catty-corner
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Adjective or Adverb:
- Situated diagonally opposite; placed or oriented at a diagonal angle. It describes the relative position of one thing to another, typically across an intersection or open space, forming a diagonal line.
Usage
- The word is used to describe the spatial relationship between two objects, most commonly buildings or plots of land, that are diagonally across from each other, such as at a four-way intersection.
- It functions as both an adjective (e.g., "a catty-corner building") and an adverb (e.g., "situated catty-corner").
- Common prepositions used with it are , , and .
Examples
- Adjective/Adverb:
- The pharmacy is catty-corner from the bank.
- They built the new statue catty-corner to the old courthouse.
- Our house is set catty-corner across the intersection.
Advanced Usage
- The term is often used in descriptions of urban or town layouts to give a clear, informal sense of location.
- "in a catty-corner direction": moving or oriented diagonally.
- He cut in a catty-corner direction across the park to save time.
Variants and Related Words
- Kitty-corner (adj/adv): A common variant with identical meaning and usage.
- The cafe is kitty-corner to the library.
- Cater-cornered (adj): Another variant, slightly more formal.
- Diagonally opposite (adj phrase): A more standard synonym.
Synonyms
- Diagonally
- Diagonally opposite
- On the diagonal
Related Phrases
- Catty-corner across: Explicitly stating the diagonal relationship across an open space or intersection.
- The two friends waved from their porches, which were catty-corner across the vacant lot from each other.
Adjective
- slanted across a polygon on a diagonal line
- set off in a catty-corner direction across the vacant lot