box in

box in (third-person singular simple present boxes in, present participle boxing in, simple past and past participle boxed in)

1. (transitive) To enclose by drawing a box around.
   • 1941 May, Voyageur, “The Clogher Valley Railway”, in Railway Magazine, page 195:

     For running along the public roads the wheels and motion are completely boxed in; [...].

2. (transitive) To trap or immobilize something, usually a vehicle, by placing obstacles, usually other vehicles, around it to obstruct its free movement.
   • 2018 October 17, Drachinifel, 24:24 from the start, in Last Ride of the High Seas Fleet - Battle of Texel 1918‎, archived from the original on 4 August 2022:

     Realizing he is now boxed in on all sides, Hipper decides the only remaining card he has to play is to sell his ships as dearly as possible. The remaining German ships make a hard turn southeast, and drive headlong at the Grand Fleet. It is a brave gesture, but only eight of the ships emerge from the pall of smoke that roughly marks the original German line of advance. Two more emerge minutes later, but that is all.

3. (transitive, figuratively) To limit someone's freedom of thought, movement, expression, etc.

• in-box, inbox