outer bark of the cork oak; used for stoppers for bottles etc.
"The sommelier carefully sliced through the natural cork to open the vintage wine bottle."
a port city in southern Ireland
"Cork is a vibrant port city in southern Ireland known for its lively atmosphere and historic harbor."
the plug in the mouth of a bottle (especially a wine bottle)
"She carefully pulled the cork out of the wine bottle to pour her first glass."
The bark of the cork oak, which is very light and porous and used for making bottle stoppers, flotation devices, and insulation material.
"The skateboarder executed a perfect cork during the final trick of his routine."
An aerialist maneuver involving a rotation where the rider goes heels over head, with the board overhead.
In plain English: A cork is a snowboarding trick where you spin while flipping upside down.
"The snowboarder landed the cork perfectly and rode away smoothly."
Usage: This term, borrowed from snowboarding and skateboarding, describes an aerial trick where a rider rotates their body 180 degrees along with a simultaneous horizontal spin. Use "cork" to specifically refer to this type of rotational maneuver; it's not interchangeable with simply "flip" or "spin."
To seal or stop up, especially with a cork stopper.
"The surfer managed to cork the massive wave by rotating his board 360 degrees while dropping in from the lip."
To perform such a maneuver.
In plain English: To cork means to spin your body while jumping or falling, often on a skateboard or snowboard.
"The pilot expertly corked the plane to avoid the storm clouds."
Usage: Use "to cork" when describing the act of quickly turning a vehicle, like a bicycle or car, sharply sideways-often to avoid an obstacle. It's a relatively uncommon usage, typically found in older literature or specific contexts.
Having the property of a head over heels rotation.
"The cork spun off the bottle and continued its chaotic, head-over-heels tumble across the floor until it hit the wall."
In plain English: Cork means something can spin upside down while falling.
"The gymnast's dismount ended with a cork landing, twisting perfectly in mid-air."
Usage: Cork (adj.) This term, borrowed from skateboarding, describes a specific type of rotation where a skater spins with their head and shoulders leading. Use it when describing a trick involving this particular rotational style - for example, "He landed a cork 540."
Principal city of County Cork.
"The ferry departs from Cork, the principal city of County Cork, heading to Dublin."
The word "cork" comes from Middle English and Middle Dutch, likely borrowed from the Spanish words for cork material or a cork-soled shoe. It is also related to the Latin word cortex, which means bark.