3 entries under this word
n. [Corrupted from Fr. caporal, It. caporale, from It. capo, head, chief, Lat. caput.]
Sense 1. (Mil.) The lowest officer of a company of infantry, next below a sergeant. He places and relieves sentinels, &c.
Sense 2. (Naut.) An officer under the master at arms, employed to teach the sailors the use of small arms; to attend at the gangways on entering ports, and see that no spirituous liquors are brought, except by permission; to extinguish fire and candles, &c.
a. [Lat. corporalis, from corpus, body; Pr., Sp., & Pg. corporal, It. corporale, Fr. corporel.]
Sense 1. Belonging or relating to the body. “Past corporal toil.” Shet. “Pillories and other corporal inflictions.” Milton.
Sense 2. Having a body or substance; not spiritual; material; corporeal. “A corporal heaven . . . where the stars are.” Latimer.
From these corporal nutriments, perhaps, Your bodies may at last turn all to spirit. Milton.
Synonyms—Corporeal; bodily See CORPOREAL.
n. [L. Lat. corporale, corporale pallium, corporalis, corporalis palla, Fr., Pr., Sp., & Pg. corporal, It. corporale. See supra.] (Eccl.) A fine linen cloth, used to cover the sacred elements in the eucharist, or in which the sacrament is put.
Corporal oath, a solemn oath;—so called from the ancient usage of touching the corporals, or cloth that covered the consecrated elements, or, as is supposed by some, from the fact that the party taking it was obliged to lay his hand on the Testament. Blount. Tomlins.