From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
Squadron \Squad"ron\ (skw[o^]d"r[u^]n), noun [F. escadron, formerly also esquadron, Sp. escuadron, or It. squadrone. See {Squad}.]
1. Primarily, a square; hence, a square body of troops; a body of troops drawn up in a square. [R.]
Those half-rounding quards Just met, and, closing, stood in squadron joined. --Milton.
2. (Mil.) A body of cavalry comprising two companies or troops, and averaging from one hundred and twenty to two hundred men.
3. (Naut.) A detachment of vessels employed on any particular service or station, under the command of the senior officer; as, the North Atlantic Squadron. --Totten.
{Flying squadron}, a squadron of observation or practice, that cruises rapidly about from place to place. --Ham. Nav. Encyc.
From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:
noun
1: a cavalry unit consisting of two or more troops and headquarters and supporting arms
2: an air force unit larger than a flight and smaller than a group
3: a naval unit that is detached from the fleet for a particular task
From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:
69 Moby Thesaurus words for "squadron": KP, Naval Construction Battalion, RN, Royal Navy, Seabees, USN, United States Navy, air arm, air corps, air force, air service, argosy, armada, army, army group, battalion, battery, battle group, brigade, cadre, coast guard, cohort, column, combat command, combat team, company, corps, detachment, detail, division, escadrille, field army, field train, file, fleet, flight, flotilla, flying column, garrison, kitchen police, legion, maniple, marine, merchant fleet, merchant marine, merchant navy, mosquito fleet, naval forces, naval militia, naval reserve, navy, organization, outfit, phalanx, platoon, posse, rank, regiment, section, squad, strategic air force, tactical air force, tactical unit, task force, task group, train, troop, unit, wing
Define.com is a registered nonprofit corporation dedicated solely to the global public interest and the advancement of humanity. It belongs to all of us who have a desire to promote electronic democracy, science, creativity, imagination, reason, critical thinking, peace, race and gender equality, civil rights, equal access to education, personal liberty, free speech, animal rights, compassionate and nonviolent parenting, social and economic justice, global monetary reform, Secular Humanism, cognitive liberty and a permanent cessation of The War on Drugs.
Let's see what we can do if we put our heads together.
0