corner
B1Neutral. Used in all registers from everyday conversation to formal writing.
Definition
Meaning
The point or area where two lines, edges, or surfaces meet, forming an angle; a place or angle where two sides or walls meet.
A difficult, awkward, or inescapable position; a remote, secluded, or little-known place; a region or part of something; a monopoly or controlling position in a market.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The noun is highly polysemous, covering physical geometry, location, difficult situations, and economics. The verb primarily means 'to force into a difficult position' or 'to go round a bend.'
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Very minor. In sports contexts, 'corner' as a free kick/free hit from the corner flag is universal. The verb 'corner the market' is identical. 'Corner shop' is more common in UK English than 'corner store' in US English, though both are understood.
Connotations
Similar in both varieties. 'Around the corner' is used literally and metaphorically (e.g., 'change is around the corner').
Frequency
The word is extremely frequent and core in both varieties with no significant disparity.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
V + corner (e.g., turn the corner)V + prep + corner (e.g., stand in the corner)V + obj + into + a corner (e.g., back someone into a corner)corner + N (e.g., corner sofa)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “cut corners”
- “around the corner”
- “in a tight corner”
- “four corners of the earth”
- “just round the corner”
- “out of the corner of one's eye”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
To 'corner the market' means to gain control over the supply of a commodity. Also used in real estate (e.g., 'a corner office' signifies prestige).
Academic
Used in geometry, urban studies (e.g., 'street corner society'), and economics.
Everyday
Most common: referring to parts of rooms, streets, or pages (e.g., 'the corner of the page').
Technical
In engineering/design: 'fillets' or 'chamfers' are used to modify a sharp corner. In football/soccer: 'corner kick'.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The interviewer finally cornered the minister with a difficult question.
- The rally car corners superbly on wet tracks.
- The company was accused of trying to corner the copper market.
American English
- The defender cornered the quarterback for a loss.
- This new sedan corners really flat.
- They nearly cornered the market on vintage baseball cards.
adverb
British English
- (Rare as a standalone adverb; usually part of a compound like 'corner-ways').
American English
- (Rare as a standalone adverb; usually part of a compound like 'cornerwise').
adjective
British English
- They booked a corner table at the restaurant.
- He's just moved into a coveted corner office.
- We need a corner sofa for the new flat.
American English
- She got a corner apartment with great light.
- The corner lot is more valuable.
- He plays corner linebacker for the team.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The cat is sleeping in the corner of the room.
- The shop is on the corner of this street.
- Write your name in the top corner of the page.
- Be careful when you drive around that sharp corner.
- I saw him out of the corner of my eye.
- The team won a corner in the last minute of the game.
- The new policy has backed the government into a political corner.
- He managed to corner the suspect in the alleyway.
- You can't cut corners on safety procedures.
- The conglomerate sought to corner the market in rare earth elements.
- Her research explores youth culture in the street corner societies of major cities.
- From the four corners of the globe, delegates assembled for the summit.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a **CORN** field shaped like a perfect square. You are standing at the **ER**-where? The *ER* of the field where two fences meet - that's the CORNER.
Conceptual Metaphor
DIFFICULTIES ARE CONFINED SPACES (e.g., 'painted into a corner'); THE FUTURE IS AROUND A BEND (e.g., 'better times are around the corner'); COMPREHENSIVENESS IS TOTAL COVERAGE OF AN AREA (e.g., 'the four corners of the earth').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid translating the verb 'to corner' (as in market) directly as 'угол'. Use 'захватить/монополизировать рынок'.
- The idiom 'cut corners' (сделать кое-как, сэкономить на качестве) is not about physically cutting angles.
- 'Corner shop' is a specific small local shop, not just any shop on a corner.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'in the corner' for outside street intersections (use 'on/at the corner').
- Confusing 'corner' with 'angle' in abstract mathematics contexts.
- Misusing the verb: 'He cornered the cat' means he trapped it, not he moved it to a corner.
Practice
Quiz
What does the idiom 'to cut corners' mean?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Use 'in the corner' for inside spaces (in the corner of a room). Use 'on/at the corner' for outside intersections (at the corner of 5th and Main).
Yes. It has two main meanings: 1) to force a person or animal into a place they cannot escape from, and 2) to go around a bend (often used for vehicles). It also has the economic meaning of gaining a monopoly.
An 'angle' is a geometric measure of the space between two intersecting lines. A 'corner' is the point or place where the lines/edges/surfaces actually meet. You measure an angle, but you sit in a corner.
A small retail store, often a convenience store or newsagent, typically located on the street corner of a residential area. It's a common feature in UK towns and implies a local, independent business.
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