Noah Webster’s 1828 Dictionary

CORE — CORPULENT

CORE, n. [L., the heart. Gr. See Class Gr.]

1. The heart or inner part of a thing; particularly, the central part of fruit, containing the kernels or seeds; as the core of an apple or quince. It was formerly applied to place; as, in the core of a square.

2. The inner part of an ulcer or boil.

3. A body. [Not used.]

4. A disorder of sheep, occasioned by worms in the liver.

CORED, a. In the herring fishery, rolled in salt and prepared for drying.

CO-REGENT, n. A joint regent or ruler.

CORIACEOUS, a. [L., leather.]

1. Consisting of leather, or resembling leather; tough; as coriaceous concretions.

2. In botany, stiff, like leather or parchment; applied to a leaf, a calyx or capsule.

CORIANDER, n. [L., Gr.] A genus of plants of two species. The seeds of one species, the sativum, have a strong smell, and in medicine are considered as stomachic and carminative.

CORINDON, n. [See Corundum.]

CORINTH, n.

1. A city of Greece. Hence,

2. A small fruit, now called currant, which see.

CORINTHIAC, a. Pertaining to Corinth.

CORINTHIAN, a. Pertaining to Corinth, a celebrated city of Greece; as Corinthian column; Corinthian order; Corinthian brass. The Corinthian order, in architecture, is the most delicate of all the orders, and enriched with a profusion of ornaments. The capital is usually adorned with olive leaves or acanthus.

CO-RIVAL, n. [con and rival; written improperly corrival.] A rival, or fellow rival; a competitor.

CORIVAL, v.t. To rival; to pretend to equal.

CORK, n. [G., L., bark, rind, shell, crust.]

1. A glandiferous tree, a species of Quercus, growing in Spain and Portugal, having a thick, rough, fungous, cleft bark.

2. The outer bark of the tree, or epidermis, of which stopples for bottles and casks are made. This outer bark is taken off, and a new epidermis is formed, which, in six or seven years, becomes fit for use. This bark is also burnt to make a kind of light black, called Spanish black.

3. A stopple for a bottle or cask, cut out of cork.

CORK, v.t. To stop bottles or casks with corks; to confine or make fast with a cork.

CORKING-PIN, n. A pin of a large size.

CORK-SCREW, n. A screw to draw corks from bottles.

CORKY, a. Consisting of cork; resembling cork; made of cork; tough.

CORMORANT, n. [Cormorant is supposed to be corrupted from corvus marinus, sea raven. The Welsh also call the fowl morvran, sea crow.]

1. The water raven, a large fowl of the pelican kind; the head and neck are black; the coverts of the wings, the scapulars and the back are of a deep green, edged with black and glossed with blue. The base of the lower mandible is covered with a naked yellow skin, which extends under the chin and forms a sort of pouch. This fowl occupies the cliffs by the sea, feeds on fish, and is extremely voracious.

2. A glutton.

CORN, n. [G., L. See Grain.]

1. A single seed of certain plants, as wheat, rye, barley and maiz; a grain. In this sense, it has a plural; as, three barley corns make an inch. It is generally applied to edible seeds, which, when ripe, are hard.

2. The seeds of certain plants in general, in bulk or quantity; as, corn is dear or scarce. In this sense, the word comprehends all the kinds of grain which constitute the food of men and horses. In Great Britain, corn is generally applied to wheat, rye, oats and barley. In the United States, it has the same general sense, but by custom, it is appropriated to maiz. We are accustomed to say, the crop of wheat is good, but the corn is bad; it is a good year for wheat and rye, but bad for corn. In this sense, corn has no plural.

3. The plants which produce corn, when growing in the field; the stalks and ears, or the stalks, ears and seeds, after reaping and before thrashing. We say, a field of corn, a sheaf or a shock of corn, a load of corn. The plants or stalks are included in the terms corn, until the seed is separated from the ears.

4. In surgery, a hard excrescence, or induration of the skin, on the toes or some part of the feet, occasioned by the pressure of the shoes; so called from its hardness and resemblance to a corn.

5. A small hard particle. [See Grain.]

CORN, v.t.

1. To preserve and season with salt in grains; to sprinkle with salt; as, to corn beef.

2. To granulate; to form into small grains.

CORNBIND, n. Climbing buck-wheat. [Local.]

CORNBLADE, n. The leaf of the maiz. Cornblades are collected and preserved as fodder, in some of the southern states of America.

CORN-CHANDLER, n. [Chandler, a dealer in candles, is supposed to be from the French chandelier; but what has this word to do with corn and ship, in corn-chandler and ship-chandler? In these words, chandler seems to be a corruption of the Teutonic handler, a trader.] A dealer in corn.

CORNCLAD, a. Covered with growing corn.

