corner
/'kɔ:nə/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun:
- A point or area where two or more edges, sides, lines, or streets meet: This is the most common meaning, referring to a physical angle or intersection.
- A remote or secluded place: A corner can refer to a distant or hidden part of a region or room.
- A difficult or inescapable position: Figuratively, a corner is a predicament with limited options for escape.
- A temporary monopoly on a commodity: In commerce, a corner is the control of a market by acquiring most of the available supply.
Verb:
- To force into a difficult or inescapable position: To maneuver someone or something into a situation with no good alternatives.
- To gain control of a market: To acquire a dominant share of a commodity to manipulate its price.
- To turn a corner: To go around a bend, especially while driving.
Usage Examples
Noun:
- She placed the vase in the corner of the room. (Physical angle)
- They traveled to the farthest corners of the earth. (Remote area)
- His aggressive questioning backed the politician into a corner. (Difficult position)
- The investor tried to establish a corner on the coffee market. (Market monopoly)
Verb:
- The police managed to corner the suspect in the alley. (Force into a position)
- The company was accused of trying to corner the diamond supply. (Control a market)
- The racing car corners very well at high speeds. (Turns a bend)
Advanced Usage
"To cut corners": To do something in the easiest or cheapest way, often by omitting important steps or rules.
- The contractor cut corners on materials, and the building was not safe.
"Around the corner": Very near in time or location.
- The new café is just around the corner from my house. (Location)
- Better times are just around the corner. (Future time)
"A tight corner": A very difficult or dangerous situation.
- His reckless decisions put the whole company in a tight corner.
Variants and Related Words
Cornerstone (n): A stone that forms the base of a corner of a building; a vital or fundamental part.
- Trust is the cornerstone of a good relationship.
Cornered (adj): Forced into a situation with no escape.
- The cornered animal became very aggressive.
Synonyms
- Noun: Angle, intersection, nook, recess, predicament, monopoly.
- Verb: Trap, ensnare, monopolize, control.
Related Phrases (Phrasal Verbs)
- Corner someone in: To force someone into a situation where they must answer or act.
- The journalist cornered the mayor in with a direct question about the scandal.
Related Idioms
"Turn the corner": To pass the most critical point of an illness or difficulty and begin to improve.
- After a week in the hospital, the patient finally turned the corner.
"Four corners of the earth/world": All the distant or remote parts of the world.
- Fans came from the four corners of the earth to see the concert.
Noun
- (architecture) solid exterior angle of a building; especially one formed by a cornerstone
- a remote area
- in many corners of the world they still practice slavery
- a projecting part where two sides or edges meet
- he knocked off the corners
- a predicament from which a skillful or graceful escape is impossible
- his lying got him into a tight corner
- a temporary monopoly on a kind of commercial trade
- a corner on the silver market
- a small concavity
- the point where three areas or surfaces meet or intersect
- the corners of a cube
- the intersection of two streets
- standing on the corner watching all the girls go by
- an interior angle formed by two meeting walls
- a piano was in one corner of the room
- the point where two lines meet or intersect
- the corners of a rectangle
- a place off to the side of an area
- he tripled to the rightfield corner
- the southeastern corner of the Mediterranean
Verb
- turn a corner
- the car corners
- force a person or an animal into a position from which he cannot escape
- gain control over
- corner the gold market