Etymology tree
Proto-Indo-European *(s)ker-
Proto-Indo-European *(s)kert-
Proto-Indo-European *(s)kort-ek-sder.
Latin cortexder.?
▲
Latin cortexder.
Mozarabic *kórčo, *kórčeder.?
Spanish corchobor.
Middle Dutch curcder.
Middle English cork
English cork
From Middle English cork (“oak bark, cork”), from Middle Dutch curc (“cork (material or object)”), either from Spanish corcho (“cork (material or object)”) (also corcha or corche) or from Old Spanish alcorque (“cork sole”). Doublet of cortex.
Meanings
(uncountable) The dead protective tissue between the bark and cambium in woody plants, with suberin deposits making it impervious to gasses and water.
(countable, uncountable) The dead protective tissue between the bark and cambium in woody plants, with suberin deposits making it impervious to gasses and water. ▸ The phellem of the cork oak, used for making bottle stoppers, flotation devices, and insulation material.
I confess my confidence was shaken by these actions, though I knew well enough that his leg was no more cork than my own 1908, Edwin George Pinkham, Fate's a fiddler, page 108:
Because cork is porous, it expands and contracts with changes in humidity. 1980, Robert M. Jones, editor, Walls and Ceilings, Time-Life Books, →ISBN, page 48:
(countable, uncountable) A bottle stopper made from this or any other material.
Snobs feel it's hard to call it wine with a straight face when the cork is made of plastic.
(countable, uncountable) An angling float, also traditionally made of oak cork.
(countable, uncountable) The cork oak, Quercus suber.
pt cortiça (phellem of the cork oak) · id gabus (bottle stopper) · uk чіп (bottle stopper) · as কাগ (phellem of the cork oak) · eu kortxoa (bottle stopper) · ru про́бка (phellem of the cork oak) · ar فَدَام (bottle stopper) · cmn 瓶塞 (bottle stopper) · br lech (bottle stopper) · fy koark (bottle stopper) · grc βύσμα (bottle stopper) · ja コルク (phellem of the cork oak) · be заты́чка (bottle stopper) · sl plutovina (phellem of the cork oak) · tr şişe mantarı (bottle stopper) · hy խցան (bottle stopper) · vec sur (phellem of the cork oak) · cmn 軟木塞 /软木塞 (bottle stopper) · tr mantar (bottle stopper) · sq tapë (bottle stopper) · de Stöpsel (bottle stopper) · sv kork (bottle stopper) · bg про́бка (bottle stopper) · hu dugó (bottle stopper) · es corcho (bottle stopper) · kmr tepedorî (bottle stopper) · hi ढक्कन (bottle stopper) · be плаво́к (angling float) · ar فِلِّين (phellem of the cork oak) · de Korken (bottle stopper) · hu parafa (phellem of the cork oak) · pam talaran (phellem of the cork oak) · ota مانطار (bottle stopper) · vi nút (bottle stopper) · ja コルク栓 (bottle stopper) · tet sulan (bottle stopper) · ky пробка (bottle stopper) · nl stop (bottle stopper) · lt kamštis (phellem of the cork oak) · da korkprop (bottle stopper) · fr bouchon (bottle stopper) · sl zamašek (bottle stopper) · sh plȕto (phellem of the cork oak) · nb kork (phellem of the cork oak) · ca suro (bottle stopper) · ka საცობი (bottle stopper) · cs korek (phellem of the cork oak) · uz probka (bottle stopper) · ms gabus (phellem of the cork oak) · fi korkki (angling float) · tl tapón (bottle stopper) · fi korkki (bottle stopper) · gd àrcan (bottle stopper) · ota مانطار (phellem of the cork oak) · pl korek (bottle stopper) · fr liège (phellem of the cork oak) · nl kurk (bottle stopper) · lv korķis (phellem of the cork oak) · et kork (bottle stopper) · km ឆ្នុក (bottle stopper) · ms gabus (bottle stopper) · nl kurkschors (phellem of the cork oak) · lt kamštis (bottle stopper) · fo proppur (bottle stopper) · bg запуша́лка (bottle stopper) · bg чеп (bottle stopper) · scn sùvuru (phellem of the cork oak) · ro dop (bottle stopper) · sk korok (phellem of the cork oak) · fa-ira چوبپَنْبِه (phellem of the cork oak) · fr bouchon (angling float) · cmn 軟木 /软木 (phellem of the cork oak) · fur sûr (phellem of the cork oak) · be паплаво́к (angling float) · ext corcha (bottle stopper) · eo korko (bottle stopper) · sh плу̏та (phellem of the cork oak) · az mantar (phellem of the cork oak) · ext corcho (bottle stopper) · ms penyumbat botol (bottle stopper) · uk поплаво́к (angling float) · ru про́бка (bottle stopper) · mk тапа (bottle stopper) · sh запу̀ша̄ч (bottle stopper) · uk за́тичка (bottle stopper) · sk špunt (bottle stopper) · ky тыгын (bottle stopper) · ga corc (bottle stopper) · kmr tepedor (bottle stopper) · fr liège ((botany) tissue that grows from the cork cambium) · de Kork (bottle stopper) · mk плута (phellem of the cork oak) · cmn 塞 (bottle stopper) · lv aizbāznis (bottle stopper) · vec sóaro (phellem of the cork oak) · scn sùvaru (phellem of the cork oak) · ar فِلِّينَة (bottle stopper) · kw spong (bottle stopper) · et kork (phellem of the cork oak) · bn কর্ক (bottle stopper) · ky пробка (phellem of the cork oak) · lo ກອກ (bottle stopper) · he שַׁעַם (phellem of the cork oak) · fi korkki (phellem of the cork oak) · bg плу́вка (angling float) · ug پۇرۇپكا (bottle stopper) · th ก๊อก (bottle stopper) · sh pàmpūr (bottle stopper) · sw kizibo (bottle stopper) · ota قپاق (bottle stopper) · la textus integumentarius secundus ((botany) tissue that grows from the cork cambium) · my ဘူးဆို့ (bottle stopper) · sh zapùšāč (bottle stopper) · bg плу́та (phellem of the cork oak) · gl rolla (bottle stopper) · mk плута ((botany) tissue that grows from the cork cambium) · fo tundur (phellem of the cork oak) · fo flot (angling float) · fy koark (phellem of the cork oak) · la sūber (phellem of the cork oak) · de Kork (phellem of the cork oak) · ko 코르크 (phellem of the cork oak) · grc ἴβδης (bottle stopper) · uz poʻkak (phellem of the cork oak) · ro plută (phellem of the cork oak) · grc φελλός (angling float) · ar فِدَام (bottle stopper) · sh плу̏то (phellem of the cork oak) · ko 마개 (bottle stopper) · nl kurk (phellem of the cork oak) · es corcho (phellem of the cork oak) · ca tap (bottle stopper) · ru заты́чка (bottle stopper) · pl korek (phellem of the cork oak) · uz tiqin (bottle stopper) · sh че̏п (bottle stopper) · vo koegabuon (bottle stopper) · sl pluta (phellem of the cork oak) · nl dobber (angling float) · nrf bouochon (bottle stopper) · so guf (bottle stopper) · lij tappo de natta (bottle stopper) · bg корк (bottle stopper) · uk ко́рок (bottle stopper) · as সোপা (phellem of the cork oak) · oc suve (phellem of the cork oak) · sh пло́вак (angling float) · ro suber ((botany) tissue that grows from the cork cambium) · cmn 椊 (bottle stopper) · nl stopsel (bottle stopper) · pam tapún (bottle stopper) · vo koeg (phellem of the cork oak) · yue 軟木塞 /软木塞 (bottle stopper) · vec suro (phellem of the cork oak) · lv korķis (bottle stopper) · ja ストッパー (bottle stopper) · sh čȅp (bottle stopper) · cmn 塞子 (bottle stopper) · ca suro (phellem of the cork oak) · nb dupp (angling float) · ko 스토퍼 (bottle stopper) · fi koho (angling float) · lo ດອນແກ້ວ (bottle stopper) · izh tulppa (bottle stopper) · el φελλός (bottle stopper) · tr mantar (phellem of the cork oak) · da kork (phellem of the cork oak) · be ко́рак (bottle stopper) · ko 코르크 (bottle stopper) · eu zipotza (bottle stopper) · sh plóvak (angling float) · be ко́рак (phellem of the cork oak) · be про́бка (bottle stopper) · sk zátka (bottle stopper) · fr phellème ((botany) tissue that grows from the cork cambium) · tg пӯк (bottle stopper) · tr tapa (bottle stopper) · bn কাজ (bottle stopper) · nb kork (bottle stopper) · sk korok (bottle stopper) · uz probka (phellem of the cork oak) · he שַׁעַם (bottle stopper) · gl cortiza (phellem of the cork oak) · it turacciolo (bottle stopper) · da prop (bottle stopper) · fr suber ((botany) tissue that grows from the cork cambium) · izh probka (bottle stopper) · mk чеп (bottle stopper) · vec sóvaro (phellem of the cork oak) · yue 瓶塞 (bottle stopper) · nrf bouochon d'liège (bottle stopper) · kk тығын (bottle stopper) · uk поплаве́ць (angling float) · grc φελλός (phellem of the cork oak) · bg корк (phellem of the cork oak) · cs zátka (bottle stopper) · uk ко́рок (phellem of the cork oak) · ro plută (angling float) · mk затка (bottle stopper) · cs špunt (bottle stopper) · sh plȕta (phellem of the cork oak) · it sughero (phellem of the cork oak) · ig okwu (bottle stopper) · nn kork (phellem of the cork oak) · as ঠিলা (phellem of the cork oak) · fa-ira چوبپَنْبِه (bottle stopper) · sh па̀мпӯр (bottle stopper) · el φελλός (phellem of the cork oak) · eu artelazki (phellem of the cork oak) · nn kork (bottle stopper) · pdt Korkj (phellem of the cork oak) · uk ґалаґа́н (angling float) · sv kork (phellem of the cork oak) · is korkur (phellem of the cork oak) · kk тоз (phellem of the cork oak) · bg та́па (bottle stopper) · ddg sulina (bottle stopper) · oc tap (bottle stopper) · ne बिर्को (bottle stopper) · pt rolha (bottle stopper) · ru поплаво́к (angling float) · io korko (bottle stopper) · he פְּקָק (bottle stopper) · es falsete (bottle stopper) · oc siure (phellem of the cork oak) · ur ڈاٹ (bottle stopper)
Etymology tree
Proto-Indo-European *(s)ker-
Proto-Indo-European *(s)kert-
Proto-Indo-European *(s)kort-ek-sder.
