square one's shoulders
Prepare to face adversity, as in She knew it wouldn't be easy but she squared her shoulders and faced the hostile audience. This expression transfers standing erect with the shoulders pulled back, forming an angle much like a square's right angle, to the situations calling for this stance. It was first recorded in 1819.
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Nearby words
square millimeter, square number, square of opposition, square off, square one, square one's shoulders, square peg in a round hole, square piano, square rod, square root, square sail
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary
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