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Glite Dictionary
to box into a corner

to box into a corner

1 7.8
To leave someone with few or no good choices
  • phrasal verb
  • Informal
translation icon : acornerar
  • I'm not being boxed into a corner by a troll.

Examples

  • The negotiator realized he had boxed into a corner and needed a new strategy to find a solution.

  • After making several poor decisions, the team had effectively boxed themselves into a corner with no easy way out.

  • Pro/rel could work if done right, but so can a bigger first division. But if you want to box me into a corner, then okay.

    Blog text (14)

  • But Davidge has him boxed into a corner.

    Enemy Mine (1985)

  • We, the people, do not realize that not giving specifics merely means the candidate does not want to be boxed into a corner.

    Blog text (22)

  • Romney has boxed himself (and us) into a corner, from which it will be more difficult to move away.

    Blog text (19)

  • Seems you have boxed yourself into a corner, so you have to defend your position by rants, lies, and distortions, but I will try logic one more time in hopes you actually "get it."

    Blog text (34)

  • The Yankees have to be careful not to box themselves into a corner budget-wise with Cano and Granderson with what they already have on the books. It doesn't do much good to keep your stars if you can't put anything around them.

    Blog text (12)

  • When faced with conflicting demands, she felt boxed into a corner with limited options to choose from.

Synonyms

to corner
vsto box into a corner
93 4.9

To force a person or animal into a place they cannot leave

leaves someone with few options rather than absolutely no way out
to lock into
vsto box into a corner
22 5.8

A situation where you cannot leave an agreement or plan

means causing someone to have few options, not only being contractually bound
to box in
vsto box into a corner
8 4.7

To stop a person or thing from moving, acting freely and making choices

creates a difficult situation leaving someone with very few choices
to paint (oneself) into a corner
vsto box into a corner
  • Informal
8 7.4

Put yourself in a difficult situation with no easy way out

is for being put there by someone else rather than by personal actions

Antonyms

to open up
207 3.7

Make something available for people to use

to empower
157 4.2

Give someone the power and confidence to do something

How Cornered

to immobilize
21 6.0
to trap
919 2.6
to box into a corner
  • Informal
1 7.8
to hem in
6 6.7
to restrict
361 3.1

Surface Forms

box into a corner infinitive
boxed into a corner past
boxed into a corner past participle
boxing into a corner present participle
boxes into a corner third person singular

Morphology

box + into + a + corner

The metaphor is directly derivable from the literal meanings: 'box' (to enclose) + 'into' (movement inside) + 'corner' (a confined place) yields the idea of confining someone so they have limited options. This physical-to-figurative mapping is common cross-linguistically and follows straightforward composition, so a B1 learner who knows the parts is likely to infer the intended meaning.

Etymology

The verb box into a corner comes from the picture of pushing someone until they are trapped in a corner, where they cannot move. Here box means putting someone into a tight space and corner is a place with no room to move, so the phrase means 'to leave someone with no options'.