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to cordon

to cordon

24 5.8
To block off an area with people or barriers to keep people away
  • verb
  • /ˈkɔrdən/
translation icon : acordonar
  • The Army's going to cordon off the whole town.

So the natural tendency is to just sort of cordon it off.

Examples

  • On election day, police cordoned off ballot stations in opposition strongholds.

    Academic text (2011)
  • The Marines arrived shortly after and cordoned off the area.

    Fiction book (1999)
  • First we cordon off your neighborhood.

  • - Coordinate with federal authorities and cordon off the area.

  • We intend to cordon off the area and make sure the situation is contained.

  • The police have cordoned off a section of the parking lot and transformed it into a command post.

    Fiction book (2002)
  • It's worse downtown where police have cordoned off the train station and are searching all passengers.

  • Police have cordoned off the entire Central Heights and East Park Side areas... ...as well as Merchant and South Shoreline Boulevards in an attempt...

  • A restless crowd encircles the hospital, cordoned off by police blockades, with uniformed cops forming a human wall around people.

    Fiction book (2002)
  • The police decided to cordon off the scene of the accident to ensure public safety.

Synonyms

to enclose
vsto cordon
84 3.7

Surround something completely, often with a wall or fence

is narrower, referring to a temporary safety line or light barriers
to seal off
vsto cordon
47 3.9

Stop people from entering or leaving an area by blocking it

is usually a temporary safety line by people or light barriers
to barricade
vsto cordon
42 4.8

To stop people from entering a place by putting up a barrier

is usually a controlled perimeter for safety rather than an emergency barrier
to wall
vsto cordon
41 6.4

To surround an area with a wall to protect it

is less permanent and usually a marked line for immediate safety
to block off
vsto cordon
23 3.8

Close a road, path or entrance so people cannot go through

is mainly a marked safety perimeter rather than a full closure
to cordon off
vsto cordon
20 6.3

Stop people entering or leaving an area by using police and barriers

is the single word form that shares the exact same meaning
to fence
vsto cordon
19 2.4

To put a barrier around land to mark or protect it

uses temporary lines or personnel rather than permanent solid barriers
to blockade
vsto cordon
9 6.0

To stop people and goods entering or leaving a place, often during war

is normally a controlled, temporary perimeter set up for safety reasons
to fence off
vsto cordon
4 3.7

Surround an area with a fence to stop people from entering

is typically temporary and formed by people or tape for safety
to rope off
vsto cordon
3 4.8

To keep people out of an area by putting ropes around it

is stronger and often uses people or heavier barriers for safety
to fence in
vsto cordon
3 3.0

To surround an area with a barrier to keep others out

is more temporary and focused on immediate public safety control
to bar off
vsto cordon
  • Informal
5.6

To block a place so people cannot enter, often by putting up a fence

is often lighter and formed as a line for security or safety

Phrasal Verbs

20 6.3

Stop people entering or leaving an area by using police and barriers

Compounds

A chicken dish of thin slices rolled around ham and cheese then cooked

1 8.8

A chef who cooks very well and makes excellent food

Thin slices of veal filled with ham and cheese, coated and fried

cordon bleu
  • Formal
8.8

A special honor like a medal or title that shows someone has very high skill

How Enclosed

lockdown
112 4.2
to seal off
47 3.9
to cordon
24 5.8
to block off
23 3.8
to mark off
1 3.4

Surface Forms

cordon infinitive
cordoned past
cordoned past participle
cordoning present participle
cordons third person singular

Etymology

Cordon (verb) comes from the idea of making a 'cord' around something, the same root as English cord. So to cordon off an area is to form a line or barrier to block it for safety or control.