American
[shoo-hawrn]
/ ˈʃuˌhɔrn /
noun
-
a shaped piece of horn, metal, or the like, inserted in the heel of a shoe to make it slip on more easily.
verb (used with object)
-
to force into a limited or tight space.
Can you shoehorn four of us into the back seat of your car?
shoehorn
British
/ ˈʃuːˌhɔːn /
noun
-
a smooth curved implement of horn, metal, plastic, etc, inserted at the heel of a shoe to ease the foot into it
"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged"
2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986
© HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005,
2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
verb
-
(tr) to cram (people or things) into a very small space
"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged"
2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986
© HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005,
2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Etymology
First recorded in 1580–90; shoe + horn
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any
opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
It was met with protests last year as well, The Shoehorn reported.
From
Washington Times
• Apr. 3, 2015
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
