Core

Core Core, n. [OF. cor, coer, cuer, F. c[oe]ur, fr. L. cor heart. See {Heart}.] 1. The heart or inner part of a thing, as of a column, wall, rope, of a boil, etc.; especially, the central part of fruit, containing the kernels or seeds; as, the core of an apple or quince. [1913 Webster]

A fever at the core, Fatal to him who bears, to all who ever bore. --Byron. [1913 Webster]

2. The center or inner part, as of an open space; as, the core of a square. [Obs.] --Sir W. Raleigh. [1913 Webster]

3. The most important part of a thing; the essence; as, the core of a subject; -- also used attributively, as the core curriculum at a college. [1913 Webster +PJC]

4. (Founding) The portion of a mold which shapes the interior of a cylinder, tube, or other hollow casting, or which makes a hole in or through a casting; a part of the mold, made separate from and inserted in it, for shaping some part of the casting, the form of which is not determined by that of the pattern. [1913 Webster]

5. A disorder of sheep occasioned by worms in the liver. [Prov. Eng.] --Halliwell. [1913 Webster]

6. (Anat.) The bony process which forms the central axis of the horns in many animals. [1913 Webster]

7. (Elec.) A mass of iron or other ferrous metal, forming the central part of an electromagnet, such as those upon which the conductor of an armature, a transformer, or an induction coil is wound.

Note: The presence of the iron intensifies the magnetic field created by a a current passing through the windings. [Webster 1913 Suppl. +PJC]

8. (mining) a sample of earth or rock extracted from underground by a drilling device in such a manner that the layers of rock are preserved in the same order as they exist underground; as, to drill a core; to extract a core. The sample is typically removed with a rotating drill bit having a hollow center, and is thus shaped like a cylinder. [PJC]

9. (computers) the main working memory of a digital computer system, which typically retains the program code being executed as well as the data structures that are manipulated by the program. Contrasted to {ROM} and {data storage device}.

Note: The term was applied originally to small ferromagnetic rings that were used to store data in a computer, each ring representing one bit of information by virtue of its state of magnetization. They were superseded by electronic data storage devices.

Syn: core memory, random access memory, RAM [PJC]

9. (Geol.) the central part of the earth, believed to be a sphere with a radius of about 2100 miles, and composed primarily of molten iron with some nickel. It is distinguished from the crust and mantle. [PJC]

9. (Engineering) the central part of a nuclear reactor, containing the fissionable fuel. [PJC]

{Core box} (Founding), a box or mold, usually divisible, in which cores are molded.

{Core print} (Founding), a projecting piece on a pattern which forms, in the mold, an impression for holding in place or steadying a core. [1913 Webster]