n. sing. & pl. [ F., fr. L. corpus body. See Corpse. ] 1. The human body, whether living or dead. [ Obs. ] See Corpse, 1. [ 1913 Webster ]

By what craft in my corps, it cometh [ commences ] and where. Piers Plowman. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. ) [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A body or code of laws. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

The whole corps of the law. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Eccl.) The land with which a prebend or other ecclesiastical office is endowed. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

The prebendaries over and above their reserved rents have a corps. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. [ Ger. ] In some countries of Europe, a form of students' social society binding the members to strict adherence to certain student customs and its code of honor; -- Ger. spelling usually korps. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

Army corps, or (French)
Corps d'armée /mcol>, a body containing two or more divisions of a large army, organized as a complete army in itself. --
‖Corps de logis ety>[ F., body of the house ], the principal mass of a building, considered apart from its wings. --
Corps diplomatique ety>[ F., diplomatic body ], the body of ministers or envoys accredited to a government. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ 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 contemptuously. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ Formerly written (after the French form) corps. See Corps, n., 1. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The dead body of a human being; -- used also Fig. [ 1913 Webster ]

He touched the dead corpse of Public Credit, and it sprung upon its feet. D. Webster. [ 1913 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. [ 1913 Webster ]

. (a) In the United States army, the a corps of officers and enlisted men consisting of one band and three battalions of engineers commanded by a brigadier general, whose title is Chief of Engineers. It has charge of the construction of fortifications for land and seacoast defense, the improvement of rivers and harbors, the construction of lighthouses, etc., and, in time of war, supervises the engineering operations of the armies in the field. (b) In the United States navy, a corps made up of the engineers, which was amalgamated with the line by act of March 3, 1899. It consisted of assistant and passed assistant engineers, ranking with ensigns and lieutenants, chief engineers, ranking from lieutenant to captain, and engineer in chief, ranking with commodore and having charge of the Bureau of Steam Engineering. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]