corn
corn — noun
1. the edible seeds that come from cereal crops — for example, wheat, barley, and o
the edible seeds that come from cereal crops — for example, wheat, barley, and oats — which people grind into flour or give to farm animals; the word may also refer to the plants themselves, especially a region's main grain crop.
Farmers across Suffolk harvest their corn each September before the autumn rains arrive.
British usage: wheat/barley/oats as the main cereal crop
The price of corn has risen sharply this year because of the summer drought.
A sack of corn can be ground into flour to bake bread for a week.
Ava buys organic corn from the local mill to make her own breakfast porridge.
During the Middle Ages, corn was the most valuable crop grown in most European villages.
文法句型
often the + noun in British contexts
用法筆記
In British English, 'corn' is a general term for the main cereal crop of a region — typically wheat in England, oats in Scotland and Ireland. In American English, 'corn' always refers to maize (Zea mays).
常見錯誤
2. a tall plant (Zea mays) with thick stalks and large green leaves, grown in warm
a tall plant (Zea mays) with thick stalks and large green leaves, grown in warm climates for its yellow or white seeds, which people eat as food, grind into meal, or use as animal feed.
Baraka planted corn along the edge of his garden to create a natural windbreak.
Hiro's corn grew taller than his truck after weeks of warm rain and strong sun.
describing the tall maize plant
The field of corn stretched from the main road all the way to the river.
Each corn stalk in the field produced at least one large ear of seeds.
A strong summer storm flattened the young corn before the farmer could harvest it.
- maize
more formal term; 'maize' is common in scientific and British English contexts
- Indian corn
older term, still used in historical contexts
文法句型
no article when referring to the crop in general
3. the sweet, soft kernels from a maize cob that people eat as a side dish or ingre
the sweet, soft kernels from a maize cob that people eat as a side dish or ingredient — sold fresh, frozen, tinned, or dried, and often served with butter or in cooked dishes.
Élise added fresh corn to the salad along with chopped tomatoes and black beans.
The children ate sweet corn on the cob at the neighbourhood summer barbecue.
sweet corn / corn on the cob
Ravindra stir-fried corn with diced bell peppers for a colourful side dish.
Frozen corn keeps well in the freezer for six months without losing its flavour.
The street vendor sold paper cups of hot buttered corn sprinkled with red chilli powder.
- maize
more formal and less common in food contexts; 'maize' is the plant, 'corn' is the food
- sweet corn
specifically the varieties eaten as a vegetable, not field corn for animal feed
文法句型
often modified by adjectives: sweet corn, fresh corn, frozen corn
用法筆記
When asking for this food in a restaurant or shop, 'corn' alone is sufficient in American English. Specifying 'sweet corn' or 'corn on the cob' helps distinguish the vegetable from cornmeal or popcorn.
常見錯誤
4. a small, round patch of dead, thickened skin that develops on a person's toe or
a small, round patch of dead, thickened skin that develops on a person's toe or between the toes when shoes rub against the same spot repeatedly, which may become painful when pressure is applied.
A painful corn on Felix's little toe stopped him from wearing his running shoes.
a corn on [body part] — indicating location
Hamza visited a podiatrist to have the corn on his right foot treated.
Wearing tight dress shoes every day gave Dario a corn between his toes.
The pharmacist recommended a soft pad to protect the corn from further rubbing.
Mateo soaked his feet in warm salt water to soften the corn before trimming it.
文法句型
a corn / corns on [body part]
用法筆記
Distinguish from 'callus' — a corn is small, round, and has a hard centre that can be painful when pressed, whereas a callus is a larger, flatter area of thickened skin that is usually not painful.
常見錯誤
5. writing, music, acting, or other creative work that is old-fashioned, overly sen
writing, music, acting, or other creative work that is old-fashioned, overly sentimental, or uses obvious emotional tricks to make the audience feel something, rather than being original or honest.
The movie's final scene was pure corn, with violins and a tearful airport reunion.
informal: 'pure corn' = overly sentimental
Emre rolled his eyes at the comedian's corny jokes about his mother-in-law.
adjective form: corny
Reema thought the love song was sentimental corn with predictable lyrics.
Critics dismissed the novel as sentimental corn written for readers who want easy emotion.
Ava's graduation speech was full of corn — old clichés and teary success stories.
- corniness
the quality of being corny; more abstract and less common
- sentimentality
broader term; not always negative, while 'corn' usually implies bad taste
- cheese
slang with similar meaning; 'cheesy' is even more informal
- originality
fresh, creative work that avoids clichés
文法句型
pure corn / sentimental corn
用法筆記
Almost always used in a critical or dismissive tone. The related adjective 'corny' is much more common in everyday speech than the noun form.
6. a type of strong alcoholic drink made from fermented corn (maize) grain, similar
a type of strong alcoholic drink made from fermented corn (maize) grain, similar to bourbon but with a higher proportion of corn and less strict ageing requirements under United States law.
Dario ordered a glass of corn whiskey at the old bar in downtown Nashville.
American whiskey made from corn mash
The distillery in Kentucky has produced corn whiskey for over a hundred years.
Corn whiskey has a noticeably sweeter taste than rye because of its high corn content.
Baraka tried corn whiskey for the first time at a friend's wedding in Tennessee.
Unlike bourbon, corn whiskey does not need to be aged in new oak barrels.
文法句型
corn whiskey / corn whisky
corn — verb
1. to preserve meat, especially beef, by covering or soaking it in a salty liquid (
to preserve meat, especially beef, by covering or soaking it in a salty liquid (brine) mixed with spices, which keeps it from spoiling and gives it a pink colour and distinct flavour.
The butcher corned the beef brisket in brine with bay leaves for ten days.
corn + [meat] in brine — preservation method
Ava learned how to corn her own pork shoulder from her grandmother in County Cork.
Before fridges existed, sailors corned meat to stop it from rotting on long ocean voyages.
The recipe calls for beef that has been corned with salt, sugar, and pickling spices.
Élise corned a large batch of brisket for the family's St Patrick's Day dinner.
文法句型
corn + [meat]
passive: be corned
用法筆記
Almost always used with 'beef' — 'corned beef' is the most common form. This sense does not apply to fish or poultry in modern usage.
常見錯誤
2. to give corn (maize) to livestock or poultry as part of their daily food supply,
to give corn (maize) to livestock or poultry as part of their daily food supply, especially to fatten them before slaughter or to boost their energy during cold weather.
The farmer corns his pigs every evening before locking them in the barn.
corn + [animal] — feeding livestock with corn
Felix corned the chickens each morning with a mix of cracked corn and vegetable scraps.
During winter the cattle are corned twice a day to keep their weight stable.
The sheep at Green Valley Farm are corned every afternoon during the coldest months.
Emre corned his goats with a bucket of dried maize each morning before milking them.
- feed
general term; 'feed' is much more common than 'corn' in modern farming contexts
文法句型
corn + [animal]
用法筆記
This is a rare agricultural term. In everyday conversation, speakers are far more likely to say 'feed the pigs corn' than 'corn the pigs'.