Latin cortexder.?
▲
Latin cortexder.
Mozarabic *kórčo, *kórčeder.?
Spanish corchobor.
Middle Dutch curcder.
Middle English cork
English cork
From Middle English cork (“oak bark, cork”), from Middle Dutch curc (“cork (material or object)”), either from Spanish corcho (“cork (material or object)”) (also corcha or corche) or from Old Spanish alcorque (“cork sole”). Doublet of cortex.
Meanings
(transitive) To seal or stop up, especially with a cork stopper.
2014, Paul Salopek, Blessed. Cursed. Claimed., National Geographic (December 2014)https://web.archive.org/web/20150212214621/http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2014/12/pilgrim-roads/salopek-text
Arms draped on shoulders, kick-stepping in circles, they swing bottles of wine. Purpled thumbs cork the bottles. The wine leaps and jumps behind green glass.
(transitive) To blacken (as) with a burnt cork.
To leave the cork in a bottle after attempting to uncork it.
To fill with cork.
(transitive) To fill with cork. ▸ To tamper with (a bat) by drilling out part of the head and filling the cavity with cork or similar light, compressible material.
He corked his bat, which was discovered when it broke, causing a controversy.
Apparently I used to have some good power even though I was little, but the team we were playing against thought I had corked the bat. I kid you not! They paid $200 to have the bat popped off to prove they were right. 2012, Kevin Neary, Leigh A. Tobin, Major League Dads:
(Australia, transitive) To injure through a blow; to induce a haematoma.
2010, Andrew Stojanovski, Dog Ear Cafe, large print 16pt, page 191,
Much to my relief he had only corked his leg when he had jumped.
I corked my thigh late in the game, which we won, and came off. 2010, Ben Cousins, Ben Cousins: My Life Story, page 108:
As he moved away again, William winced at an ache in his thigh.
‘Must have corked my leg when I got up,’ he thought. 2007, Shaun A. Saunders, Navigating in the New World, page 202:
“I′m okay. I must have corked my thigh when Bruce fell onto me. I′ll be fine.” 2008, Christopher J. Holcroft, Canyon, page 93:
The vicious tackle corked his leg.
Injuries, which seemed to be of an inconsequential nature, were often sustained, such as a sprained ankle, a dislocated phalanx, a twisted foot, a corked leg and so on. 2006, Joseph N. Santamaria, The Education of Dr Joe, page 60:
To position one's drift net just outside of another person's net, thereby intercepting and catching all the fish that would have gone into that person's net.
Kate remembered then, the family fish camp a mile or so up Amartuq Creek, the very creek across the mouth of which Yuri Andreev had tried to cork Joe Anahonak not half an hour before. 1998, Dana Stabenow, Killing Grounds, →ISBN, page 8:
But its soon apparent that there are more boats than fish—at least for the moment. We all drift quietly, keeping an eye out for other boats and other nets. Corking another guy's net is a screaming—bastard offense. 2003, George Lowe, Fisherman: The Strife and Times of Ronald K. Peterson of Ballard, →ISBN:
You're pissed if someone sets too close to you and especially if he sets his net right along yours, "corking" you and intercepting the fish that seem headed to your own net. I was close to this guy's outside net, but definitely not corking him. 2008, Bert Bender, Catching the Ebb: Drift-fishing for a Life in Cook Inlet, →ISBN, page 249:
(transitive) To block (a street) illegally, to allow a protest or other activity to take place without traffic.