CORN-CRAKE, n. The crake or land rail; the corn-crow, for kraka, in Sw., and krage, in Dan., is our word crow, and the name is probably taken from its cry. The Dutch kraai, a crow, is contracted from kraag, and kraaijen is to crow, to vaunt, to tell tales.

CORN-CUTTER, n. [corn and cut.] One who cuts corns, or indurations of the skin.

CORNFIELD, n. A field where corn is growing.

CORNFLAG, n. A genus of plants, the Gladiolus, of several species, bearing red or white flowers.

CORNFLOOR, n. A floor for corn, or for thrashing corn. Isaiah 21:10; Hosea 9:1.

CORNFLOWER, n. A flower or plant growing among corn; as the blue-bottle, wild poppy, etc.

CORNHEAP, n. A heap of corn.

CORNLAND, n. Land appropriated or suitable to the production of corn, or grain.

CORNLOFT, n. An apartment for corn; a granary.

CORN-MARYGOLD, n. A genus of plants, the Chrysanthemum.

CORNMASTER, n. One who cultivates corn for sale. [Not used.]

CORNMETER, n. One who measures corn.

CORNMILL, n. A mill for grinding corn, more generally called a grist-mill.

CORN-PARSLEY, n. A genus of plants, the Sison.

CORNPIPE, n. A pipe made by slitting the joint of a green stalk of corn.

CORN-ROCKET, n. A genus of plants, the Bunias.

CORNROSE, n. A species of poppy, or Papaver.

CORN-SALLAD, n. A plant, a species of valeriana, whose top leaves are said to be a good sallad.

CORNSTALK, n. A stalk of corn, particularly a stalk of the maiz.

CORN-VIOLET, n. A species of Campanula.

CORNAGE, n. [L., a horn.] An ancient tenure of lands, which obliged the tenant to give notice of an invasion by blowing a horn.

CORNEA, n. [L., a horn.] The transparent membrane in the fore-part of the eye, through which the rays of light pass; situated in the sclerotica, and considered by some as a portion of it.

CORNEL, CORNEL-TREE, CORNELIAN-TREE, n. [L., a horn, or its root, from the hardness of the wood.] The cornelian cherry or dog-wood, a genus of plants of several species. The mascula, or cornelian cherry tree, has a stem of twenty feet high, branching and forming a large head, garnished with oblong leaves and small umbels of yellowish-green flowers, succeeded by small, red, acid, eatable, cherry-like fruit. [See Carnelian.]

CORNELIAN, CORNEMUSE, CORNAMUTE, n. A kind of rustic flute.

CORNEOUS, a. [L., a horn. See Horn.] Horny; like horn; consisting of a horny substance, or substance resembling horn; hard.

CORNER, n. [See Horn and Grain.]

1. The point where two converging lines meet; properly, the external point; an angle; as, we meet at the corner of the state-house, or at the corner of two streets.

2. The interior point where two lines meet; an angle.

3. The space between two converging lines or walls which meet in a point. Hence,

4. An inclosed place; a secret or retired place.

This thing was not done in a corner. Acts 26:26.

5. Indefinitely any part; a part. They searched every corner of the forest. They explored all corners of the country.

6. The end, extremity or limit; as the corners of the head or beard. Leviticus 21:5 and Leviticus 19:29.

Corner-teeth of a horse, the foreteeth between the middling teeth and the tushes, two above and two below, on each side of the jaw, which shoot when the horse is four years and a half old.

CORNERED, a. Having corners; having three or more angles.

CORNER-STONE, n. The stone which lies at the corner of two walls, and unites them; the principal stone, and especially the stone which forms the corner of the foundation of an edifice.

Who laid the corner-stone thereof? Job 38:6.

Christ himself being the chief corner-stone. Ephesians 2:20.

CORNER-WISE, adv. Diagonally; with the corner in front; not parallel.

CORNET, n. [L., a horn. See Horn.]

1. An instrument of music, in the nature of a trumpet, sounded by blowing with the mouth. It was of a winding shape like a horn; used in armies and on occasions of joy.

David played before the Lord on cornets. 2 Samuel 6:5.

2. In modern usage, an officer of cavalry, who bears the ensign or colors of a troop. He is the third officer in the company.

3. A company of cavalry; a troop of horse. [Not used.]

4. The cornet of a horse [coronet] is the lowest part of his pastern, that runs round the coffin and is distinguished by the hair that joins and covers the upper part of the hoof.

5. A little cap of paper in which retailers inclose small wares.

6. A scarf anciently worn by doctors.

7. A head dress.

CORNETCY, n. The commission or rank of a cornet.

CORNETTER, CORNETER, CORNICE, n. One who blows a cornet.

1. In architecture, the uppermost member of the entablature of a column, or the highest projecture; that which crowns and order.

2. A little projecture in joinery or masonry; as the cornice of a chimney.

Cornice-ring of a cannon, is the ring next from the muzzle-ring backward.

