penning in
Confining within barriers
Penning in means confining or enclosing, typically by surrounding on all sides.
Livestock are penned in by fences; people can be penned in by crowds, circumstances, or obligations: We felt penned in by the narrow deadline.
The phrase suggests restriction of movement or freedom, whether physical or figurative.
- boxing inRestricting movement by surrounding
- hemming inRestricting movement by surrounding
- limitingPlacing restrictions upon
- closing inSteadily approaching something
- quarantiningRestricting contact during illness
constraining · reining in · walling · walling off · herding · rounding up · segregating · fencing · barricading · enclosure · trapping · corralling · caging · securing · encircling · curbing · guarding · gating
confinement vs. liberation
penning inreleasing
Allowing to escape
freeing · letting out · liberating · setting free · unleashing
restriction vs. freedom of movement
penning inletting out
Allowing to escape
releasing · opening up · dispersing · scattering · spreading out