corn Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun tall annual cereal grass bearing kernels on large ears: widely cultivated in America in many varieties; the principal cereal in Mexico and Central and South America since pre-Columbian times
    maize; Indian corn; Zea mays.
  2. noun the dried grains or kernels or corn used as animal feed or ground for meal
  3. noun ears of corn that can be prepared and served for human food
    edible corn.
  4. noun a hard thickening of the skin (especially on the top or sides of the toes) caused by the pressure of ill-fitting shoes
    clavus.
  5. noun (Great Britain) any of various cereal plants (especially the dominant crop of the region--wheat in Great Britain or oats in Scotland and Ireland)
  6. noun whiskey distilled from a mash of not less than 80 percent corn
    corn whiskey; corn whisky.
  7. noun something sentimental or trite
    • that movie was pure corn
  8. verb feed (cattle) with corn
  9. verb preserve with salt
    • corned beef

WordNet

Corn noun
Etymology
L. cornu horn: cf. F. corne horn, hornlike excrescence. See Horn.
Definitions
  1. A thickening of the epidermis at some point, esp. on the toees, by friction or pressure. It is usually painful and troublesome.
    Welkome, gentlemen! Ladies that have their toes Unplagued with corns, will have a bout with you. Shak.
    ✍ The substance of a corn usually resembles horn, but where moisture is present, as between the toes, it is white and sodden, and is called a soft corn.
Corn noun
Etymology
AS. corn; akin to OS. korn, D. koren, G., Dan., Sw., & Icel. korn, Goth. karn, L. granum, Russ. zerno. Cf. Grain, Kernel.
Definitions
  1. A single seed of certain plants, as wheat, rye, barley, and maize; a grain.
  2. The various farinaceous grains of the cereal grasses used for food, as wheat, rye, barley, maize, oats. ✍ In Scotland, corn is generally restricted to oats, in the United States, to maize, or Indian corn, of which there are several kinds; as, yellow corn, which grows chiefly in the Northern States, and is yellow when ripe; white or southern corn, which grows to a great height, and has long white kernels; sweet corn, comprising a number of sweet and tender varieties, grown chiefly at the North, some of which have kernels that wrinkle when ripe and dry; pop corn, any small variety, used for popping.
  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.
    In one night, ere glimpse of morn, His shadowy flail had thrashed the corn. Milton.
  4. A small, hard particle; a grain. "Corn of sand." Bp. Hall. "A corn of powder." Beau & Fl.
Corn transitive verb
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Corned present participle & verbal noun Corning
Definitions
  1. To preserve and season with salt in grains; to sprinkle with salt; to cure by salting; now, specifically, to salt slightly in brine or otherwise; as, to corn beef; to corn a tongue.
  2. To form into small grains; to granulate; as, to corn gunpowder.
  3. To feed with corn or (in Sctland) oats; as, to corn horses. Jamieson.
  4. To render intoxicated; as, ale strong enough to corn one. Colloq.

Webster 1913