corner

KOR-nur/ˈkɔɹnɚ/UKKAW-nuh/ˈkɔːnə(ɹ)/

Pluralcorners

Verbcorners, cornering, cornered

23 meanings of corner

Practice

1
end of an edgenouncountable
The place where two sides or walls meet, like the corner of a room or a table.
Like the spot where two sides of a box meet on the inside.
She pushed the bookshelf into the corner of the bedroom.
Spiders had built webs in every corner of the old shed.
UsageSay in the corner of a room, but on the corner of a table.
2
where streets meetnouncountable
The place where two streets cross, or the area beside that crossing.
Like the spot where two roads form a cross.
Meet me at the corner of Fifth and Main.
A hot dog vendor set up on the busy corner.
UsageSay on or at the corner of a street. Around the corner means very close.
Similarintersection, junction, crossroads
3
nouncountable
A far-off part of a place, away from the center, or any part or area of it.
Like the farthest edges of a big map.
People came from every corner of the country to attend.
News spread to the farthest corners of the empire.
UsageMost often in every corner of the world or the four corners of the earth.
Similarpart, region, quarter, area
Oppositecenter, heart
Note
4
quiet spotnouncountable
A private or hidden spot, or a place far from other people and activity.
They found a cozy corner of the library to study in.
The kids built a secret hideout in a hidden corner of the woods.
UsageOften a quiet corner of a place.
Similarnook, hideaway, niche, recess, retreat
5
soccer kicknouncountable
In soccer, a kick taken from the corner of the field near the goal.
The team won a corner in the final minute of the match.
She curled the corner straight into the net.
UsageYou win or take a corner. The long name is corner kick.
Note
6
trapverbtransitive
To force a person or animal into a tight space with no way out.
Like trapping a bug in a cup so it can't get away.
The cat tried to corner the mouse against the wall.
They cornered the runaway goat in the yard.
UsageOften be cornered: the thief was cornered in the alley.
Similartrap, surround, confine
Oppositerelease
7
local (shop)nounbefore a noun
Describing a handy local business, whether or not it is really on a street corner.
Like the little shop near your house you can walk to.
We buy bread at the corner shop.
The corner store sells just about everything.
UsageUsed before shop or store: the corner shop.
Note
8
turn (driving)verbtransitive or intransitive
To drive around a corner or bend. People also use it about how well a car does this.
Like guiding a shopping cart smoothly around the end of an aisle.
Slow down before you corner on a wet road.
My old car does not corner well at high speed.
UsageOften about a car: it corners well or badly.
9
verbtransitive
To put someone in a difficult situation they cannot easily escape, often to make them answer or agree.
Like being stuck in a maze with no exit.
The teacher cornered him about the missing homework.
Don't let them corner you into saying yes.
Usagecorner someone into saying or doing something.
Similartrap
10
defensive backnouncountable
In American football, a defensive player who guards against passes near the side of the field.
The corner intercepted the pass right at the goal line.
Their best corner shut down the opposing receiver all game.
Similarcornerback
Note
11
nouncountable
A place where a road or race track bends, especially a sharp bend where cars must slow down.
Slow down before the next corner, because the road is icy.
The race car went wide on the last corner and lost first place.
Similarbend, turn, curve
Note

Less common meanings

12
tight spotnouncountable
A hard or embarrassing spot that is difficult to get out of.
Like being stuck with no good way out.
He found himself in a tight corner when the money ran out.
Her lie backed her into an awkward corner.
UsageOften in a tight corner. You can get out of one.
Similarpredicament, fix, jam, spot, bind
13
fighter's spotnouncountable
In boxing, the part of the ring where a fighter waits and rests between rounds.
The boxer staggered back to his corner after the knockdown.
Between rounds, the boxer sat on a stool in his corner.
Note
14
nouncountable
A place where people meet to do a certain thing.
Like a special area set aside for one activity.
Volunteers staffed a welcome corner where new arrivals could sign up.
The café set up a quiet corner for board games.
UsageOften a reading corner or a play corner.
Similarspot
15
seize a marketverbtransitive
To get control of enough of a stock or product, usually by buying it up, to set its price.
Like buying up all the lemonade in town so you can charge whatever you want.
He tried to corner the silver market back in the 1980s.
A few traders cornered the wheat supply and pushed prices way up.
UsageMost often in corner the market.
Similarmonopolize, dominate
Note
16
fighter's helpersnouncountable
In boxing, the team of helpers who support a fighter between rounds.
Between rounds, his corner worked quickly to stop the bleeding.
Her corner threw in the towel to end the fight.
Note
17
monopolynounfigurativelycountable
Control of so much of something, like a product on the market, that you can set its price or keep others out.
Like owning the only well in town.
That store has a corner on the local toy market.
No one has a corner on good luck.
UsageSay a corner on something: no one has a corner on good luck.
Similarcontrol
Note
18
base (baseball)nouncountable
In baseball, first base or third base, the two bases on either side of the infield.
He played first base, then moved to the other corner, third base.
A strong arm is vital at the hot corner.
Note
19
plate edgenouncountable
In baseball, the inside or outside edge of home plate, where pitches are hard to hit.
The pitcher painted the outside corner for a called strike.
He nipped the bottom corner with a perfect curveball.
Note
20
verbtransitive
To put corners on something, such as adding protective metal tips to a book.
Craftsmen corner the leather cases with brass to protect the edges.
The old trunk was cornered with brass to keep its edges from wearing.
21
warning callinterjection
A word restaurant workers shout when going around a corner so they don't crash into each other.
Like beeping a car horn before a sharp blind turn.
"Corner!" the cook shouted as he came around the turn with hot soup.
Servers yell "Corner!" at blind turns so nobody bumps into them.
22
noundialectalMaine
A small country area or community around a meeting of rural roads.
23
noun
A person who preserves meat or fish using salt or salt water.

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of corner apart? Answer 3 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origin

It came through Middle English and Anglo-Norman from Old French "corne" meaning corner or angle, which came from Latin "cornū" meaning a horn or projecting point.

Checked 5 Nov 2026 · 3 facts

Corner came through Middle English and Anglo-Norman from Old French corne. en.wiktionary.org
Old French corne meant corner or angle. en.wiktionary.org
Old French corne ultimately derived from Latin cornū, meaning a horn or projecting point. en.wiktionary.org