The Oxford, Mississippi Dictionary: Squarefree

Needed nomenclature for a growing community.

Editor’s Note: This is an installment in a series of Oxfordisms.

When I traverse Oxford’s highways, byways, sidewalks, and barstools, I observe things that The Oxford English Dictionary doesn’t define. This dearth in accepted terminology leads to drawn-out explanations when referencing these phenomena. Our burgeoning community busts at its seams with growth, and so must our collective vocabulary.

So, I endeavor to begin a supplementary lexicon. This collection of terms is known as The Oxford, Mississippi Dictionary*.

Here is another term to add to the vocab.

squarefree, n.

The euphoric feeling Oxonians experience when they utilize the Square area in downtown Oxford during the holidays, when most students have left town. Parking spaces are available in abundance. The atmosphere is subdued, and residents may enjoy restaurants, shops, and the ability to breathe, free from the worry of the jam-packed cluster that is the Square during school sessions.

— Tad Wilkes, tad.wilkes@hottytoddy.com

* This is not a book. Yet.