# corner

Pronunciation: US say "KOR-nur" /ˈkɔɹnɚ/; UK say "KAW-nuh" /ˈkɔːnə(ɹ)/

## Noun

1. The point, area, or edge where two lines, sides, or walls meet, forming an inside angle (a room's corner) or an outside angle (a table's corner).
   - Simple: The place where two sides or walls meet, like the corner of a room or a table.
   - _Dust collected in the corner where the two walls met._
   - _He wedged the cabinet snugly into the room's far corner._
2. The point where two streets intersect, or any of the four outer areas beside that intersection.
   - Simple: The place where two streets cross, or the area beside that crossing.
   - _The pharmacy sits on the corner of two major avenues._
   - _Protesters gathered at every corner around the square._
3. A distant or outlying part of something, away from its center; by extension, any part or region, or the direction in which it lies.
   - Simple: A far-off part of a place, away from the center, or any part or area of it.
   - _Visitors arrived from every corner of the globe._
   - _The four corners of the kingdom were finally united._
4. A secret or secluded spot; a remote, out-of-the-way place; a nook.
   - Simple: A private or hidden spot, or a place far from other people and activity.
   - _She discovered a quiet corner of the garden where no one ever went._
   - _Behind the old mill he found a hidden corner of the woods where no one ever came._
5. In soccer, a kick from a corner of the field, awarded when a defender last touches the ball before it crosses their own goal line without a goal being scored.
   - Simple: In soccer, a kick taken from the corner of the field near the goal.
   - _The referee awarded a corner after the defender deflected the ball wide._
   - _His inswinging corners caused problems for the goalkeeper all match._
7. Describing a business in a handy local spot, thought of as being on a street corner whether or not it actually is.
   - Simple: Describing a handy local business, whether or not it is really on a street corner.
   - _Locals rely on the corner store for everyday essentials._
   - _A friendly corner shop anchored the neighborhood for decades._
10. In American football, a defensive back who lines up wide and covers receivers, defending against passing plays.
   - Simple: In American football, a defensive player who guards against passes near the side of the field.
   - _The rookie corner broke up three passes in his debut._
   - _Veteran corners often bait quarterbacks into risky throws._
12. An embarrassing situation; a difficulty or tight spot.
   - Simple: A hard or embarrassing spot that is difficult to get out of.
   - _When the loan fell through at the last minute, the family found itself in a tight corner._
   - _He talked his way out of a tricky corner._
13. In boxing, the angled section of the ring where a fighter rests on a stool and receives attention from their team between rounds.
   - Simple: In boxing, the part of the ring where a fighter waits and rests between rounds.
   - _The bell rang and he trudged to his corner for a sip of water._
   - _Red and blue corners are assigned to the two fighters before the bout._
14. A spot where people come together for a particular purpose.
   - Simple: A place where people meet to do a certain thing.
   - _The school library has a reading corner where children gather for story time every Friday morning._
   - _The shop created a play corner for young customers._
16. In boxing, the group of trainers and assistants who support a fighter during the bout, advising and treating them between rounds.
   - Simple: In boxing, the team of helpers who support a fighter between rounds.
   - _The champion's corner urged him to keep his guard high._
   - _Experienced corners know when to stop a hopeless fight._
17. Control of so much of the supply of something, especially a stock or commodity, that the holder can set its price or keep others out.
   - Simple: Control of so much of something, like a product on the market, that you can set its price or keep others out.
   - _By quietly buying up most of the cocoa in storage, the trading firm gained a corner on the market and set prices as it liked._
   - _She seems to think she has a corner on the truth._
18. In baseball, first base or third base: the two infield positions at the corners of the diamond nearest the foul lines.
   - Simple: In baseball, first base or third base, the two bases on either side of the infield.
   - _The veteran can cover either corner if an infielder gets hurt._
   - _Both corners were manned by power hitters in the lineup._
19. In baseball, the inside or outside edge of home plate, where a well-placed pitch is hard to hit but can still be called a strike.
   - Simple: In baseball, the inside or outside edge of home plate, where pitches are hard to hit.
   - _The umpire rang him up on a pitch that caught the low corner._
   - _Great control pitchers live on the corners of the zone._
11. A point where a road, track, or racing circuit turns, especially a tight turn that drivers have to take at reduced speed.
   - Simple: A place where a road or race track bends, especially a sharp bend where cars must slow down.
   - _She braked hard going into the final corner and still held on to the lead._
   - _The mountain road twists through a series of blind corners above the valley._

## Verb

6. To chase or force someone or something into a corner or other enclosed space from which they cannot easily get out.
   - Simple: To force a person or animal into a tight space with no way out.
   - _Police cornered the suspect in a dead-end alley._
   - _Shepherds work together to corner stray sheep before nightfall._
8. Of a driver or vehicle, to go around a corner or bend, often with reference to how well the vehicle handles it.
   - Simple: To drive around a corner or bend. People also use it about how well a car does this.
   - _With its low center of gravity, the little sedan corners with surprising confidence on mountain roads._
   - _Long trucks cannot corner as tightly as small cars, so they swing wide at intersections._
9. To put someone in a difficult or awkward position from which they cannot easily escape, especially to make them answer or agree.
   - Simple: To put someone in a difficult situation they cannot easily escape, often to make them answer or agree.
   - _She cornered her brother into admitting he'd broken the vase._
   - _Skilled debaters try to corner opponents with their own words._
15. To take control of so much of the supply of a stock or commodity, usually by buying it up, that you can manipulate its price, as in "corner the market".
   - Simple: To get control of enough of a stock or product, usually by buying it up, to set its price.
   - _The investors quietly cornered the copper market before announcing their position._
   - _Speculators who corner a commodity can drive its price far above the natural level._
20. To fit or provide something with corners, especially by attaching protective pieces to its edges.
   - Simple: To put corners on something, such as adding protective metal tips to a book.
   - _The family Bible, bound in black leather and cornered with worn brass, sat on a shelf by the door._
   - _Furniture makers who want a traditional look still corner their sea chests with brass._

## Interjection

21. A warning call used by waiters and other service staff when rounding a blind corner, alerting coworkers to prevent a collision.
   - Simple: A word restaurant workers shout when going around a corner so they don't crash into each other.
   - _"Corner!" he barked, hot plates in both hands, as he turned into the dining room._
   - _New servers are taught to shout "Corner!" at every blind turn._

## Other meanings

- (noun) A small rural community or neighborhood clustered around the intersection of country roads.
- (noun) A person who corns food: one who cures and preserves meat or fish by salting it.

## Origin

From Middle English corner, from Anglo-Norman cornere, from Old French corne ("corner, angle," literally "a horn, projecting point"), which traces back through Vulgar Latin to Latin cornū ("projecting point, end, horn"). The "angle, corner" sense in Old French isn't found in Latin and was possibly calqued from Frankish *hurnijā ("corner, angle").

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/corner (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).