Word
corned
UK/kˈɔːnd/
Definition
adj. very drunk after drinking too much alcohol. An old slang word you mostly meet in jokes or old stories.
adj. heavily intoxicated through alcohol. Dated in current use, surviving mainly in humorous or literary contexts.
Examples
“He gets corned after three strong beers.”
“After the wedding reception my uncle is completely corned and sings loudly at the table.”
“The old novel describes sailors coming ashore corned on cheap rum and stumbling between dockside taverns until dawn.”
Examples
simple
“He gets corned after three strong beers.”
contextual
“After the wedding reception my uncle is completely corned and sings loudly at the table.”
complex
“The old novel describes sailors coming ashore corned on cheap rum and stumbling between dockside taverns until dawn.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “corned” in context.
Verb
01. become corned
“In the old tale, he became corned and mistook the inn for his house.”
verb + adj
02. corned on whisky
“He arrived corned on whisky and could barely stand upright.”
adj + prep + noun
03. get corned
“The farmhands got corned on cider after the harvest dance.”
verb + adj
04. remain corned
“He remained corned for the whole evening and slept by the fire.”
verb + adj
Adjective
05. completely corned
“He drank too much rum and was completely corned before supper.”
adv + adj
06. properly corned
“After the wedding toast, the squire was properly corned and very merry.”
adv + adj
07. thoroughly corned
“By midnight the old sailor was thoroughly corned and singing in the tavern.”
adv + adj
Noun
08. corned guest
“A corned guest told the same joke three times at the feast.”
adj + noun
09. corned sailor
“The story begins with a corned sailor staggering into the village pub.”
adj + noun
10. get thoroughly corned on whisky
“In the novel, the captain gets thoroughly corned on whisky every Saturday.”
11. old joke about getting corned
“It is an old joke about getting corned and losing your hat.”
12. stagger home completely corned
“He staggered home completely corned after the village fair.”
Usage
Typically used predicatively after 'be' or 'get'.
Etymology
From corn + -ed. Piecewise doublet of grained.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Related words
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C2 ProficiencyIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.8.5–9.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 6.0114–120
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C2 · Proficiency
- Updated
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