Shoehorn

Pronunciation

• UK IPA: /ˈʃuːˌhɔː(ɹ)n/
• US IPA: /ˈʃuːˌhɔɹn/

Origin

shoe + horn

Full definition of shoehorn

Noun

1. A tool used to assist putting the foot into a shoe by sliding the heel in.
2. (derogatory) Anything by which a transaction is facilitated; a medium.
3. (obsolete) Anything which draws on or allures; an inducement.

Verb

1. (literally) To use a shoehorn.
2. (transitive) To force (something) into (a tight space); to squeeze (something) into (a schedule, etc); to exert great effort to insert or include (something).I shoehorned his dozen burgeoning bags into the backseat of my tiny car, and off we went.His staff want to shoehorn an extra stop into his already packed campaigning schedule.
• 2012, The Economist, Oct 13th 2012 issue, Italian politics: Who will be Italy’s next prime minister?A member of Mr Monti’s government admitted that, barring a hung parliament, it was impossible for the moment to see how Mr Monti could be shoehorned into politics after next spring.