shoehorn

shoehorn
I. noun Date: 1589 a curved piece (as of horn, wood, or metal) used in putting on a shoe II. transitive verb Date: 1859 1. to force to be included or admitted <
shoehorned irrelevant arguments into his essay
>
2. to force or compress into an insufficient space or period of time ; squeeze <
shoehorn the past, present, and future into about 500 pages — Otis Port
>

New Collegiate Dictionary. 2001.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Shoehorn — Shoe horn, v. t. to squeeze or force into a tight fitting space, with or as though with a shoehorn; often used figuratively. [PJC] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Shoehorn — Shoe horn , Shoeing horn Shoe ing horn , n. 1. A curved piece of polished horn, wood, or metal used to facilitate the entrance of the foot into a shoe. [1913 Webster] 2. Figuratively: (a) Anything by which a transaction is facilitated; a medium;… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • shoehorn — (n.) 1580s, from SHOE (Cf. shoe) + HORN (Cf. horn); earlier shoeing horn (mid 15c.). The verb in the figurative sense of to put or thrust (something somewhere) by means of a tool is recorded from 1859. Earlier it meant to cuckold (mid 17c.), with …   Etymology dictionary

  • shoehorn — ► NOUN ▪ a curved instrument used for easing one s heel into a shoe. ► VERB ▪ force into an inadequate space …   English terms dictionary

  • shoehorn — [sho͞ohôrn΄] n. an implement of metal, horn, plastic, etc. with a troughlike blade, inserted at the back of a shoe to aid in slipping the heel in vt. to force or squeeze into a narrow space …   English World dictionary

  • shoehorn — I UK [ˈʃuːˌhɔː(r)n] / US [ˈʃuˌhɔrn] noun [countable] Word forms shoehorn : singular shoehorn plural shoehorns a curved object that you use for helping you to put your shoe on II UK [ˈʃuːˌhɔː(r)n] / US [ˈʃuˌhɔrn] verb [transitive] Word forms… …   English dictionary

  • Shoehorn — A shoehorn is a tool that allows the user to put on a shoe more easily. It does so by keeping the shoe open and by providing a smooth surface for the foot and particularly the heel to move, without crushing the shoe s counter (the vertical… …   Wikipedia

  • shoehorn — [[t]ʃu͟ːhɔː(r)n[/t]] shoehorns, shoehorning, shoehorned 1) N COUNT A shoehorn is a piece of metal or plastic with a slight curve that you put in the back of your shoe so that your heel will go into the shoe easily. 2) VERB If you shoehorn… …   English dictionary

  • shoehorn — /shooh hawrn /, n. 1. a shaped piece of horn, metal, or the like, inserted in the heel of a shoe to make it slip on more easily. v.t. 2. to force into a limited or tight space: Can you shoehorn four of us into the back seat of your car? [1580 90; …   Universalium

  • shoehorn — 1. noun /ˈʃuːˌhɔː(ɹ)n,ˈʃuːˌhɔɹn/ A tool used to assist putting the foot into a shoe by sliding the heel in. 2. verb /ˈʃuːˌhɔː(ɹ)n,ˈʃuːˌhɔɹn/ a) To use a shoehorn. They shoehorned the extra appointment into an already pa …   Wiktionary

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