boxing in
Surrounding to confine
Boxing in means surrounding or confining so as to restrict movement or options.
In driving, you box someone in by parking too close for them to pull out: Some jerk boxed me in and I couldn't leave.
The phrase extends to any situation where someone feels trapped or constrained: The contract terms really boxed us in.
- restrictingPlacing limits upon
- confiningLimiting freedom of movement
- closing inSteadily approaching something
- limitingPlacing restrictions upon
- constrainingImposing limits upon
penned in · imprisonment · walling · walled in · stifling · outflanking · suppression · enclosure · surrounding · containment · barricade · encircling · cutting off · inhibition · cornering · pinning · blocking · narrowing
- intimidationthreats, threatening, menacing, intimidate, bullying
- road ragetailgating, honking, cutting off, brake checking, middle finger
- coercionduress, coercing, compelling, threat, forcing
- pursuit tacticschasing, pursuing, hot pursuit, giving chase, following
boxing infreeing
Releasing from confinement
releasing · letting out · liberating · opening up · uncaging
boxing infreeing
Releasing from confinement
liberating · emancipating · unshackling · unchaining · empowering