Green’s Dictionary of Slang

(UK Und.) to give someone a bleeding nose; to draw blood.

1812		Egan Boxiana I 136: Several blows exchanged, but no corks were drawn.
1824		Annals of Sporting 1 Apr. 281: His ivories were laid bare above; he had however drawn the cork of his antagonist and both men were greeted with loud shouts.
1827		Egan Anecdotes of the Turf, the Chase etc. 45: He seldom let the first round pass without drawing the cork of his antagonist.
1830		Morn. Chron. 16 June 4/5: The latter had the bark taken from his kissing-trap and the claret exhibited Jem’s happy knack of ‘drawing a cork’.
1832		S. Warren Diary of a Late Physician in Works (1854) III 237: Tap his claret cask – draw his cork!
1845		Bell’s Life in Sydney 6 Sept. 4/3: Sambo reached Bungaree’s nose with a hearty smack from his left, drawing his cork. [First blood for Sambo].
1848		Flash Dict. in Sinks of London Laid Open.
1853		N.Y. Clipper 2 July n.p.: Jones received the lion’s share of punishment, the cork being again drawn [from] his snout.
1855		(con. 1821) Fights for the Championship 66: A straight left-hander on his upper ivories that drew a cresh cork.
1857		Bell’s Life in Sydney 23 May 2/5: Tom once more drawing the cork from a cut on Aaron’s sniffer, and receiving on the left lug.
1860		Hotten Dict. of Modern Sl. etc. (2nd edn).
1864		H.D. Miles Tom Sayers 33: In return he had his cork drawn from his snout by Nats left.
1865		R.S. Surtees Facey Romford’s Hounds 337: Jimmy [...] laid him sprawling on the flags with [...] what the pugilists call the claret cork taken out of his nose.
1927		(con. 1835–40) P. Herring Bold Bendigo 122: He deeply regretted having drawn his lordship’s ‘cork,’ and he was half in the mind to offer him his silk belcher.