Corporal
Corporal (kôr"po*ral) , noun
[Corrupted from French caporal, Italian caporale, from capo head, chief, Latin caput. See Chief, and compare Caporal.]
(Military) A noncommissioned officer, next below a sergeant. In the United States army he is the lowest noncommissioned officer in a company of infantry. He places and relieves sentinels.
Collocations (3)
Corporal's guard , a detachment such as would be in charge of a corporal for guard duty, etc.; hence, derisively, a very small number of persons.
Lance corporal , an assistant corporal on private's pay. — Farrow
Ship's corporal (Nautical) , a petty officer who assists the master at arms in his various duties.
Corporal , adjective
[Latin corporalis, from corpus body. See Corpse.]
1.
Belonging or relating to the body; bodily.
Past corporal toil.
Pillories and other corporal infections.
Collocations (1)
Corporal punishment (law) , punishment applied to the body of the offender, including the death penalty, whipping, and imprisonment.
2.
Having a body or substance; not spiritual; material. In this sense now usually written corporeal. — Milton
A corporal heaven....where the stare are.
What seemed corporal melted
As breath into the wind.
Corporal (kôr"po*ral) , noun
[Late Latin corporale: compare French corporal. See Corporal,a.]
A fine linen cloth, on which the sacred elements are consecrated in the Eucharist, or with which they are covered; a communion cloth.
Collocations (1)
Corporal oath , a solemn oath; -- so called from the fact that it was the ancient usage for the party taking it to touch the corporal, or cloth that covered the consecrated elements.
Also: Corporale