squire

Etymology 1

From Middle English esquire, from Old French escuier, from Latin scūtārius (“shield-bearer”), from scūtum (“shield”).

noun

1. A shield-bearer or armor-bearer who attended a knight.
2. A title of dignity next in degree below knight, and above gentleman. See esquire.
3. A male attendant on a great personage.
4. (historical) A landowner from the English gentry during the early modern period.
5. A devoted attendant or follower of a lady; a beau.
6. A title of office and courtesy. See under esquire.
7. (UK, colloquial) Term of address to a male equal.
   Sorry squire, I've had a look 'round the back of the shop, and uh, we're right out of parrots. 1969, Dead Parrot sketch, Monty Python's Flying Circus

verb

1. (transitive) To attend as a squire.
2. (transitive) To attend as a beau, or gallant, for aid and protection.
   Perceiving, however, that I had on my best wig, she offered, if I would ’squire her there, to send home the footman. 13 October 1759, Oliver Goldsmith, “On Dress”, in The Bee
   To man a lady was, in former times, a phrase similar to the vulgar one at present in use, to squire. 1812, Henry Weber, editor, The Works of Beaumont and Fletcher, Volume 3, p. 326, footnote 3
   A butch entered squiring a blonde whore tottering along on spike heels under dairy whip hair, her chubby hand rising again and again to tuck a stray wisp back into the creamy dome. 1988, Edmund White, chapter 6, in The Beautiful Room is Empty, New York: Vintage International, published 1994

Etymology 2

From Middle English squire, borrowed from Middle French esquierre (“rule, carpenter's square”), or from Old French esquire, another form of esquarre (“square”). Cognate with French équerre. Doublet of square.

noun

1. (obsolete) A ruler; a carpenter's square; a measure.