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in someone's corner

in someone's corner

1 4.6
Support someone during difficult times
  • idiom
  • Informal
translation icon : estar del lado de alguien
  • I need you in my corner.

Examples

Synonyms

supportive
vsin someone's corner
348 2.8

Willing to give help or comfort when someone needs it

backs people more during hard times and serious challenges
by my side
vsin someone's corner
68 1.0

Close to you to give help and company

backs someone actively during difficult or challenging times

Antonyms

1.0

Not following advice, a rule, or someone's wish

15 3.4

Being against another person or group

How Supportive

to defend
1.3
champion
156 3.7
to stand by
187 3.2
in someone's corner
  • Informal
1 4.6
to back
932 1.0
to support
753 1.4

Surface Forms

Morphology

in + someone's + corner

The supportive meaning is partly inferable: 'in' + 'someone's' + 'corner' evokes a spatial relation and, via the boxing metaphor (supporters stand in a fighter's corner), can suggest backing someone. However this is a metaphorical, culture-specific extension of the literal 'corner' and is not fully predictable from the constituent meanings alone, so a B1 learner who hasn't seen the idiom may not reliably derive the sense.

Etymology

In someone's corner comes from boxing, where a trainer stands in the corner of the ring to give help and encouragement to the fighter. That's why being in someone's corner means 'support' or 'backing' when someone needs help.