can of corn
1
9.0
- noun
- Archaic
:
tarea fácil
- The pitcher threw an easy lob, and hitting it was just a can of corn for the batter.
Examples
-
Everyone expected him to catch the ball, as it was a simple can of corn.
-
Can of corn, and Robinson is out.
-
Okay, that's a can of corn.
-
That's a can of corn!
-
The pop fly was a can of corn for the outfielder, who caught it easily.
Synonyms
16
2.1
A task that is very easy to do
1
3.6
A high fly ball that is easy for fielders to catch
1
4.2
A short high ball hit into the air that a fielder can easily catch
A ball hit high into the air near home plate that is easy to catch
Antonyms
How Easy
- Informal
33
2.1
- Informal
51
1.0
- Archaic
1
9.0
∞
1.0
∞
1.0
51
1.8
Surface Forms
Morphology
The literal meanings of 'can' (a metal container) and 'corn' (maize) describe a food container and do not convey anything like 'an easy catch' or 'easy task'. This is a culture-/register-specific baseball idiom whose meaning is not predictable from its parts, so a B1 learner who knows the words but hasn't seen the phrase would not be able to derive its sense.
Etymology
The phrase can of corn may come from old shops where a store worker used a long stick to knock a can of corn off a high shelf so it fell slowly into a customer's hands. Because the can fell slowly and was easy to catch, in baseball a can of corn came to mean 'an easy catch' and then 'an easy task'.