▪ I. corporal, a. (n.1)
(ˈkɔːpərəl)
Forms: 4–5 corporell(e, 5 (corperall), 5–7 corporall, 5 -al.
[a. OF. corporal (12th c.), later corporel, ad. L. corporāl-em bodily, f. corpus, corpor- body. See -al1.]
1. Of or belonging to the human body; bodily.
| c 1400 Rom. Rose 6759 Swynke he with his hondis corporelle. 1474 Caxton Chesse 7 The corporal or bodelye sight. 1490 ― Eneydos xxix. 113 Fayre yeftes of nature, as is beaulte corporelle. c 1510 Barclay Mirr. Gd. Manners (1570) D iv, His members corporall. 1547 Act 1 Edw. VI, c. 3 If they should be punished by death..and with other corporall paine. 1641 in Nalson Impart. Collect. (1683) II. 482 It is this day ordered by the Commons..that all corporal bowing at the Name..be henceforth forborne. 1671 Milton P.R. iv. 299 In corporal pleasure he, and careless ease. 1762 Gibbon Misc. Wks. (1814) IV. 131 A favourite topic of ancient raillery was corporal defects. 1868 Gladstone Juv. Mundi v. (1869) 118 The achievements of Heracles are personal, indeed corporal. |
b. Personal.
| 1651 Hobbes Leviath. ii. xx. 104 When the Victor hath trusted him with his corporall liberty. 1754 Richardson Grandison (1781) I. xxvi. 189 Taking his corporal leave of her. 1767 Blackstone Comm. II. 173 Since by a devise a freehold may pass without corporal tradition or livery of seisin. 1876 Grant Burgh Sch. Scotl. i. i. 22 The chancellor has given [to Master John Homyll in 1418] corporal and real possession of the foresaid benefice. |
† c. Having a body, embodied. Obs.
| 1471 Ripley Comp. Alch. viii. in Ashm. (1652) 172 The Spryt may Corporall be, And become fyx wyth hyt and substancyall. 1634 Sir T. Herbert Trav. 142 There they suppose Enoch and Elias are corporall to this day. 1647 W. Browne tr. Polexander ii. 257 There are corporall Angels on earth. |
† 2. Of the nature of body or matter; corporeal, material, physical. Obs.
| 1519 Interl. Four Elem. in Hazl. Dodsley I. 12 Though the form and fashion of any thing That is a corporal body be destroyed. 1529 More Dyaloge i. Wks. 115/2 The worshipping of god with golde and siluer, & suche other corporall thinges. 1592 West 1st Pt. Symbol. §50 D, Corporal things are such as of their own nature may be felt or seen. 1605 Shakes. Macb. i. iii. 81 What seem'd corporall Melted, as breath into the Wind. 1653 H. More Antid. Ath. i. viii. (1712) 23 Either God, or this corporal and sensible World must of itself necessarily exist. 1702 Echard Eccl. Hist. (1710) 644 Two principles; the one Good..the other Evil, from whence proceeded the evil soul of man; together with the body, and all corporal creatures. 1726 tr. Gregory's Astron. I. 475 The two Planets observed in Corporal Conjunction (that is where the one seems to touch or cover the other). |
† b. Relating to material things; material. Obs.
| 1535 Coverdale Zech. Contents ch. x, Thorow corporal promises, the prophet ledeth men vnto the promises that are fulfilled in Christ. |
† 3. Large of body. Obs.
| c 1475 Partenay 4456 Sin þat gret thikke is, wonder corporall. 1630 R. Johnson's Kingd. & Commw. 202 As for flesh-meat, I thinke that a Hawke in England eats more in a moneth, than..a sufficient corporall Burger does in six weekes. |
† 4. Having solidity; solid. Obs. a. In early Chem.
| 1667 Boyle Orig. Formes & Qual., One little Masse or Bead of corporal or yellow (though perhaps somewhat palish) Gold. Ibid. 131 In some grosse, or, as they speak, corporal Salts, such as Sea-salt, Salt-petre. |
b. corporal number: a number pertaining to cubic or solid measure.
| 1594 Blundevil Exerc. i. xxvi. (ed. 7) 59 A Cubique or Corporall number, having both length, breadth, and depth. |
5. Phrases. a. corporal oath [med.L. corporale juramentum; cf. corporaliter jurare, also bodily oath]: an oath ratified by corporally touching a sacred object, esp. the gospels, but sometimes the consecrated host, or relics of saints, and in heathen times the altar, etc., of an idol, as distinguished from a merely verbal oath, to which the body was, as it were, not a party. arch.
