cordon — a line or circle of police, soldiers, or guards preventing access to or from an area
Part of speech: NOUN
Definition: a line or circle of police, soldiers, or guards preventing access to or from an area
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈkɔːrdən/
Example Sentences
- The celebrity's bodyguards formed a human cordon to protect her from overzealous fans.
- My mom cordoned off the kitchen after I accidentally exploded the microwave making popcorn.
- The health authorities quickly cordoned off the contaminated water source.
cordon
NOUN[/ˈkɔːrdən/]
a line or circle of police, soldiers, or guards preventing access to or from an area
Police set up a cordon around the crime scene to keep onlookers away.
Warden Gordon sets up the cordon!
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
From French, ultimately derived from Latin chorda meaning 'string' or 'rope'. The word originally meant 'small cord or rope', and developed the sense of 'line of soldiers' or 'blockade' from the military practice of soldiers standing in a line to prevent passage, particularly in castle fortifications.
Breakdown
cord (rope, string) + -on (diminutive suffix indicating something small). The diminutive suffix -on transforms the base word into a term for a thin, small cord or rope.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“The celebrity's bodyguards formed a human cordon to protect her from overzealous fans.”
“My mom cordoned off the kitchen after I accidentally exploded the microwave making popcorn.”
“The health authorities quickly cordoned off the contaminated water source.”
“He proudly wore the red cordon that marked his achievement as a master chef.”
📚Related Words
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