corkage
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
Money charged when persons at an hotel provide their own wine—sixpence being charged for each "cork" drawn.
Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)
Where it’s used:
Origin
British & Irish English
Sources & notes
Historical definition reproduced from Hotten’s The Slang Dictionary (1874, public domain; Project Gutenberg #42108, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “corkage” mean?
Money charged when persons at an hotel provide their own wine—sixpence being charged for each "cork" drawn.
Is “corkage” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.