TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE CORN, verb. phr. (American).—To confess; to make an admission: as to a charge, failure, etc.
1846. New York Herald, 27 June. The Evening Mirror very naïvely comes out and ACKNOWLEDGES THE CORN.
1846. D. CORCORAN, Pickings from the Picayune, 80. ‘Enough,’ said the captain, ‘I’m hoaxed, gloriously hoaxed. I ACKNOWLEDGE THE CORN.’
1860. HALIBURTON (‘Sam Slick’), The Season Ticket, No. 9. ‘He had a beard that wouldn’t ACKNOWLEDGE THE CORN to no man’s.’
1865. G. W. BACON, Descriptive Handbook of America, 361. ACKNOWLEDGE THE CORN, to confess a charge or imputation.
1871. DE VERE, Americanisms, 47. In 1828 … Congress discussing the principle of Protection … Mr. Wickliffe jumped up and said: ‘Mr. Speaker, I ACKNOWLEDGE THE CORN.’
1883. G. A. SALA, Living London, 97. Mr. Porter ACKNOWLEDGES THE CORN as regards his fourteen days’ imprisonment, and is forgiven by his loving consort.
