1. A stalk of corn, esp. in U.S. of Indian corn.
Also attrib. and Comb., as corn-stalk cutter, a machine for cutting up the stalks of Indian corn of a previous year’s crop to allow them to be plowed into the ground; corn-stalk fiddle, a musical toy made of a stalk of Indian corn.
1816. J. Pickering, Voc. Words U. S., Corn-Stalks. The farmers of New England use this term … to denote the upper part of the stalks of Indian Corn (above the ear) which is cut off while green, and then dried to make fodder for their cattle.
1825. J. Neal, Bro. Jonathan, I. 77. A spoonful or two of … corn-stalk molasses.
1832. Lander, Adv. Niger, II. x. 107. The surprising height and stiffness of the corn-stalks.
a. 1834. ‘Dow, Jr.,’ Serm. (Bartlett). There is no more sentiment in the soul of an old bachelor, than there is music in a corn-stalk fiddle.
2. fig. A tall, lithe person; hence, a nickname given to persons of European descent born in Australia, more particularly in New South Wales.
1865. H. Kingsley, Hillyars & Burtons, xxviii. 146. More particular over their rations than any corn-stalk cockatoo.
1880. J. Inglis, Austral. Cousins, 149. ‘Cornstalk’ is the generic nickname applied to the native-born New South Welshman…. They are thus dubbed from the prevailing tendency of the adolescens simplex of Australia to run somewhat more to length than to breadth.
1886. F. H. H. Guillemard, Cruise Marchesa, I. 92. We were astonished at being greeted in very fair English by a long, lean cornstalk of a lad.