CORNICLE, n. [L., a horn.] A little horn.

CORNICULATE, a. [from L., a horn.]

1. Horned; having horns.

2. In botany, producing horned pods; bearing a little spur or horn.

CORNIGEROUS, a. [L., a horn, to bear.] Horned; having horns; as cornigerous animals.

CORNING-HOUSE, n. A house or place where powder is granulated.

CORNISH, a. Pertaining to Cornwall in England; and as a noun, the language of Cornwall.

CORNIST, n. A performer on the cornet or horn.

CORNLESS, a. Destitute of corn; as cornless dwelling places.

CORNUCOPIA, n. [L., a horn, and plenty.]

1. The horn of plenty, an emblem of abundance of fruits.

2. In architecture and sculpture, the figure of a horn, from which fruits and flowers are represented as proceeding.

CORNUTE, v.t. [L., a horn.] To bestow horns; to cuckold.

CORNUTED, pp. or a.

1. Grafted with horns; horned; cuckolded.

2. In botany, horn-shaped.

CORNUTO, n. A man that wears the horns; a cuckold.

CORNUTOR, n. A cuckold-maker.

CORNY, a. [L., a horn.] Horny; strong, stiff or hard like horn; resembling horn.

CORNY, a. [from corn.] Producing corn; containing corn.

CORODY, CORRODY, n. An allowance of meat, drink or clothing, due to the king from an abbey or other religious house, for the sustenance of such one of his servants, as he thinks good to bestow on it. An allowance for the maintenance of any of the kings servants living in an abbey.

Corodies are a right of sustenance, or to receive certain allotments of victuals and provision for ones maintenance. In lieu of which, a pension or sum of money is sometimes substituted.

The king is entitled to a corody out of every bishopric, that is, to send one of his chaplains to be maintained by the bishop, or to have a pension allowed, till the bishop promotes him to a benefice. [This has fallen into disuse.] According to the Italian, the latter word is the correct orthography.

COROL, COROLLA, n. [L., a little crown.] In botany, the inner covering of a flower. The corol surrounds the parts of fructification, and is composed of one or more flower leaves, called petals. It is distinguished from the perianth, by the fineness of its texture and the gayness of its colors; but there are many exceptions. It is sometimes inaccurately called blossom and flower.

COROLLACEOUS, a. Pertaining to a corol; inclosing and protecting like a wreath.

A corrollaceous covering.

COROLLARY, n. [L., coronet, a crown.]

1. A conclusion or consequence drawn from premises, or from what is advanced or demonstrated. If it is demonstrated that a triangle which has equal sides, has also equal angles, it follows as a corollary that a triangle which has three equal sides, has its three angles equal.

A corollary is an inference from a preceding proposition.

2. A surplus.

COROLLET, COROLLULE, n. One of the partial flowers which make a compound one; the floret in an aggregate flower.

CORONA, n. [L., A crown.]

1. In architecture, a large flat member of a cornice, crowning the entablature, and the whole order; called by workmen the drip.

2. In anatomy, the upper surface of the molar teeth or grinders.

3. In botany, the circumference or margin of a radiated compound flower. Also, the appendage to the top of seeds, which enables them to disperse.

4. In optics, a halo or luminous circle around the sun, moon or stars.

CORONAL, a. Belonging to the crown or top of the head; as the coronal suture.

CORONAL, n.

1. A crown; wreath; garland.

2. The first suture of the skull.

CORONARY, a. Relating to a crown; seated on the top of the head; or placed as a crown.

Coronary vessels, in anatomy, certain vessels which furnish the substance of the heart with blood.

Coronary arteries, two arteries which spring from the aorta, before it leaves the pericardium, and supply the substance of the heart with blood.

Coronary vein, a vein diffused over the exterior surface of the heart, receiving the blood from the heart.

Stomachic coronary, a vein inserted into the trunk of the splenic vein, which, by uniting with the mesenteric, forms the vena porta.

CORONATION, n. [a crown.]

1. The act or solemnity of crowning a king or emperor; the act of investing a prince with the insignia of royalty, on his succeeding to the sovereignty.

2. The pomp or assembly attending a coronation.

Coronation-oath, the oath taken by a king at his coronation.

CORONEL, n. The officer who commands a regiment.

CORONER, n. [Law Lat., a crown.] An officer whose office is concerned principally with pleas of the crown. One chief part of his duty is, when a person is slain or dies suddenly or in prison, to inquire into the manner of his death. This must be done by a jury, on sight of the body, and at the place where the death happened. In England, the coroner is to inquire also concerning shipwrecks, and certify whether wrecks or not, and who is in possession of the goods; also concerning treasure-trove. As a ministerial officer, the coroner is the sheriffs substitute; and when an exception can be taken to the sheriff, for suspicion of partiality, process is awarded to the coroner.

