back into a corner

1. To force or be forced into a difficult or unpleasant situation that one cannot easily resolve or escape. A noun can be used between "back" and "into." My boss really backed me into a corner when he asked me to fire the CEO's daughter. Scott has been backed into a corner with this mortgage payment that he cannot afford.

2. To put oneself into a difficult or unpleasant situation that one cannot easily resolve or escape. In this usage, a reflexive pronoun is used between "back" and "into." I really backed myself into a corner when I agreed to go to two events on the same night.

back somebody into a corner

to force someone into a bad situation The company backed its workers into a corner by hiring replacements during the strike.

Usage notes: sometimes used in the form get backed into a corner: When that team gets backed into a corner, they aren't afraid to fight their way out.

Common Names:

Name	Pronounced	Usage
KriŠTof	-	Slovene, Slovak
Ayako	ah-yah-ko	Japanese
Zhelyazko	-	Bulgarian
Elpidios	-	Late Greek
Mihael	-	Slovene, Croatian
Maurine	maw-REEN, MAWR-een	English, Irish