As the consecrated host or corpus Dei was sometimes the thing corporaliter tactum, the attributive ‘corporal’ has been held by some to refer to the host; but this is not historically tenable. See the treatment of the subject by Maskell, Monum. Rit. (1882) II. pp. li–liii; also the mediæval examples in Du Cange, s.v. Jurare, the Italian quots. in the Vocab. Della Crusca (1878) s.vv. Corporale, Corporalmente, etc.
| [c 1300 Thorn Chron. (in Decem Script. II. 1966) Forma fidelitatis faciendæ. Ego N. de C. juro ad hæc sancta Dei evangelia, præstito corporaliter sacramento, quod, etc. c 1300 Robert, Bp. of Glasgow in Rymer II. 867 (Du Cange) Et cest serment avons nous fet sur le cors notre Seigneur.] 1534 in W. H. Turner Select Rec. Oxford 128 By vertue of corporall othe gyven to the Universitie. 1548 Hall Chron. 29 b, Eche of theim takyng a corporall othe upon the holy Evangelistes. 1585 Abp. Sandys Serm. (1841) 323 The eldest..servant of his house..(for he had rule over all which Abraham did possess), was not permitted to deal in this matter without taking a corporal oath beforehand [cf. Gen. xxiv. 2]. 1633 T. Stafford Pac. Hib. iii. (1821) 241 Untill he had taken his corporal oath (upon a booke) that he would, etc. 1675 tr. Machiavelli's Prince (Rtldg. 1883) 252 He would..take his corporal oath his..life was tedious. 1755 N. Magens Insurances I. 269 He..confirmed the Truth of the..written Deposition with his Corporal Oath, before us. |
b. corporal punishment: punishment inflicted on the body; originally including death, mutilation, branding, bodily confinement, irons, the pillory, etc. (as opposed to a fine or punishment in estate or rank). In 19th c. usually confined to flogging or similar infliction of bodily pain.
| 1581 Lambarde Eiren. i. xii. (1602) 57 Corporall punishment, is eyther capitall, or not capitall. 1622 Malynes Anc. Law-Merch. 431 Imprisonment is a corporall punishment. 1714 Act 1 Geo. I, St. 2. c. 18 §14 To be kept to hard Labour, and suffer such corporal Punishment as the said Justice or Justices..shall think fit. 1724 Act 11 Geo. I, c. 26 §10 Any Crime, importing a Capital or any other Corporal Punishment. 1827 Hansard Parl. Deb. XVI. 679. 26 Feb., Mr. Hume proposed..that it should be unlawful to inflict corporal punishment, by stripes or lashes, upon any soldier. 1836 O'Connell Ho. Comm. 14 Apr., They talked of ‘corporal punishment’; they did not choose to use its right name—‘flogging’. 1838 Act 1–2 Vict. c. 17 §7 (Mutiny Act) That a General Court-martial.. may sentence any Soldier to Corporal Punishment, not extending to Life or Limb, for Immorality, etc. 1868 G. Duff Pol. Surv. 26 The last reform..is the abolition, a few weeks ago, of corporal punishment in the army. |
c. corporal works of mercy: works of mercy to the bodies of men, of which seven are reckoned.
| 15.. Manuall of Prayers, The Workes of mercy Corporall. To feed the hungry. To giue drinke to the thirsty. To cloathe the naked. To visitt and ransome the Captiues. To harbour the harbourlesse. To visitt the sicke. To burie the dead. 1871 Freeman Norm. Conq. (1876) IV. xxi. 711 He was ready to do the last corporal work of mercy to his departed sovereign. |
† B. as n. pl. (ellipt.). Obs.
| 1659 Fuller Appeal Inj. Innoc. iii. 66 Naturals, corporals, morals, civils, intellectuals. 1678 Cudworth Intell. Syst. 821 When the soul goes out of this body, whether it be carried into any corporal places, or to incorporals like to corporals. |
▪ II. corporal, n.1 Eccl.
(ˈkɔːpərəl)
Forms: 3 corporeal, 4–5 corporalle, (5 -erale), 6–7 -all, 6– -al.
[ad. med.L. corporālis (palla), corporāle (pallium), in F. corporal, f. L. corpus body.]
† 1. An ancient eucharistic vestment. Obs.
| a 1000 Canons Edgar in Thorpe Laws II. 250 We lærað þat ælc preost hæbbe corporalem þonne he mæssiᵹe. 1660 R. Coke Power & Subj. 162 (transl. of prec.) That every Priest celebrating Mass, hath his Corporal. |
2. A cloth, usually of linen, upon which the consecrated elements are placed during the celebration of the mass, and with which the elements, or the remnants of them, are covered after the celebration. Called also corporal-cloth.
| 1381 in Eng. Gilds (1870) 233 A ‘palyoun’ of cloth of gold; two ‘corporalles’. c 1440 Promp. Parv. 93 Corporasse or corporalle, corporale. 1488 in Ld. Treas. Acc. Scotl. I. 85 In ane vthir gardeviant:—In the fyrst, a lamp of siluer, a corporale with a cais. 1523 Ld. Berners Froiss. I. cc. 237 This squier had with hym the patent and corporal. 1637 Bk. Com. Prayer, Church Scot., Communion Rubric, He that celebrates shall..cover with a fair linen cloth, or corporal, that which remaineth of the consecrated elements. 1641 I. H. Petit. agst. Pocklington 3 He hath caused two cloathes to be made, which he cals Corporals, and these he useth to lay over the Bread in the Sacrament. 1725 tr. Dupin's Eccl. Hist. 17th c. I. v. 64 They made use of Veils also..which were made of Lawn, as the Corporal was, afterwards of Silk. 1849 Rock Ch. of Fathers I. i. 38 Anciently, the Corporal-cloths were so large as to over⁓spread the whole altar. 1888 Times 22 June 13/3 Concerned in stealing a silk veil, two linen corporals, a silver cross..from St. Peter's Church. |
b. corporal-case: a case for the corporal.
