cornering
|cor-ner-ing|
🇺🇸
/ˈkɔrnərɪŋ/
🇬🇧
/ˈkɔːnərɪŋ/
(corner)
meeting point
Etymology
'cornering' originates from Middle English 'corner', which comes from Old French 'corne' (or related Old French forms), ultimately from Latin 'cornu' where 'cornu' meant 'horn'.
'corner' changed from Old French words related to 'corne' (horn) into Middle English 'corner' meaning an angle or projection, and the verb 'to corner' (to put into an angle or trap) developed in Middle English; 'cornering' is the present participle/gerund form of that verb in modern English.
Initially related to a 'horn' or projecting point (angle), the term evolved to mean 'an angle or nook' and then the verb sense 'to drive or put into an angle/trap'; modern senses include both literal turning and figurative trapping/monopolizing (e.g., 'corner the market').
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
the act or technique of steering a vehicle through a bend or corner; how a vehicle is handled while turning.
Good cornering at high speed requires precise braking and steering.
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Noun 2
the act of forcing someone into a difficult position (the state of being cornered); a situation in which escape or options are limited.
The cornering of the witness left him with no safe answer.
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Verb 1
to force or trap someone so they have no escape or easy reply; to press someone into a difficult position.
During the interview the journalist was cornering the candidate with persistent questions.
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Verb 2
to obtain enough of a commodity or asset so as to control its price or supply; to monopolize trade in something (as in 'corner the market').
They were accused of cornering the market in steel by buying up large stocks.
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Last updated: 2025/11/07 08:53