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n. 1. a. The position at which two lines, surfaces, or edges meet and form an angle: the four corners of a rectangle. b. The area enclosed or bounded by an angle formed in this manner: sat by myself in the corner; the corner of one's eye. 2. The place where two roads or streets join or intersect. 3. a. Sports Any of the four angles of a boxing or wrestling ring where the ropes are joined. b. Baseball Either side of home plate, toward or away from the batter. c. A corner kick in soccer. d. Football A cornerback. 4. A threatening or embarrassing position from which escape is difficult: got myself into a corner by boasting. 5. A remote, secluded, or secret place: the four corners of the earth; a beautiful little corner of Paris. 6. A part or piece made to fit on a corner, as in mounting or for protection. 7. a. A speculative monopoly of a stock or commodity created by purchasing all or most of the available supply in order to raise its price. b. Exclusive possession; monopoly: "Neither party ... has a corner on all the good ideas" (George B. Merry). v. cor·nered, cor·ner·ing, cor·ners v.tr. 1. To place or drive into a corner: cornered the thieves and captured them. 2. To form a corner in (a stock or commodity): cornered the silver market. 3. To furnish with corners. v.intr. 1. To turn, as at a corner: a truck that corners poorly. 2. To come together or be situated on or at a corner. adj. Idiom: 1. Located at a street corner: a corner drugstore. 2. Designed for use in a corner: a corner table. around the corner About to happen; imminent. [Middle English, from Anglo-Norman, from Old French corne, corner, horn, from Vulgar Latin *corna, from Latin cornua, pl. of cornū, horn, point; see ker-1 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.] |
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