Learn English – Origin of “in your corner”

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I just wrote an email to a new friend and colleague from Rwanda, whom I am helping to find work in translation and interpreting. And I signed my email, “In your corner,” only later realizing she might not know what that means. Her English is impeccable, as far as I can tell so far, but it is from a wholly different geographical and historical reality, across the globe.

I know it’s a boxing term, meaning, “I’ll be your second (or cornerman)”:

“In combat sports, a cornerman, or second, is a coach or trainer assisting a fighter during a bout. The cornerman is forbidden to instruct and must remain outside the combat area during the round. In the break, they are permitted to enter the ring and minister to their fighter.” Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cornerman

That got me wondering if “I’m in your corner” (and all the variations thereof) has its origin in American boxing, or if it came to the new world from England.

And that got me wondering about the origins of boxing, which surprised me: “The earliest evidence of boxing dates back to Egypt around 3000 BC.” Source: https://www.olympic.org/boxing-equipment-and-history

But none of my searches turned up anything about who coined the phrase, when, or where.

Does anyone have any leads?

Best Answer

All available sources suggest its origin is from boxing and refers to a ring corner where assistants support boxers during breaks between rounds:

Have someone in one's corner:

Fig. to have someone supporting one's position or goals. (Originally from boxing.)

  • As long as I have Mr. Howe in my corner, I feel confident about what I have to say.

(McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.)

have someone in your corner

Boxing: To have the support or help of someone. A boxer's ringside support staff – second, cut man, etc. – are in his corner, and assist him between rounds.

If someone is in your corner, they are supporting you and helping you. It's good to know that whatever happens, he'll support me and be in my corner.

  • Note: You can also say that you have someone in your corner. From words spoken after our meeting, we felt we already had Bob Uhlein in our corner.

Note: In a boxing match, each boxer is given a corner of the ring. Trainers and helpers come into a boxer's corner between rounds and give help and encouragement.

(Wikipedia)

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