1
general::
Phrase(s): box someone or something in
to trap or confine someone or something. • He boxed her in so she could not get away from him. • They tried to box in the animals, but they needed more space. • Don’t try to box me in., Phrase(s): box someone in
Fig. to put someone into a bind; to reduce the number of someone’s alternatives. (See also the following entry.) • I don’t want to box you in, but you are running out of options. • I want to box in the whole staff, so they’ll have to do it my way.
McGrawhill's American Idioms And Phrasal Verbs