corral

American  

[kuh-ral] / kəˈræl /

noun

1. an enclosure or pen for horses, cattle, etc.

2. a circular enclosure formed by wagons during an encampment, as by covered wagons crossing the North American plains in the 19th century, for defense against attack.

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verb (used with object)

corralled, corralling

1. to confine in or as if in a corral.

2. Informal.

   1. to seize; capture.

   2. to collect, gather, or garner.

      to corral votes.

3. to form (wagons) into a corral.

corral British  

/ kɒˈrɑːl /

noun

1. an enclosure for confining cattle or horses

2. (formerly) a defensive enclosure formed by a ring of covered wagons

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verb

1. to drive into and confine in or as in a corral

2. informal to capture

Etymology

Origin of corral

1575–85; < Spanish < Late Latin *currāle enclosure for carts, equivalent to Latin curr ( us ) wagon, cart (derivative of currere to run) + -āle, neuter of -ālis -al ¹

Example Sentences

Eventually, 5,000 angry people surround the local prison, where the city’s doctors had been corralled for their safety.

From The Wall Street Journal

“That’s all we are asking people to do: Bring your dogs in at night, night pen livestock,” she said, referring to corralling the animals into a securely fenced area.

From Los Angeles Times

How can you categorize and corral the unconscious?

From The Wall Street Journal

“I don’t think she has been able to corral that bureaucracy.”

From Los Angeles Times

That Powell managed to corral such differing minds amid intense economic uncertainty is a credit not only to his leadership, but also to his institution’s internal and external communication mechanisms.

From Barron's

Related Words

• coop up
• lock up