- square one
- nounthe situation in which you begin an endeavor and to which you return if your efforts fail-
the police are now back at square one after having arrested and released 27 men
-she has tried to diet but always ends up back at square one
• Hypernyms: ↑situation, ↑state of affairs* * *
noun: the initial stage or starting point of a processhad to start all over again, from square one — H.C.McDonald
* * *
a starting point; initial stage or step: If this plan fails, we'll have to go back to square one.[1955-60; alluding to board games in which a player is penalized by being forced to return to the starting point]* * *
noun [noncount]: the beginning stage or starting pointHis idea didn't work, so he had to go back to square one. [=he had to start over]
They lost everything and found themselves back at square one.
Useful english dictionary. 2012.