encage

The zookeeper will encage the small bird for its safety.

Definition

1. Verb:
   • To confine in a cage: "encage" means to place or trap someone or something inside a cage, restricting freedom of movement.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • The zookeeper had to encage the new bird to keep it safe during the night. (To place the bird inside a cage for protection.)
  • The protesters felt encaged by the small, windowless room where they were held. (Trapped and confined as if in a cage.)

Advanced Usage

• "to encage one's emotions": to suppress or contain one's feelings, as if trapping them.
  • After the loss, he learned to encage his grief behind a stoic facade. (To hide and control his emotions tightly.)

Variants and Related Words

• Encagement (n): the act or state of being confined in a cage.

  • The encagement of the wild animal was necessary for its medical treatment. (The process of placing it in a cage.)

• Cage (n/v): a structure of bars or wires for confining animals; also a verb meaning to confine in such a structure.

  • The bird's cage was too small. (A physical enclosure.)

Synonyms

• Confine: to keep within limits; to restrict.
• Imprison: to put in prison or as if in prison.
• Enclose: to surround or close off on all sides.

Phrasal Verbs

• Cage up: to confine or trap as if in a cage.
  • The animal was caged up for its own safety. (Placed in a cage.)

Related Idioms

• Rattle one's cage: to deliberately annoy or provoke someone.
  • He kept making jokes just to rattle her cage. (To upset or irritate her.)