squad

[skwod]

noun

1. a small number of soldiers, commonly 10 privates, a staff sergeant, and a corporal; the smallest military unit.

2. a group of police officers, especially one organized to deal with a particular area of law enforcement.

   drug squad; fraud squad.

3. any small group or party of persons engaged in a common enterprise.

4. a sports team or a group of players from which a team is selected.

5. Slang.,  a group of friends.

verb (used with object)

squadded, squadding 

1. to form into squads.

2. to assign to a squad.

squad

/ skwɒd /

noun

1. the smallest military formation, typically comprising a dozen soldiers, used esp as a drill formation

2. any small group of people engaged in a common pursuit

3. sport a number of players from which a team is to be selected

Word History and Origins

Origin of squad¹

1640–50; < French esquade, alteration of esquadre < Spanish escuadra square; so called from square shape of the formation

Word History and Origins

Origin of squad¹

C17: from Old French esquade, from Old Spanish escuadra, from escuadrar to _square , from the square formations used

Example Sentences

While Van Dijk acknowledged the mood was "low" at the club's Kirkby training ground on Monday, he said it was an opportunity for the squad to get together to speak openly about their recent form.

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“When the president decides someone has to die, the military becomes his personal hit squad,” military analyst and former Republican Tom Nichols said Monday on MSNBC.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Bad time to meet up with the Chiefs, who are looking like the same old explosive Kansas City squad.

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Salah has scored 52 goals in the Champions League, all the more impressive when you consider the rest of the Liverpool squad put together have 31 in the competition.

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He lost six and drew two of his eight games in charge as the squad struggled to adapt quickly enough to the new manager's demands.

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Related Words

• band 
• battalion 
• division 
• force 
• gang 
• group 
• squadron 
• troop