Corporal

[Fr. caporal; It. caporale; L. Lat. ca poral is, from Lat. caput, the head.] ( Mil. ) The lowest non-commi ioned officer of a company, next below a sergeant. (Naut.) A naval warrant-officer under the master-atarms; as, a ship's corporal . (Eccl. Hist.) [Lat. corporale , from corpus , the body.] The C , or corporale, is the linen cloth which is spread over the consecrated bread ( corpus , or body) after the communion. In the Roman and Greek churches it is an object of great reverence, and the folding and unfolding of it by the priest at the altar is accompanied with much ceremony. It is supposed to represent the wrapping of the body of our Lord in fine linen by Joseph of A rima the a. The C. oath is derived from the ancient usage of touching the C. to add solemnity to an oath. a. Belonging or relating to the body; as, corporal punishment. "Beasts enjoy greater sensual pleasures, and feel fewer corporal pains." Atterbury. -Material: corporeal; not spiritual. "And what seem'd corporal Corporale, n. ( Eccl .) See CORPORAL. Melted, as breath, into the wind." - Shaks. "The sun is corporally conjoined with basiliscus." - Browne.