| [1488 cf. sense 2.] 1559 Inv. in Reg. Episc. Aberd. (Spalding Club) I. App. 90 Item a corporal case with a cover of cloath of gold. |
▪ III. corporal, n.2 Mil.
(ˈkɔːpərəl)
[a. 16th c. F. corporal, var. of capporal, caporal (Littré), ad. It. caporale (Sp. caporal).
Diez and others take caporale as the original form, as a derivative of capo head; but this leaves the -or- unaccounted for. On the other hand, the corporal form is of considerable antiquity: Du Cange quotes from a letter of 1405, ‘capitaneus, et ut ipsi [Venetians] vocant, corporalis’. This favours a derivation from It. corpo, L. corpor- body (i.e. of troops), with subsequent contamination by capo.]
1. A non-commissioned military officer ranking under a sergeant.
‘He has charge of one of the squads of the company, places and relieves sentries, and keeps good order in the guard’ (Stocqueler). Corporal's guard: a small armed detachment such as is placed under the command of a corporal. Hence fig. a small body of followers or supporters.
| 1579 Digges Stratiot. 84 The Corporal is a degree in dignitie above the private souldior. 1598 Barret Theor. Warres 248 The word Caporall, which is a meere Italian, and also vsed by the French, we corruptly do both write and pronounce Corporall. 1642 Declar. Lords & Com. For Raising Forces 22 Dec. 7 That each Company of Dragooners have an experienced Souldier to be a Corporall. c 1645 Tullie Siege Carlisle (1840) 35 Philipson..sent a corporal with 20 horse. 1709 Steele Tatler No. 164 ¶6 An old Soldier in the Civil Wars, who was Corporal of a Company in a Regiment of Foot. 1810 Wellington in Gurw. Desp. VI. 326, I, who command the largest British army that has been employed..have not the power of making even a corporal. 1833 Marryat P. Simple vii, The key of the store-room, was under the charge of one of the corporals of marines. 1868 Regul. & Ord. Army ¶312 When Non-commissioned Officers are required to assist the Officers, Corporals may be appointed to act as Serjeants. 1888 Times 26 June 4/4 Mr. G. M., Corporal of Horse, Royal Horse Guards..writes to correct the statement. |
† 2. corporal of the field: a superior officer of the army in the 16th and 17th c., who acted as an assistant or a kind of aide-de-camp to the sergeant-major: see quot. 1622. Obs.
| 1622 F. Markham Bk. War iv. ix. 153–5 The next great Officers..are the Foure Corporals of the Field, who haue their dependance only vpon the Serieant-Maior and are called his Coadiutors or assistants..who for their election ought to bee Gentlemen of great Dexteritie..such as haue at least been Captaines in other times..It is meet that all these foure Corporals of the Field bee exceeding well mounted. 1591 Garrard Art Warre 156 Office and duetie of the foure Corporals of the field. 1633 T. Stafford Pac. Hib. xxi. (1821) 415 Sent a Corporall of the field, to cause the like to be done in the Earle of Thomonds quarter. |
3. Naut. † a. Formerly, a petty officer on board ship, part of whose duty consisted in teaching the sailors the use of small arms: see quot. 1626. b. ‘The ship's corporal of the present day is the superior of the first-class working petty officers, and solely attends to police matters under the master-at-arms or superintendent-in-chief’ (Smyth Sailor's Word-bk.).
| 1626 Capt. Smith Accid. Yng. Seamen 4 The Corporall is to see the setting and releeuing the watch: and see all the souldiers and saylors keepe their Armes cleane, neate and yare; and teach them their vse. 1669 Sturmy Mariner's Mag. v. xi. 46 The Gunners at Sea did not exercise the Seamen in this knowledge, as the Corporal doth in Mustering of them with their musquets. 1708 Lond. Gaz. No. 4440/1 The Midshipmen..Corporals, Yeomen of the Sheets..one Eighth Part. 1891 Times 20 Sept., A ship's corporal on duty in the Britannia. |
4. A cyprinoid fresh-water fish, Semotilus corporalis. U.S.
| 1888 Goode Amer. Fishes 427 The name Corporal seems to have been derived from the Dutch or German settlers of the Middle States. 1964 H. T. Walden Familiar Fresh-water Fishes Amer. 184 The fallfish is known to many anglers as chub, silver chub, chivin, windfish, and corporal. |