Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A strong dark tobacco.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun A chief; a leader.
  • noun An overseer; one who has charge of a cattle-ranch.
  • noun A brand of tobacco (alluding perhaps to le petit caporal, “the little corporal,” a nickname of Napoleon): often qualified as sweet caporal.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun Sp. Amer. One who directs work; an overseer.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun A type of tobacco.

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[French, short for (tabac de) caporal, corporal('s tobacco), from Italian caporale, from capo, head; see capo.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From French caporal.

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Examples

  • So drawing another chair to the fire, and handing him my last bundle of "caporal," I propped my patent-leathers on the grate, more Americano, and waited for the stream of talk which was sure to come.

    Concerning Cheapness 1877

  • A été tué au combat le caporal Martin Dubé du 5e Régiment de génie de combat basé à la Base des Forces canadiennes Valcartier près de Québec.

    God Bless Cpl. Martin Dube - Sunday, June 14th 2009 Military Mom 2009

  • A été tué au combat le caporal Martin Dubé du 5e Régiment de génie de combat basé à la Base des Forces canadiennes Valcartier près de Québec.

    Archive 2009-06-01 Military Mom 2009

  • Sex reassignment surgery is akin to claiming to cure someone of a Napoleon complex by agreeing with them that they are indeed le petit caporal.

    The Volokh Conspiracy » The Man Who Would Be Queen: 2007

  • "_Petit-caporal_" smoking-tobacco, the delight of the middling classes of Paris, hardly suits an American's taste.

    The Atlantic Monthly, Volume 06, No. 34, August, 1860 Various

  • Wait a moment, till I fill a pipe with caporal, and have a smoke; for if I meet another man with that delicacy, I shall have to give up the Grotto -- unless I have a pipe under my nose, as counter-irritant. '

    The Continental Monthly, Vol. 1, No. 6, June, 1862 Devoted To Literature and National Policy Various

  • He got out his packet of caporal cigarettes and offered one to Nicole, but she refused.

    Pied Piper Shute, Nevil, 1899-1960 1942

  • Nicole went out and came back presently with a packet of caporal cigarettes.

    Pied Piper Shute, Nevil, 1899-1960 1942

  • The young fisherman was sitting on a thwart smoking a caporal.

    Pied Piper Shute, Nevil, 1899-1960 1942

  • Taitbout were the Concerts Rouge, where for seventy-five centimes they could hear excellent music and get into the bargain something which it was quite possible to drink: the seats were uncomfortable, the place was crowded, the air thick with caporal horrible to breathe, but in their young enthusiasm they were indifferent.

    Of Human Bondage 1919

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