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pigeonhole Definition

pigeon·hole (pijən hōl′)

noun

  1. a small recess or hole for pigeons to nest in, usually in a compartmented structure
  2. a small open compartment, as in a desk, for filing papers

transitive verb -·holed′, -·hol′·ing

  1. to put in the pigeonhole of a desk, etc.
  2. to put aside indefinitely, as if intending to ignore or forget; shelve
  3. to assign to a category or categories; classify

pigeonhole Synonyms

pigeonhole

n.

pigeonhole Synonyms

pigeonhole

v.

pigeonhole Usage Examples

Object

  • people: Our society seems to want to pigeonhole people, with its progress toward a world culture.
  • band: Kai: There seems to be a real feeling to pigeonhole bands.

Converse of object

  • specify: Put the result in the pigeonhole specified by the first operand.
  • have: The head gardener also has a pigeonhole with the porters.
  • give: Take the bit of paper and put in the pigeonhole given in the next line of code.
  • avoid: Trying to avoid pigeonholes and keep up some kind of coherent flow from tune to tune.
  • contain: The Porters ' Lodge is to the right inside of the main entrance; it also contains the pigeonholes.
  • check: Bumped into flat neighbor called Margery whilst checking the post pigeonhole.

Preposition: into

  • category: Many found it reprehensible that people on TV should be pigeonholed into ethnic categories.

Adjective modifier

  • departmental: Information will also be passed to you during the year through your departmental pigeonholes or through your supervisor ( Modern History students only ).
  • convenient: Well, against being bundled into that convenient pigeonhole at least.
  • existing: The existing legal pigeonholes make us insensitive to the many varieties of organized crime, criminal organizations, and networks of criminal cliques.

Modifies a noun

  • principle: The weak pigeonhole principle is related to approximate counting whose exact complexity is unknown.

Modifying Another Word

  • easily: This film is not so easily pigeonholed, nor is its protagonist.
  • n't: The movie proves again that you ca n't pigeonhole Spielberg into one genre or even one type of movie.
  • neatly: Their diversity demonstrates that blind and partially sighted people cannot be neatly pigeonholed.
  • often: It will improve the situation whereby people's problems are often pigeonholed into one category, such as race, gender or disability.

Noun used with modifier

  • staff: Staff pigeonholes ( in the form of white lockers ) are located on the second floor almost opposite room 222.

Preposition: in

  • mailroom: The pigeonholes in the mailroom are under the surveillance of the Porters.

Preposition: for

  • mail: Pigeonholes for postgraduate mail are situated in the Departmental Office.

Browse dictionary entries near pigeonhole

  1. pigeon-toed
  2. pigeon pea
  3. pigeon-livered
  4. pigeon-hearted
  5. pigeon hawk
  6. pigeon drop
  7. pigeon breast
  8. pigeon
  9. pigboat
  10. pig Latin
  1. pigeonwing
  2. pigfish
  3. piggery
  4. piggin
  5. piggish
  6. piggy
  7. piggy bank
  8. piggyback
  9. piggybacking
  10. pigheaded