there: what is that but a dull prolixity?
1720. Pope, Iliad, XX. 414. Through yon wide host this arm shall scatter fear, And thin the squadrons with my single spear.
1776. Mickle, trans. Camoens’ Lusiad, III. 111. The mountain ecchoes with the wild affright Of flying squadrons.
1810. Scott, Lady of L., I. xxxi. Trump nor pibroch summon here Mustering clans, or squadrons tramping.
1878. B. Taylor, Deukalion, II. iii. 68. In one squadron set To fight the world’s long battle.
fig. 1656. Cowley, Pindar. Odes, Plagues Egypt, xi. All the full-charg’d clouds in ranged Squadrons move, And fill the spacious Plains above.
b. spec. A body of cavalry, usually composed of between one and two hundred men.
1702. Milit. Dict. (1704), Squadron, a Body of Horse, the number not fixt, but from an hundred to two hundred Men.
1768. Pennant, Brit. Zool., I. 3. The enemy was broken through by the impetuous charge of our squadrons.
1832. Regul. & Instr. Cavalry, III. 45. Two or more Squadrons compose a Regiment. Squadrons are called 1st, 2d, 3d, &c., counting from the right of the Regiment. Ibid., 57. March past by Squadrons.
1893. Times, 11 July, 11/4. The march past followed, first in column of squadrons at a walk,… next at a canter by squadrons.
3. A division of a fleet forming one body under the command of a flag-officer; a detachment of warships told off for some particular duty. Flying squadron: see FLYING ppl. a. 4 d.
Also, in recent use, a number of aeroplanes or airships acting together.
1588. Archdeacon, trans. True Discourse Army K. Spain, 17. Squadron of the Galeons of Portugall. Ibid., 19. There is in this Squadron 12 Vesselles.
1607. Dekker, Whore Babylon, Wks. 1873, II. 257. In the first Squadron twelue great Galeons Floate like twelue moouing, Castles.
1670. Lassels, Voy. Italy, II. 271. [The kingdom of Naples’] ordinary squadron of gallyes are but 20.
1703. Lond. Gaz., No. 3937/3. He ordered the Captain of the Nonsuch to stretch a-head of the Squadron.
1743. Bulkeley & Cummins, Voy. S. Seas, 6. We judged this to be Admiral Pizarro’s Squadron, sent out in Pursuit of Commodore Anson.
1800. Wellington, in Gurw., Desp. (1834), I. 135. The troops destined to sail with the squadron under Admiral Rainier.
1849–50. Alison, Hist. Europe, V. xxxiii. § 17. 494. A squadron of nine sail of the line, four bombs, and five frigates, was despatched to the Sound.
1865. H. Phillips, Amer. Paper Curr., II. 91. It was known that a French squadron was coming to America.
transf. 1807. J. Barlow, Columb., IV. 90. From Tago’s bank, from Albion’s rocky round, Commercing squadrons o’er the billows bound.
1878[?]. B. Harte, Man on Beach, 13. Low down the horizon still lingered a few white flecks—the flying squadrons of the storm.
† 4. A squad (of a ship’s company). Obs.
1626. Capt. Smith, Accid. Yng. Seamen, 7. Then diuide them into squadrons according to your numbers and burthen of your ship. Ibid. (1627), Seaman’s Gram., ix. 38. These are to … doe all duties each halfe, or each squadron for eight Glasses or foure houres which is a watch.
5. A comparatively large group or number of people, etc.; an organized body of persons. Also const. of.
1617. Moryson, Itin., I. 116. They say that Christ with the squadrons of the Fathers, passed this way when hee ascended from Hell.
1640. Sir W. Mure, Counterbuff, 96. That Esterne clyme … Where Squadrons of our Nation did abound.
1684. Contempl. St. Man, II. ii. (1699), 173. The Hallelujahs which … the Squadrons of those blessed Spirits sing.
1713. J. Warder, True Amazons, 25. They [sc. bees] send forth a Squadron to fetch in Honey.
1792. T. Jefferson, Writ. (1830), IV. 470. These measures had established corruption in the legislature, where there was a squadron devoted to the nod of the Treasury.
1834. Southey, Sir T. More (1831), I. 384. To join one or other of the numerous squadrons of dissent.
1897. Mary Kingsley, W. Africa, 484. The whole district will come, not in a squadron, but just when it suits them.
b. transf. A multitude of some thing or things.
1668. Culpepper & Cole, Barthol. Anat., II. vi. 99. Yet that is false which Fallopius tells us, that a great Squadron of Nerves is spread up and down the Basis of the heart.
1680. Alsop, Mischief Imposit., xii. 96. He has … First, a Squadron of Considerations, and secondly, a Pacquet of Advices.
† 6. U.S. A division or ward of a town, community or district. Obs.
1636. in Cent. Dict., s.v.
1671. Town Records, Groton, Mass. (Cent.). Agreed upon by the selectmen for the … calling out of their men to work, that is within their several squadrons.
1749. Town Records, Marlborough, Mass. (Ibid.), A committee of seven men to apportion the school in six societies or squadrons,… taking the northwesterly corner for one squadron.
7. A body of cardinals hovering between the main factions in a conclave. (Cf. SQUADRONIST.)
1670. G. H., Hist. Cardinals, II. II. 161. He manag’d himself so with his flying Squadron, that it gave no little disgust to the Crowns.
1906. Edin. Rev., Oct., 346. Cardinal de Retz and Cardinal Azzolino were of the squadron.
8. attrib., as squadron ball, form, etc.
1592. Kyd, Sp. Trag., I. ii. 32. Our battels both were pitcht in squadron forme.
1632. Lithgow, Trav., II. 49. When they enter the gates, they must deliver their weapons to the Corporall of the Squadron company.
1796. Instr. & Reg. Cavalry (1813), 230. Some of the squadron flank officers who are otherwise disposed of.
1832. Regul. & Instr. Cavalry, II. 20. The Squadron-Leader advances two horses’ lengths.
1862. London Rev., 16 Aug., 139. The squadron which is to go down Channel on the day after the squadron ball.
1894. Outing, Sept., 477/2. These three gentlemen thoroughly understand the handling of a regatta and a squadron cruise.
II. † 9. A right-angled area, figure, etc.; a side of a square. Obs. Cf. SQUADRANT sb. 1.
1599. Hakluyt, Voy., II. 221. They sell the earth within the wall, for so much a squadron.
1599. A. M., trans. Gabelhouer’s Bk. Physicke, 153/2. About a quar. of a yarde in the squadrone therof.
† 10. A square parenthesis-mark. Obs.–1
1618. Worthington’s Anker Christian Doctr., Printer to Rdr. 18. Because the holie Scriptures are very much cited in this Booke, I haue thought it better … to include them within two squadrons [ ].
