Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular presenttense, plural corks, present participle corking, past tense, past participle corked
1. uncountable noun
Cork is a soft, light substance which forms the bark of a type of Mediterranean tree.
...cork floors.
...cork-soled clogs.
2. countable noun
A cork is a piece of cork or plastic that is pushed into the opening of a bottle to close it.
cork in British English
(kɔːk)
noun
1.
the thick light porous outer bark of the cork oak, used widely as an insulator and for stoppers for bottles, casks, etc
2.
a piece of cork or other material used as a stopper
3.
an angling float
4. Also called: phellem botany
a protective layer of dead impermeable cells on the outside of the stems and roots of woody plants, produced by the outer layer of the cork cambium
adjective
5.
made of cork
▶ Related adjective: suberose
verb(transitive)
6.
to stop up (a bottle, cask, etc) with or as if with a cork; fit with a cork
7. (often foll by up)
to restrain
to cork up the emotions
8.
to black (the face, hands, etc) with burnt cork
Derived forms
corklike (ˈcorkˌlike)
adjective
Word origin
C14: probably from Arabic qurq, from Latin cortex bark, especially of the cork oak
Cork in British English
(kɔːk)
noun
1.
a county of SW Republic of Ireland, in Munster province: crossed by ridges of low mountains; scenic coastline. County town: Cork. Pop: 447 829 (2002). Area: 7459 sq km (2880 sq miles)
2.
a city and port in S Republic of Ireland, county town of Co Cork, at the mouth of the River Lee: seat of the University College of Cork (1849). Pop: 186 239 (2002)
Gaelic name: Corcaigh
Cork in American English
(kɔrk)
1.
county on the S coast of Ireland, in Munster province: 2,880 sq mi (7,459 sq km); pop. 283,000
2.
its county seat, a seaport: pop. 174,000
cork in American English
(kɔrk)
noun
1.
the light, thick, elastic outer bark of an oak tree, the cork oak (Quercus suber) of the beech family, that grows in the Mediterranean area: used for floats, stoppers, linoleum, insulation, etc.
2.
a.
a piece of cork or something made of cork; esp., a stopper for a bottle, cask, etc.
b.
a similar stopper made of rubber, glass, etc.
3. Botany
the dead, waterproof outer bark of the stems of woody plants
adjective
4.
made of cork
verb transitive
5.
to stop or seal with a cork
6.
to hold back; check
7.
to blacken with burnt cork
Idioms:
blow one's cork
Word origin
ME < Sp corcho, cork, ult. (via ? Ar al-qurq) < L quercus, oak: see fir1
cork in Hospitality
(kɔrk)
Word forms: (regular plural) corks
noun
(Hospitality (hotel): Hotel bar)
A cork is a piece of cork or plastic that is pushed into the opening of a bottle to closeit.
A waitperson takes the cork from the bottle and presents the wine.
He took out the cork and offered her the bottle.
A waiter removed the corks from the wine.
Examples of 'cork' in a sentence
cork
We pass through pine woodlands and stands of eucalyptus, and encounter wild quince, olive and almond trees and cork oaks stripped of their bark.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
She pulled the cork out of her bottle and handed it to me.
Yet we were surrounded by a pristine forest of cork oaks.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
The pop of a cork is heard.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
She came out like a cork from a bottle.
The Sun (2010)
This is most easily done by putting a cork in the drainage hole.
The Sun (2014)
Imagine the head as a cork being removed from a bottle.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
All it does is push the cork into the bottle and make a terrible mess.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
In the south that might mean a new wood of rugged cork oaks.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
It's time she put a cork in it.
The Sun (2008)
So much so that there is a threat to the cork oak forests of Portugal.
The Sun (2009)
Farming in the cork oak forests helps support a host of wildlife, including the lynx.
The Sun (2008)
A nuclear detonation would effectively put the cork back in.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Put a cork in it!
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
Nor do I hastily cork the melancholy bottle so we can all smile again.
Christianity Today (2000)
Grip both bottle and cork tightly, then turn the bottle, not the cork.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
I'm pulling the cork now.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
Word lists with
cork
Republic of Ireland counties, inhabitant, Main British and Irish ports
In other languages
cork
British English: cork /kɔːk/ NOUN
Cork is a soft light substance which forms the bark of a Mediterranean tree.
...cork floors.
American English: cork
Arabic: فَلِّيِـن
Brazilian Portuguese: cortiça
Chinese: 软木塞
Croatian: pluto
Czech: korek
Danish: kork
Dutch: kurk
European Spanish: corcho
Finnish: korkki viinipullon tms.
French: liège
German: Korken
Greek: φελλός
Italian: sughero
Japanese: コルク
Korean: 코르크
Norwegian: kork
Polish: korek substancja
European Portuguese: cortiça
Romanian: plută
Russian: пробка
Latin American Spanish: corcho
Swedish: kork
Thai: จุกไม้ก๊อก
Turkish: mantar eşya
Ukrainian: пробка
Vietnamese: vỏ dày xốp của cây sồi vùng Địa Trung Hải
All related terms of 'cork'
cork elm
any of several tall elms (genus Ulmus ) of the E U.S., with corky ridges , as wahoo
cork oak
an evergreen Mediterranean oak tree, Quercus suber , with a porous outer bark from which cork is obtained
cork tree
an evergreen Mediterranean oak tree, Quercus suber , with a porous outer bark from which cork is obtained
cork-tipped
(of a cigarette ) having a filter of cork or some material resembling cork
cork cambium
a layer of meristematic cells in the cortex of the stems and roots of woody plants, the outside of which gives rise to cork cells and the inside to secondary cortical cells ( phelloderm )