Emily Dickinson Lexicon

CORN, n. [Sax. corn; D. koorn; G. korn; Dan. and Sw. korn. Not improbably this word is the L. granum. Such transpositions are not uncommon. The word signifies not only the hard seeds of certain plants, but hail and shot, L. grando, Ir. gran, grain, hail, shot. Johnson quotes an old Runic rhyme. Hagul er kaldastur korna. Hail is the coldest corn. See Grain.]

1. A single seed of certain plants, as wheat, rye, barley and maiz; a grain. Ira this sense it has a plural; as, three barley corns make an inch. It is generally applied to edible seeds, which, when ripe, are hard.
2. The seeds of certain plants in general, in bulk or quantity; as, corn is dear or scarce. In this sense, the word comprehends all the kinds of grain which constitute the food of men and horses. In Great Britain, corn is generally applied to wheat, rye, oats and barley. In the United States, it has the same general sense, but by custom it is appropriated to maiz. We are accustomed to say, the crop of wheat is good, but the corn is bad; it is a good year for wheat and rye, but bad for corn. In this sense, corn has no plural.
3. The plants which produce corn, when growing in the field; the stalks and ears, or the stalks, ears and seeds, after reaping and before thrashing. We say, a field of corn, a sheaf or a shock of corn, a load of corn. The plants or stalks are included in the term corn, until the seed is separated from the ears.
4. In surgery, a hard excrescence, or induration of the skin, on the toes or some part of the feet, occasioned by the pressure of the shoes; so called from its hardness and resemblance to a corn.
5. A small hard particle. [See Grain.]