pigeonhole
Definition from Wiktionary, the free dictionary
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[edit] English
[edit] Alternative forms
[edit] Etymology
Originally literal hole for pigeons, later similar compartments for papers, then extended metaphorically in verb sense of narrowly categorizing or deferring.
[edit] Pronunciation
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Audio (US) (file)
[edit] Noun
pigeonhole (plural pigeonholes)
- A nook in a desk for holding papers.
- One of an array of compartments for sorting post, messages etc. at an office, or college (for example).
- Fred was disappointed at the lack of post in his pigeonhole.
- A hole, or roosting place for pigeons.
[edit] Translations
one of an array of compartments
roosting place for pigeons
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[edit] Verb
pigeonhole (third-person singular simple present pigeonholes, present participle pigeonholing, simple past and past participle pigeonholed)
- To categorize; especially to limit or be limited to a particular category, role, etc.
- Fred was tired of being pigeonholed as a computer geek.
- 1902, Jack London, A Daughter of the Snows
- He prided himself on his largeness when he granted that there were three kinds of women... Not that he pigeon-holed Frona according to his inherited definitions.
- To put aside, to not act on (proposals, suggestions, advice).
[edit] Synonyms
[edit] Translations
to categorize; especially to limit or be limited to a particular category, role, etc
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