Meaning: acorn

'eɪkɔːn
n.
fruit of the oak tree: a smooth thin-walled nut in a woody cup-shaped base

corn Idiom, Proverb

back yourself into a corner

put yourself in a bad position, have no escape If you buy what you can't afford you back yourself into a corner.

corner the market

become the main supplier, have a monopoly Japanese automakers are trying to corner the luxury car market.

corner you

insist that you listen, buttonhole you If Helmer corners you, tell him you have to go to the bathroom.

corny

obvious humor, unsophisiticated humor The farmer said his cows are moody today. Now that is corny!

cut corners

use less material, use less than required If we cut corners, we'll produce a low-quality product.

even a blind pig can find an acorn

if you keep looking and trying you may succeed

got a corner on

got most of the business, corner the market Bata's got a corner on the shoe business in Ontario.

got you cornered

make it difficult to move or answer """I've got you cornered,"" he said, pointing at the checker board."

in your corner

hoping you will win, on your side Hey, man, I'm in your corner. I'll help you get your diploma.

kitty-corner

the diagonally opposite corner of an intersection The Bay is kitty-corner from the drugstore.

out of the corner of my eye

at my far right or left, to the side Out of the corner of my eye, I saw something move. It was the cat.

paint oneself into a corner

get into a bad situation that is difficult or impossible to escape The negotiations were difficult but we won when the other side painted themselves into a corner over the faulty warranty policy.

popcorn brain

one who has not learned to think, an airhead When I forgot my phone number they called me popcorn brain.

turn the corner

achieve part of a goal, progress toward a goal Lan was very ill, but she's turned the corner. She's recovering.

acorn

that little bell end from which tall oaks grow... when you get wood

can of corn

something that is really easy

out of the corner of one's eye

without looking at sb．or sth．directly or openly从眼角处看；窥伺
The cat looked at the mouse out of the corner of its eye．猫暗地里注视着老鼠。
As the little boy spoke to his mother，he looked out of the corner of his eye at his elder brother waving to him from outside the window．那个小男孩在跟他母亲说话时，用眼梢瞟着站在窗外向他招手的哥哥。

scornful of

feeling contempt for；holding in scorn 鄙视；看不起
He is scornful of such a selfish and haughty man．他藐视这样一个自私又狂妄的人。

have turned the corner

Idiom(s): have turned the corner

Theme: SUCCESS

to have passed a critical point in a process.
• The patient has turned the corner. She should begin to show improvement now.
• The project has turned the corner. The rest should be easy.

Great oaks grow from little acorns.

Large successful operations can begin in a small way.

Tall oaks grow from little acorns.

Great things may come from small beginnings.

Corner a market

If a business is dominant in an area and unlikely to be challenged by other companies, it has cornered the market.

Four corners of the earth

If something goes to, or comes from, the four corners of the earth, it goes or comes absolutely everywhere.

Just around the corner

If something is just around the corner, then it is expected to happen very soon.

Mighty oaks from little acorns grow

Big or great things start very small.

Paint yourself into a corner

(USA) If someone paints themselves into a corner, they get themselves into a mess.

Great oaks from little acorns grow.

Much may come from a small beginning.

around the corner|around|corner

adv. phr. Soon to come or happen; close by; near at hand. The fortuneteller told Jane that there was an adventure for her just around the corner.

corn ball|ball|corn

n., slang, informal 1. A superficially sentimental movie or musical in which the word "love" is mentioned too often; a theatrical performance that is trivially sentimental. That movie last night was a corn hall. 2. A person who behaves in a superficially sentimental manner or likes performances portraying such behavior. Suzie can't stand Joe; she thinks he's a corn ball.

corn belt|belt|corn

n. 1. The Midwest; the agricultural section of the United States where much corn is grown. Kansas is one of the slates that lies within the corn belt.

cut corners|corner|corners|cut

v. phr. 1. To take a short way; not go to each corner. He cut corners going home in a hurry. 2. To save cost or effort; manage in a thrifty way; be saving. John's father asked him to cut corners all he could in college. 3. To do less than a very good job; do only what you must do on a job. He had cut corners in building his house, and it didn't stand up well.

four corners|corners|four

n. All parts of a place. People came from the four corners of the world to see him. He has been to the four corners of the country.
Compare: ALL OVER.

great oaks from little acorns grow|acorn|acorns|gr

As great oak trees grow from tiny acorns, so many great people or things grew from a small and unimportant beginning, so be patient.

A proverb. Many great men were once poor, unimportant boys. Great oaks from little acorns grow.

out of the corner of one's eye|corner|eye|out|the

adv. phr. Without looking at a person or thing directly or openly; secretly; without being noticed. The cat looked at the mouse out of the corner of his eye. Mike watched the boys across the street out of the corner of his eye as he mowed the lawn.

paint oneself into a corner|corner|paint

v. phr. To get oneself into a bad situation that is difficult or impossible to get out of. By promising to both lower taxes and raise the defense budget, the president has painted himself into a corner.

around the corner

around the corner
1) On the other side of a street corner, as in The doctor's office is around the corner from our house. [First half of 1800s]
2) Nearby, a short distance away, as in The nearest grocery store is just around the corner. [Early 1800s]
3) Very soon, imminent, as in You never know what stroke of luck lies just around the corner. [First half of 1900s]

corner

corner
In addition to the idiom beginning with corner, also see around the corner; cut corners; four corners of the earth, the; in a tight corner; out of the corner of one's eye; paint oneself into a corner; turn the corner.

four corners of the earth, the

four corners of the earth, the
The far ends of the world; all parts of the world. For example, Athletes came from the four corners of the earth to compete in the Olympics. This expression appeared in the Bible (Isaiah 11:12): “And gather the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.” Although the idea that the earth is a flat plane with actual corners has long been discarded, the term has survived.

hell has no fury like a woman scorned

hell has no fury like a woman scorned
No anger is worse than that of a jilted woman. For example, Nancy has nothing good to say about Tom—hell has no fury, you know. This term is a shortening of William Congreve's lines, “Heav'n has no rage, like love to hatred turn'd, nor Hell a fury like a woman scorn'd” (The Mourning Bride, 1697). Similar lines appear in several plays of the same period. Today the proverb is often shortened even more, as in the example.

in a tight corner

in a tight corner
Also, in a tight spot. See under in a bind.