Collins English-English Dictionary

core [kɔː]

1. 1. n the central part of certain fleshy fruits, such as the apple or pear, consisting of the seeds and supporting parts

2. 2. n the central, innermost, or most essential part of something

   the core of the argument

3. 3. n (as modifier)

   the core meaning

4. 4. n a piece of magnetic material, such as soft iron, placed inside the windings of an electromagnet or transformer to intensify and direct the magnetic field

5. 5. n [geology] the central part of the earth, beneath the mantle, consisting mainly of iron and nickel, which has an inner solid part surrounded by an outer liquid part

6. 6. n a cylindrical sample of rock, soil, etc, obtained by the use of a hollow drill

7. 7. n shaped body of material (in metal casting usually of sand) supported inside a mould to form a cavity of predetermined shape in the finished casting

8. 8. n [physics] the region of a nuclear reactor in which the reaction takes place

9. 9. n a layer of wood serving as a backing for a veneer

10. 10. n [computing] a ferrite ring formerly used in a computer memory to store one bit of information

11. 11. n short for core store

12. 12. n (as modifier)

    core memory

13. 13. n [archaeol] a lump of stone or flint from which flakes or blades have been removed

14. 14. n [physics] the nucleus together with all complete electron shells of an atom

15. 15. vt. [tr] to remove the core from (fruit)

16. 16. vt. [Etymology] C14: of uncertain origin