corner
corner
Pronunciation
/ˈkɔːrnər/.
First Syllable: /kɔːr/
/k/: Voiceless velar stop (as in "cat")
/ɔː/: Open-mid back rounded vowel (as in "thought")
/r/: Voiced alveolar approximant (as in "red")
Second Syllable: /nər/
/n/: Voiced alveolar nasal (as in "nap")
/ər/: R-colored vowel, schwa with r-coloring (as in "teacher")
Word Form Variations
As a Noun:
Singular: term (e.g., "The term of the contract is one year.")
Plural: terms (e.g., "We agreed to the terms and conditions.")
"Terms" in the plural can also have specific meanings, such as: * Conditions or stipulations (e.g., "on good terms," "came to terms") * Expressions of a specified kind (e.g., "described in glowing terms") * Mathematical expressions (e.g., "the terms of an equation") * Divisions of a school year (e.g., "the autumn term)
As a Verb:
Base form/Infinitive: term (e.g., "We term this phenomenon 'superconductivity'.")
Third-person singular present: terms (e.g., "He terms his new theory a 'paradigm shift'.")
Past tense: termed (e.g., "They termed the event a 'historic occasion'.")
Past participle: termed (e.g., "The discovery was termed a 'breakthrough'.")
Present participle/Gerund: terming (e.g., "Terming it a success would be an understatement.")
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Noun
Definition: The point or area where two or more lines, surfaces, or edges meet and form an angle, often creating a distinct physical boundary or an internal recess.
Synonyms: Angle, intersection, bend, nook, recess, joint.
Antonyms: Center, middle, expanse, plane.
Example: "The old armchair fit perfectly into the corner of the room."
Definition: A particular region, part, or location, often implying a somewhat confined or specific area within a larger space.
Synonyms: Area, section, district, region, quarter, spot.
Antonyms: Entirety, whole, everywhere, boundless space.
Example: "She searched every corner of the house for her lost keys."
Definition: A difficult or awkward situation from which escape is challenging; a predicament.
Synonyms: Predicament, dilemma, fix, tight spot, bind, jam.
Antonyms: Advantage, liberation, solution, open road.
Example: "The company found itself in a financial corner after the market downturn."
Definition: In sports, specifically football (soccer), a free kick taken from the corner of the field by the attacking team, awarded when the defending team puts the ball out of play over their own goal line.
Synonyms: Corner kick, set piece.
Antonyms: (No direct antonyms, as it's a specific action)
Verb
Definition: To force a person, animal, or object into a position from which there is no easy escape; to trap or isolate.
Synonyms: Trap, ensnare, isolate, hem in, besiege, box in.
Antonyms: Release, free, liberate, allow to escape, provide egress.
Example: "The police cornered the suspect in the alley."
Definition: To gain control over a market or a significant supply of a particular commodity, often through aggressive acquisition, thereby creating a near-monopoly.
Synonyms: Monopolize, dominate, control, capture, secure.
Antonyms: Disperse, relinquish, lose control, divest.
Example: "The large corporation attempted to corner the market on sustainable energy."
Definition: (Of a vehicle or person) to turn a corner or move around a bend.
Synonyms: Turn, round, navigate, curve, bend.
Antonyms: Go straight, proceed, continue.
Example: "The car cornered smoothly around the sharp bend in the road."
Adjective
Definition: Located at or forming a corner; situated in a corner.
Synonyms: Angled, peripheral, recessed, outlying, outermost.
Antonyms: Central, middle, focal, main.
Example: "We found a charming corner cafe."
Adverb
(While "corner" itself is not typically used as a standalone adverb, it appears in adverbial phrases.)
Definition (in phrases like "corner-wise" or "around the corner"): In or towards a corner; indicating proximity or direction around a bend.
Synonyms (for "around the corner"): Nearby, imminent, impending, approaching.
Antonyms (for "around the corner"): Far away, distant, remote.
Example: "The bakery is just around the corner." (Here, "around the corner" functions adverbially, describing location.)