In some of the States, in America, there is a coroner, but his principal or only duty is to inquire into the causes of untimely death. In Connecticut there is no such officer, the duty being performed by a constable or justice of the peace.

CORONET, n. [from corona, a crown.]

1. An inferior crown worn by noblemen. The coronet of a duke is adorned with strawberry leaves; that of a marquis has leaves with pearls interposed; that of an earl raises the pearls above the leaves; that of a viscount is surrounded with pearls only; that of a baron has only four pearls.

2. In poetical language, an ornamental head dress.

Coronet of a horse. [See Cornet.]

CORONIFORM, a. [L., a crown, form.] Having the form of a crown.

CORONOID, a. [Gr., a crow, and form.] Noting the upper and anterior process of the end of the lower jaw, called the coronoid process.

CORONULE, n. [from corona, a crown.] A coronet or little crown of a seed; the downy tuft on seeds.

CORPORAL, n. [L., head.]

1. The lowest officer of a company of infantry, next below a sergeant. He has charge over one of the divisions, places and relieves sentinels, etc.

2. The corporal of a ship of war, is an officer under the master at arms, employed to teach the sailors the use of small arms; to attend at the gangways or entering ports, and see that no spirituous liquors are brought, except by permission; to extinguish fire and candles, etc.

CORPORAL, a. [L., body.]

1. Belonging or relating to the body; as corporal pain, opposed to mental.

2. Material; not spiritual. [See Corporeal.]

CORPORAL, CORPORALE, n. A fine linen cloth, used to cover the sacred elements in the eucharist or in which the sacrament is put.

Corporal oath, a solemn oath, so called from the ancient usage of touching the corporale, or cloth that covered the consecrated elements.

CORPORALITY, n. The state of being a body or embodied; opposed to spirituality.

If this light hath any corporality, it is most subtile and pure.

CORPORALLY, adv. Bodily; in or with the body; as, to be corporally present.

CORPORALSHIP, n. [from corporal.] A corporals command in a Russian company, or a division of twenty-three men.

Each squadron consists of two companies, and each of these, of three corporalships or sixty nine men who come in the front.

CORPORAS, n. The old name of the corporal or communion cloth.

CORPORATE, a. [L., to be shaped into a body, body.]

1. United in a body, or community, as a number of individuals, who are empowered to transact business as an individual; formed into a body; as a corporate assembly, or society; a corporate town.

2. United; general; collectively one.

They answer in a corporate voice.

CORPORATENESS, n. The state of a corporate body.

CORPORATION, n. A body politic or corporate, formed and authorized by law to act as a single person; a society having the capacity of transacting business as an individual. Corporations are aggregate or sole. Corporations aggregate consist of two or more persons united in a society, which is preserved by a succession of members, either forever, or till the corporation is dissolved by the power that formed it, by the death of all its members, by surrender of its charter or franchises, or by forfeiture. Such corporations are the mayor and aldermen of cities, the head and fellows of a college, the dean and chapter of a cathedral church, the stockholders of a bank or insurance company, etc. A corporation sole consists of one person only and his successors, as a king or a bishop.

CORPORATOR, n. The member of a corporation.

CORPORATURE, n. The state of being embodied. [Not in use.]

CORPOREAL, CORPOREOUS, a. Having a body; consisting of a material body; material; opposed to spiritual or immaterial; as our corporeal frame; corporeal substance.

CORPOREALIST, n. One who denies the existence of spiritual substances.

CORPOREALLY, adv. In body; in a bodily form or manner.

CORPOREITY, n. The state of having a body, or of being embodied; materiality.

The one attributed corporeity to God.

CORPORIFY, v.t. To embody; to form into a body.

CORPOSANT, n. A name given by seamen to a luminous appearance often beheld, in dark tempestuous nights, about the decks and rigging of a ship, but particularly at the mastheads and yard-arms, supposed to be electrical.

CORPS, n. [L., body. It is pronounced kore, and is an ill word in English.]

1. In military language, a body of troops; any division of an army; as a corps de reserve.

2. A body, in contempt, as used by Milton and Dryden, but probably pronounced in the English manner, as corpse.

3. A carcase; a dead body. [See Corpse.]

4. In architecture, any part that projects beyond a wall, serving as the ground of some decoration.

CORPSE, n. [L., a body.] The dead body of a human being.

CORPULENCE, CORPULENCY, n. [L., body.]

1. Fleshiness; excessive fatness; a state of being loaded with flesh; as the body of a human being.

2. Spissitude; grossness of matter; as corpulence of water. [Little used.]

CORPULENT, a. Fleshy; having a great or excessive quantity of fat or flesh, in proportion to the frame of the body; as a corpulent child.

Corpus Christi. [Body of Christ.] A festival of the church of England, kept on the next Thursday after Trinity-Sunday, in honor of the Eucharist.