Caged

/keɪdʒd/ adjective

Definition

kept or confined in a cage, or feeling trapped or restricted.

Etymology

From Old French 'cage,' from Latin 'cavea' (cage, hollow place, cavity). The verb 'to cage' followed, with past tense 'caged' carrying both literal and metaphorical meanings of imprisonment.

Kelly Says

The metaphor of 'feeling caged' is so powerful that it changed how modern architects and therapists design spaces—studies show people literally feel anxiety in windowless rooms because the metaphor isn't just poetic, it's biological.

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