Cornered Meaning: Definition, Examples, and Translations

Psychology

• Being cornered can lead to feelings of anxiety and panic, impacting decision-making.
• People often resort to fight-or-flight responses when they feel cornered, which can affect their behavior.
• Psychological studies suggest that feeling trapped may also hinder creativity as it limits one's perceived options.

Pop Culture

• In many films, characters feeling cornered experience dramatic transformations, leading to intense moments.
• The phrase ‘cornered animal’ is often used in stories to illustrate that when someone is trapped, they will fight back fiercely.
• Video games frequently use the concept of being cornered, where players must navigate challenging situations for survival.

Wildlife

• Animals in the wild, when cornered by predators, may demonstrate increased aggression or desperation to escape.
• Cornered species often show distinct survival techniques that evolve due to their need to overcome threat.
• Researchers study how cornered animals' behaviors inform conservation methods and habitat protection.

Main points about word origin

• The word comes from 'corner,' which originally meant a place where two walls meet.
• In the late 15th century, 'cornered' began to be used figuratively to describe situations where people feel trapped.
• The term is often associated with both physical and emotional confinement, showing how language evolves.

The word 'cornered' originated from the noun 'corner', which comes from the Old French 'corniere', a derivative of 'corne', meaning 'horn'. In medieval times, a corner referred to the angle or intersection where two lines meet, much like the tips of a horn. The verb form 'to corner', meaning to trap or confine someone, emerged in English during the early 19th century, reflecting the metaphorical sense of confining someone to a limited area. Over time, 'cornered' evolved to describe not just physical entrapment but also psychological states, conveying feelings of helplessness or lack of options. The imagery of being pushed into a corner, both literally and figuratively, has made this term resonate in various contexts, from animal behavior to personal dilemmas.

With rank #18,768, this word belongs to specialized vocabulary. While not common in everyday speech, it enriches your ability to express complex ideas.

• ...
• 18765 twitching
• 18766 highland
• 18767 soldered
• 18768 cornered
• 18769 castration
• 18770 retaliatory
• 18771 romanticism
• ...