[…] corking the streets is a challenge to capitalist ideologies, like skateboarding in parking lots and walkways […] 2022, Victoria A. Newsom, Lara Martin Lengel, Embodied Activisms, page 70:
Forms
Spelling
Features
Labels
Source
corked
Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part
lexicographic
corked
Tense=Past
lexicographic
corks
Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres
lexicographic
corking
Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part
lexicographic
Translations (15)
fi aiheuttaa mustelma (to injure through a blow) · gl zapar (to seal with a stopper, especially with cork) · da proppe (to seal with a stopper, especially with cork) · sh začepiti (to seal with a stopper, especially with cork) · vo koegabuonön (to seal with a stopper, especially with cork) · fi noeta (to blacken as with a burnt cork) · ru заткну́ть (to seal with a stopper, especially with cork) · ota مانطارلامق (to seal with a stopper, especially with cork) · gl arrollar (to seal with a stopper, especially with cork) · fi mustata (to blacken as with a burnt cork) · fi korkittaa (to seal with a stopper, especially with cork) · ru затыка́ть (to seal with a stopper, especially with cork) · fi korkittaa (to fill with cork) · pt arrolhar (to seal with a stopper, especially with cork) · fi korkata (to injure through a blow)
From the traversal path resembling that of a corkscrew.
Meanings
(not-comparable) Having the property of a head over heels rotation.
Deriveds
cork off (from cork (all etymologies and parts of speech)) · corkball (from cork (all etymologies and parts of speech)) · put a cork in it (from cork (all etymologies and parts of speech)) · corkline (from cork (all etymologies and parts of speech)) · Amur cork tree (from cork (all etymologies and parts of speech)) · corkwing (from cork (all etymologies and parts of speech)) · cork out (from cork (all etymologies and parts of speech)) · cork it (from cork (all etymologies and parts of speech)) · corkscrewing (from cork (all etymologies and parts of speech)) · corker (from cork (all etymologies and parts of speech)) · cork jacket (from cork (all etymologies and parts of speech)) · corkscrew (from cork (all etymologies and parts of speech)) · cork oak (from cork (all etymologies and parts of speech)) · corkite (from cork (all etymologies and parts of speech)) · corkscrewlike (from cork (all etymologies and parts of speech)) · cork tip (from cork (all etymologies and parts of speech)) · corkscrewy (from cork (all etymologies and parts of speech)) · corkless (from cork (all etymologies and parts of speech)) · corkborer (from cork (all etymologies and parts of speech)) · cork up (from cork (all etymologies and parts of speech)) · wound cork (from cork (all etymologies and parts of speech)) · corkscrewed (from cork (all etymologies and parts of speech)) · corkish (from cork (all etymologies and parts of speech)) · cork borer (from cork (all etymologies and parts of speech)) · corkage (from cork (all etymologies and parts of speech)) · corkiest (from cork (all etymologies and parts of speech)) · cork elm (from cork (all etymologies and parts of speech)) · corkscrew stake (from cork (all etymologies and parts of speech)) · corky (from cork (all etymologies and parts of speech)) · cork line (from cork (all etymologies and parts of speech)) · cork cambium (from cork (all etymologies and parts of speech)) · corkiness (from cork (all etymologies and parts of speech)) · velvet cork (from cork (all etymologies and parts of speech)) · corkwood (from cork (all etymologies and parts of speech)) · corkable (from cork (all etymologies and parts of speech)) · cork-board (from cork (all etymologies and parts of speech)) · cork wood (from cork (all etymologies and parts of speech)) · put the cork back in the bottle (from cork (all etymologies and parts of speech)) · cork taint (from cork (all etymologies and parts of speech)) · corklike (from cork (all etymologies and parts of speech)) · corkscrew flower (from cork (all etymologies and parts of speech)) · cork hat (from cork (all etymologies and parts of speech)) · cork tree (from cork (all etymologies and parts of speech)) · uncork (from cork (all etymologies and parts of speech)) · corkie (from cork (all etymologies and parts of speech)) · cork moth (from cork (all etymologies and parts of speech)) · crown cork (from cork (all etymologies and parts of speech)) · blow one's cork (from cork (all etymologies and parts of speech)) · rock cork (from cork (all etymologies and parts of speech)) · corked (from cork (all etymologies and parts of speech)) · corking (from cork (all etymologies and parts of speech)) · recork (from cork (all etymologies and parts of speech)) · corkscrew hazel (from cork (all etymologies and parts of speech)) · cork tipped (from cork (all etymologies and parts of speech)) · mountain cork (from cork (all etymologies and parts of speech)) · corkboard (from cork (all etymologies and parts of speech)) · pop one's cork (from cork (all etymologies and parts of speech)) · corking pin (from cork (all etymologies and parts of speech)) · corkier (from cork (all etymologies and parts of speech))