corked
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
Said of wine which tastes of cork, from being badly decanted, or which has lost flavour from various other obvious causes.
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 “corked” mean?
Said of wine which tastes of cork, from being badly decanted, or which has lost flavour from various other obvious causes.
Is “corked” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.