core

I UK [kɔː(r)] / US [kɔr] noun [countable]
Word forms "core":
singular core plural cores
**

1)

a) the most important or most basic part of something

core of:

These 2,500 words form the core of the language.

at the core of something:

Financial instability lies at the core of the institute's problems.

b) the members of a group who do the most work, or who support it most strongly

core of:

Females comprise the core of the monkeys' social unit.

2) the part inside an object that is nearest its centre

The ball has a core of hard rubber.

core of:

These six countries are the geographical core of Western Europe.

a) the central part of a fruit such as an apple, containing the seeds or pips

b) the central part of a planet

the Earth's core

c) the central part of a nuclear reactor

•

- to the core

II UK [kɔː(r)] / US [kɔr] adjective *

a) most important, or most basic

We need to focus on our core activities.

core business (= a company's main business activity):

Selling insurance is still our core business.

core to:

The computer network is core to our operations.

b) used for describing the most important members of a group

2,000 students joined the core group of activists on the march.

•

core values/beliefs — the most important beliefs of a person or group

- core curriculum

III UK [kɔː(r)] / US [kɔr] verb [transitive]
Word forms "core":
present tense I/you/we/they core he/she/it cores present participle coring past tense cored past participle cored

to take the centre out of a piece of fruit such as an apple