What it means
Corker is a punchy old-school bit of praise for something seriously good, impressive, or bang on. You can use it for a goal, a joke, a bargain, a story, or even a whole day that turned out spot on. It’s got a very British, slightly dad-ish glow to it, but that’s part of the charm.
Usage examples
"Did you see that goal last night? Absolute corker, top bins. Pub went mental, and Dave launched a knee slide and soaked his own pint."
"That last goal was an absolute corker, the whole pub jumped up at once."
"She told a corker of a story at dinner and we were still laughing on the way home."
"That chip from the edge of the box was a proper corker, had the keeper rooted to the spot."
"Found this jacket in the charity shop for a tenner. Absolute corker, I'm not leaving without it."
Where it comes from
Corker has been around since the 19th century in British English as a way to call something exceptional or first-rate. It grew out of corking, which already meant excellent or striking. By the late 1800s, corker was firmly established for anything that really delivered and made people sit up.
