1. The human body, whether living or dead. [Obs.] See Corpse, 1. By what craft in my corps, it cometh [commences] and where. Piers Plowman.
2. A body of men; esp., an organized division of the military establishment; as, the marine corps; the corps of topographical engineers; specifically, an army corps. A corps operating with an army should consist of three divisions of the line, a brigade of artillery, and a regiment of cavalry. Gen. Upton (U. S. Tactics. )
3. A body or code of laws. [Obs.] The whole corps of the law. Bacon.
4. (Eccl.)
Defn: The land with which a prebend or other ecclesiastical office is endowed. [Obs.] The prebendaries over and above their reserved rents have a corps. Bacon. Army corps, or (French) Corps d'armée (k, a body containing two or more divisions of a large army, organized as a complete army in itself. — Corps de logis (ke l Etym: [F., body of the house], the principal mass of a building, considered apart from its wings. — Corps diplomatique (k Etym: [F., diplomatic body], the body of ministers or envoys accredited to a government.
CORPSE
Corpse (krps), n. Etym: [OF. cors (sometimes written corps), F.
corps, L. corpus; akin to AS. hrif womb. See Midriff, and cf. Corse,
Corselet, Corps, Cuerpo.]
1. A human body in general, whether living or dead; — sometimes contemptuosly. [Obs.]
Note: Formerly written (after the French form) corps. See Corps, n., 1.
2. The dead body of a human being; — used also Fig. He touched the dead corpse of Public Credit, and it sprung upon its feet. D. Webster. Corpse candle. (a) A thick candle formerly used at a lich wake, or the customary watching with a corpse on the night before its interment. (b) A luminous appearance, resembling the flame of a candle, sometimes seen in churchyards and other damp places, superstitiously regarded as portending death. — Corpse gate, the gate of a burial place through which the dead are carried, often having a covered porch; — called also lich gate.
CORPULENCE; CORPULENCY Cor"pu*lence (kr"p-lens), Cor"pu*len*cy (kr"p-len-s), n. Etym: [L. corpulentia: cf. F. corpulence.]