Cornering a Market Means Owning All of It
A corner is where two lines meet. In finance it means buying up a commodity until you control the price.
A corner is the point where two surfaces or lines meet. Finance gives it a precise and aggressive sense: to *corner* a market is to buy enough of a commodity to control its price, leaving other buyers with nowhere to turn. The Hunt brothers' attempt to corner silver in 1980 is the best known modern example, and it ended badly for them.
- Where two lines meet. *The corner of the room.*
- A road junction. *On the corner.*
- To trap. *Cornered by the dog.*
- To control a market. *They cornered the market.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | corner | A dark corner. |
| Plural | corners | Four corners. |
| Verb | corner | Corner the market. |
| Adjective | cornered | A cornered animal. |
| Related | cornerstone | The cornerstone. |
How it is used in a sentence
- They cornered the market in tulip bulbs.Finance.
- He is in a tight corner.In difficulty.
- The team won a corner.Football.
Corner phrases
- Cut corners — do something the quick, inadequate way
- Turn the corner — begin to improve
- Just around the corner — imminent
- Fight your corner — defend your position
- Cornerstone — the foundational element
From Anglo-French *corner*, from Latin *cornu*, a horn or projecting point — the same root as *unicorn* and *cornet*.
Are corner and horn related?
Yes. Latin *cornu* meant horn, and a corner is a projecting point like one.
What does *cornering a market* mean?
Buying enough of a commodity to control its supply and dictate the price to other buyers.