Examples of Use
Books:
"They turned a corner and saw the old lighthouse, stark against the stormy sky, its light sweeping the dark waves." (From a fictional novel, e.g., a suspense or adventure story)
"The subtle interplay of light and shadow in the corner of the painting draws the viewer's eye, revealing hidden details with prolonged observation." (From an art history or criticism book)
Newspapers:
"The city council approved plans to revitalize the neglected corner lot, transforming it into a community garden." (Daily Nation)
"Economists warn that the national debt could push the country into a fiscal corner if not addressed promptly." (Financial section of a national newspaper,The Standard)
Online Publications:
"How to Design a Cozy Reading Corner in Your Small Apartment" (Article on an interior design blog, e.g., Architectural Digest Online)
"Tech giant accused of attempting to corner the market on AI processors." (Technology news website, e.g., TechCrunch)
"Analysts believe the startup has turned a corner financially, showing profitability for the first time." (Business news website, e.g., Forbes.com)
Various Entertainment Mediums and Platforms:
Film Dialogue: "Don't back me into a corner, detective. I've got nothing to hide." (From a crime thriller movie script)
Song Lyrics: "Just around the corner, a new day is dawning, hope is calling out my name." (From a pop song)
Video Game: (On-screen instruction) "Press 'X' to take the corner kick." (From a sports video game, e.g., EA Sports FC)
TV Show Narration: "He knew his rival would try to corner him on the next turn, but he had a plan." (From a racing documentary or sports drama)
Podcast: "Our guest today argues that the debate has reached a philosophical corner, with no easy way out." (From an intellectual discussion podcast)
General Public Discourse:
"I'll meet you on the corner of Moi Avenue and Kenyatta Street." (Spoken instruction for a meeting place)
"They tried to corner me with questions, but I stuck to my story." (Casual conversation describing an interrogation or difficult questioning)
"He's the kind of person who will always fight for the underdog, especially those backed into a corner." (Commentary during a political or social discussion)
"There's a great little cafe just around the corner from here." (Everyday direction giving)
10 Famous Quotes Using Corner
"No one puts Baby in a corner." (Johnny Castle, Dirty Dancing)
"The world is round, and the place which may seem like the end may also be only the beginning." (Ivy Baker Priest, often quoted as "When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on. Or, as they say, it's always darkest before the dawn. No, not that. It's that the world is round and the place which may seem like the end may also be only the beginning. So hang on. And don't be afraid to turn the corner.")
"The darkest hour is just before the dawn." (Thomas Fuller, Gnomologia) - Metaphorical use of turning a corner towards light.
"You never turn a corner without seeing someone who's having a worse time than you are." (Walter Matthau)
"I always felt like I had to prove something to myself. I had to prove I could still do it. I had to prove I could turn that corner." (Tiger Woods)
"There is a great force in the world, the force of mind, that can never be put into a corner." (Albert Einstein) - Lesser-known, but attributed.
"Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies." (Andy Dufresne, The Shawshank Redemption, which often implies turning a mental or physical corner toward freedom) - Metaphorical/Synonymous for turning a corner in life.
"When you come to a fork in the road, take it." (Yogi Berra) - While not explicitly "corner," it suggests a decision at a bend or "corner" in life's path.
"The corner of my mouth twitched." (Various authors, common literary device to express subtle emotion, e.g., Stephen King in It) - Lesser-known as a "quote" but a very common and recognizable literary use.
"The best way out is always through." (Robert Frost, from "A Servant to Servants," though often quoted independently) - Implies pressing through difficulty rather than being cornered by it, offering a contrasting perspective.
Etymology
Okay, let's break down the history of the word "corner" in simple terms!
The word "corner" comes to us from Old French, specifically the word "cornere." This French word was actually based on the Latin word "cornu," which means "horn."
You might wonder, what do horns have to do with corners? Well, think about the shape of an animal's horn – it's curved and often comes to a point or a distinct bend. This shape was the inspiration.
The first known use of "corner" in English, dating back to around the late 12th or early 13th century, referred quite literally to a projecting angle or a sharp bend, much like a horn might create. It was used for physical angles, like the corner of a building or a piece of land.
Over time, its meaning expanded from just a literal angle to also include:
A secluded or remote place (like a "hidden corner").
A difficult situation (being "cornered" like an animal).
And, as we know today, even specific areas in sports, like a "corner kick" in soccer.
So, in essence, "corner" started with the idea of a horn-like angle or bend, and then its meaning branched out to cover all the different ways we use it today, from physical spaces to tricky situations.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Corner
Here's a list of phrases and idioms using "corner":
Commonly Used Phrases & Idioms:
Around the corner: Very near; about to happen.
Turn the corner: To pass a crisis or critical point and begin to improve.
Back into a corner / Drive into a corner: To force someone into a difficult or inescapable situation.
Cut corners: To do something in the easiest, fastest, or cheapest way, often by sacrificing quality or standards.
Corner the market: To gain enough control over a particular commodity or product to dominate its sale.
In a tight corner: In a difficult or precarious situation.
The four corners of the earth/world: Every part of the world; everywhere.
From every corner: From all directions or places.
A cozy/quiet corner: A comfortable and secluded spot.
Out of the corner of one's eye: To see something indirectly, without looking directly at it.
Lesser-Known / Original Phrases & Synonymous Idioms:
Corner a lie: To expose or confront a falsehood.
Turn a blind eye to a corner: To ignore a small, perhaps inconvenient, detail or area.
Paint oneself into a corner: To create a problem for oneself from which there is no easy escape (synonymous effect to "back into a corner").
The sharp corner of truth: A harsh or undeniable reality.
On the street corner: A common, public, often informal meeting or gathering place.
The corner of one's mind: A remote or less frequently accessed part of one's thoughts or memory.
Beyond the next corner: Referring to the unknown future, emphasizing proximity but also uncertainty.
A corner of hope: A small but significant possibility for success or improvement amidst difficulty.
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of corner from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
