cork up

To put something in a bottle and close it with a cork.

• We corked up the cider.
• She corked up the homemade wine for winter.
• They corked up the remaining juice in small bottles.

How to use it: cork something up in something (We corked the wine up in glass bottles.)

Similar words: bottle, bottle up

Common phrases: cork up the wine, cork up something, cork up some cider

To close a hole or opening with a cork or a similar object.

• Cork up that hole.
• He corked up the pipe to stop the leak.
• We corked up the opening with a rubber plug.

How to use it: cork something up (She corked the leaking tube up.)

Similar words: plug, stop up, block

Opposites: unblock

Common phrases: cork up a hole, cork up the pipe, cork up something

To stop talking or making noise.

• Cork up and listen!
• He told the noisy children to cork up.
• Will you cork up for a minute?

Similar words: shut up, be quiet

Common phrases: cork up now, cork up in there, please cork up

To make someone stop talking or making noise.

• Someone needs to cork him up.
• Her sharp reply corked up the loudest guest.
• The chairman tried to cork up the heckler.

How to use it: cork someone up (The warning finally corked him up.)

Similar words: silence, shut up

Common phrases: cork up someone, cork someone up, cork up the heckler

To keep a strong feeling or desire inside instead of expressing it.

• He corked up his anger.
• She had corked up her feelings for years.
• Trying to cork up every emotion left him exhausted.

How to use it: cork something up (He corked his frustration up until he was alone.)

Similar words: bottle up, suppress, hold back

Opposites: express

Common phrases: cork up your anger, cork up something, cork up your feelings

To put cork inside a baseball bat, or use a bat changed in this way.

• He corked up his bat.
• The umpire suspected that the hitter had been corking up.
• Players who cork up risk being banned.

How to use it: cork up something (The player had corked up the bat before the match.)

Similar words: cork

Common phrases: cork up a bat, cork up before games, cork up illegally