What Does โsquare sth awayโ Mean?
โSquare sth awayโ means to complete, settle, or organize something properly. It often refers to finishing tasks or resolving issues.
Introduction
The phrase โsquare sth awayโ is commonly used in English to describe the act of finishing or arranging something neatly and properly. Understanding the square sth away meaning helps learners use it naturally in conversations or writing. It implies making sure everything is in order, whether itโs paperwork, payments, or plans. This phrasal verb is practical and appears in both formal and informal contexts, making it useful for everyday communication.
Quick Info Box
- Phrasal verb: square sth away (square something away)
- Type: transitive
- Level: B2 (Upper-Intermediate)
- Short meaning: to complete or settle something properly
Structure (Grammar Rules)
โSquare sth awayโ is a separable phrasal verb. You can place the object either between โsquareโ and โawayโ or after โaway.โ
- square something away
- square away something
Both forms are correct, but the first is more common.
How to Use square sth away?
Use โsquare sth awayโ when you want to express that a task or responsibility has been completed or properly handled. It often relates to tasks like paying bills, organizing documents, or settling accounts. It is typically used with objects such as โaccounts,โ โdetails,โ โbusiness,โ or โpaperwork.โ
Examples
Before leaving the office, I need to square my reports away.
- She squared away all the invoices before the deadline.
- We need to square away the contract details before signing.
- He quickly squared away the payment with the landlord.
- Make sure to square away your schedule for the meeting.
Hereโs how to use square sth away in a sentence: โI squared away the last of my expenses yesterday.โ
Common Mistakes
People sometimes confuse โsquare awayโ with โthrow awayโ or use it without an object, which is incorrect.
- Incorrect: I need to square away before I leave.
- Correct: I need to square away my tasks before I leave.
- Incorrect: She squared away the papers away.
- Correct: She squared away the papers.
Differences / Synonyms
Similar phrasal verbs include โwrap up,โ โsettle,โ and โsort out.โ While โwrap upโ focuses on finishing something, โsquare awayโ implies organizing or making sure everything is in order. โSettleโ usually refers to resolving financial or legal matters, and โsort outโ means to arrange or fix problems.
Common Collocations
Here are some common objects with โsquare away,โ which help clarify its meaning:
- Accounts: settling financial records
- Details: organizing information
- Business: completing tasks or deals
- Paperwork: finishing documents
- Payments: making sure bills are paid
Related Phrasal Verbs
Here are related phrasal verbs of square sth away:
Real-life Dialogue
At work, two colleagues discuss their tasks:
Anna: Have you squared away the clientโs contract yet?
Mark: Yes, I finished it this morning and sent it to legal.
Anna: Great, letโs make sure everything else is squared away before the meeting.
Practice
Complete the sentences with the correct form of โsquare awayโ:
- I need to ________ my expenses before the trip.
- She quickly ________ the paperwork so we can leave on time.
- We should ________ the details of the project this week.
FAQ
- What does โsquare sth awayโ mean? It means to finish or settle something properly.
- Is โsquare awayโ separable? Yes, you can put the object between โsquareโ and โawayโ or after โaway.โ
- Can I use โsquare awayโ in formal writing? Yes, it is suitable for both formal and informal contexts.
- What are common objects with โsquare awayโ? Accounts, details, paperwork, business, payments.
- Is โsquare awayโ the same as โwrap upโ? Not exactly. โSquare awayโ focuses more on organizing and settling properly.
