go back to square one



go back to square one

Fig. to return to the starting point. (Alludes to the squares of a board game.) It's back to square one. We have to start over. It looks like it's back to square one for you.
See also: back, one, square

Common Names:

NameGenderPronouncedUsage
RadomiŁArah-daw-MEE-wahPolish
Vincenteveen-CHEN-teItalian
Lysandros-Ancient Greek
Leopoldole-o-POL-do (Spanish)Italian, Spanish, Portuguese
Florencioflo-REN-thyo (Spanish), flo-REN-syo (Latin American Spanish)Spanish, Portuguese
DarrinDER-in, DAR-inEnglish