corkscrew

1 of 3

noun

cork·​screw ˈkȯrk-ˌskrü How to pronounce corkscrew (audio)
: a device for drawing corks from bottles that has a pointed spiral piece of metal turned by a handle

corkscrew

2 of 3

adjective

: resembling a corkscrew : spiral

corkscrew

3 of 3

verb

corkscrewed; corkscrewing; corkscrews

transitive verb

1
2
: to draw out with difficulty
3
: to twist into a spiral

intransitive verb

: to move in a winding course

Examples of corkscrew in a Sentence

Adjective an angelic child with beautiful corkscrew curls Verb practically every word had to be corkscrewed out of the tight-lipped witness the trail corkscrews through dense woods to the top of the steep hill
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
The car should have been picked up by a pair of loopy crooks, Arliss (Joey Slotnick) and Flint (C. J. Wilson), and the case in the trunk is one for which a man has been killed (by a waiter who stabs him with a corkscrew to the neck). Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 23 Feb. 2024 Many picnic baskets mentioned in this list come with plates, flatware, napkins, glasses, corkscrews, and blankets. Casey Clark, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 Aug. 2023 Inside the containers — most of them were secured with metal locks about the size and shape of a corkscrew that easily succumbed to his bolt cutters or mechanized handsaw — the items were varied and plentiful: TVs, beer, clothing, makeup, shoes, electric bicycles, hard drives, tablets. Malia Wollan, New York Times, 23 Jan. 2024 No more embarrassing fumbles with foil and crumbling corkscrews. Claire Rutter, Rolling Stone, 4 Jan. 2024 Once the cork is exposed, simply place the corkscrew over the cork, and pull the lever up. Maya Polton, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Jan. 2023 Combs then pummeled her, including with a corkscrew, the lawsuit says. Nardine Saad, Los Angeles Times, 16 Nov. 2023 This wine key—which differs from a bulky, tedious two-armed corkscrew—is compact, elegant, and crafted from durable stainless steel and laminated wood. Sophie Dodd, Bon Appétit, 20 Nov. 2023 The stainless steel set also includes a measuring jigger, corkscrew, liquor pour spouts, and even a cocktail recipe book so your favorite couple can find a new cocktail for happy hour. Brittany Vanderbill, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 Aug. 2023
Adjective
At the far end of the kitchen is an indoor barbecue and, beyond that, an interior balcony within the atrium; a corkscrew staircase connects the atrium’s trio of interior levels. Mark David, Robb Report, 15 Feb. 2024 For a no-nonsense, mid-priced opener that does the job without lots of moving parts or bells and whistles, this is the best corkscrew wine opener. Maya Polton, Better Homes & Gardens, 8 Feb. 2024 The spongy exterior features a wavy, ridged texture that’s ideal for applying gentle pressure to sore areas, while the corkscrew design of the inner roller can easily target pressure points. Sophie Dodd, Travel + Leisure, 11 Jan. 2024 Curl any hanging leaves around a pencil for a corkscrew look. Emma Phelps, Southern Living, 21 Aug. 2023 Finally, Lipa finished off the look with silver twisted corkscrew earrings, which also hailed from Bottega Veneta. Chelsey Sanchez, Harper's BAZAAR, 31 Aug. 2023 Fuqua still loves when McCall was attacked in his kitchen in the first film and used a corkscrew uppercut to the chin to finish off his assailant. Bryan Alexander, USA TODAY, 30 Aug. 2023 And as Ron and Madison start seeing each other, with her husband still in the way, the film becomes a kind of noir with corkscrew twists. Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 5 Sep. 2023 Use a small barrel curling iron for all-over corkscrew curls, or use heatless hair curlers sized for corkscrew or spiral curls. Myranda Mondry, Allure, 26 June 2023
Verb
Upstairs is the primary suite tower, featuring lofty ceilings, a brick fireplace, eyebrow windows, a sitting area with ocean view, and a spiral staircase with handmade driftwood treads corkscrewing up to a studio/loft/meditation space. James McClain, Robb Report, 26 Feb. 2024 Atlantic Productions/Magellan The stern corkscrewed into the seabed. Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 17 May 2023 The Israeli jeep reappeared, and the sight corkscrewed the crowd’s energy. Anand Gopal, The New Yorker, 10 Dec. 2023 To avoid collisions, Moreira and his team developed a double helix orbit; the satellites travel along an ellipse and corkscrew around each other. IEEE Spectrum, 30 June 2023 Remy Ohara lifted a long, corkscrewing shofar to her lips and blew a resonant call. Zachary Woolfe, New York Times, 24 Feb. 2023 Elohim made a surprise return from a sprained ankle to come off the bench and corkscrew his way to 14 points, but too many of his buckets came too late. Los Angeles Times, 8 Mar. 2023 An auger is a corkscrew-like device with a cutting blade that operates like a hand drill to make a hole in the ice. Frank Witsil, Detroit Free Press, 21 Feb. 2023 Take a break from effort and let this automatic electric corkscrew from Rabbit do all the work for you! Maya Polton, Better Homes & Gardens, 30 Jan. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'corkscrew.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1698, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1790, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1837, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of corkscrew was in 1698

Dictionary Entries Near corkscrew

Cite this Entry

“Corkscrew.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/corkscrew. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

corkscrew

1 of 2 noun
cork·​screw ˈkȯrk-ˌskrü How to pronounce corkscrew (audio)
: a pointed spiral tool with a handle for pulling corks from bottles

corkscrew

2 of 2 adjective
: resembling a corkscrew : spiral

More from Merriam-Webster on corkscrew

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