shoehorn

/'ʃu:hɔ:n/ Cách viết khác : (shoe-lift) /'ʃu:lift/
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shoehorn

A man uses a shoehorn to put on his leather dress shoe.

Definition

  1. Noun:

    • A curved implement used to help insert a foot into a shoe: A shoehorn is a smooth, slightly curved tool, often made of metal, plastic, or horn, designed to guide the heel into a shoe without damaging the shoe's back (counter).

  2. Verb:

    • To force or fit something into a tight or unsuitable space or situation: To shoehorn means to insert or squeeze something into a place, role, or context where it does not naturally or easily belong, often with effort or by making compromises.
Examples of Usage

  • Noun:

    • I always use a shoehorn when putting on my leather boots to avoid crushing the heel.
    • The antique silver shoehorn was part of his grandfather's grooming set.

  • Verb:

    • The editor had to shoehorn three more paragraphs into the already full page.
    • They tried to shoehorn a modern kitchen into the historic cottage, which was a difficult design challenge.
Advanced Usage

  • "to shoehorn someone/something in": To manage to include someone or something, often at the last minute or with difficulty.

    • Despite the packed schedule, the host managed to shoehorn in one more speaker.

  • "to shoehorn something into something": To force something to fit into a constrained category, narrative, or framework.

    • The screenwriter was accused of shoehorning a romantic subplot into the thriller, making it feel unnatural.
Variants and Related Words
  • Shoehorned (adj): Describing something that has been forced into place.
    • The shoehorned solution created more problems than it solved.
Synonyms
  • Noun: Spoon (archaic in this context), heel insert.
  • Verb: Cram, squeeze, force, jam, wedge.
Related Phrasal Verbs
  • Shoehorning in: The act of forcing inclusion.
    • The constant shoehorning in of product placements ruined the movie's atmosphere.
Related Idioms
  • "A square peg in a round hole": This idiom describes a person or thing that is unsuited to a particular situation, which is the typical result of an attempt to shoehorn something. The act of forcing the peg is the "shoehorning."
    • Trying to make the outgoing engineer manage the quiet archive was like putting a square peg in a round hole; they had really shoehorned him into the wrong role.
shoehorn

A man uses a shoehorn to put on his leather dress shoe.

Noun
  1. a device used for easing the foot into a shoe
Verb
  1. fit for a specific purpose even when not well suited