square meal
nounUK /skwɛə ˈmiːl/ · US /skwɛɚ ˈmil/
Etymology From square (“hearty, vigorous”) + meal;
1
Idiomatic A (nutritionally) complete and satisfying meal, especially one suitable for a person performing physical labour.
- Three square meals a day should give you plenty of energy.
2
Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see square, meal.
- [Figure 2.5] Simulation of overheating effects for two meals of different geometries […] Left: square meal (13 cm × 13 cm with corner diameter 2 cm and height 6 cm).2020, B. Wäppling Raaholt, “Influence of food geometry and dielectric properties on heating performance”, in Ulrich Erle, Peter Pesheck, Matthew Lorence, editors, Development of Packaging and Products for Use in Microwave Ovens, Woodhead Publishing, →DOI, →ISBN, page 82:
- Related terms
- square deal, three squares, packed lunch