Collins Dictionaries - Collins English Dictionary and Thesaurus Essential

Casanova n a promiscuous mancasbah n the citadel of a North African citycascade n

1a waterfall or series of waterfalls over rocks ◇ SYNONYMS: waterfall, falls, torrent, flood, shower, fountain, avalanche, deluge 2something flowing or falling like a waterfall: a cascade of luxuriant hair ▸ vb -cading, -caded 3to flow or fall in a cascade: rays of sunshine cascaded down ◇ SYNONYMS: flow, fall, flood, pour, plunge, surge, spill, tumblecase1 n 1a single instance or example of something: cases of teenage pregnancies ◇ SYNONYMS: instance, example, occasion, specimen, occurrence 2a matter for discussion: the case before the Ethics Committee ◇ SYNONYMS: situation, event, circumstance(s), state, position, condition, context, contingency 3a specific condition or state of affairs: a sudden-death play-off in the case of a draw ◇ SYNONYMS: situation, event, circumstance(s), state, position, condition, context, contingency 4a set of arguments supporting an action or cause: I put my case before them 5a person or problem dealt with by a doctor, social worker, or solicitor 6 Aan action or lawsuit: a rape case ◇ SYNONYMS: lawsuit, trial, suit, proceedings, dispute, action Bthe evidence offered in court to support a claim: he will try to show that the case against his client is largely circumstantial 7(grammar) a form of a noun, pronoun, or adjective showing its relation to other words in the sentence: the accusative case 8(informal) an amusingly eccentric person 9 in any caseno matter what 10 in caseso as to allow for the possibility that: the President has ordered a medical team to stand by in case hostages are released 11 in case ofin the event of: in case of a future conflictcase2 n 1a container, such as a box or chest ◇ SYNONYMS: cabinet, box, chest, holder 2a suitcase ◇ SYNONYMS: suitcase, bag, grip, holdall, portmanteau, valise 3a protective outer covering ◇ SYNONYMS: covering, casing, shell, jacket, envelope, capsule, sheath, wrapper ▸ vb casing, cased 4(slang) to inspect carefully (a place one plans to rob)case-hardened adj having been made callous by experience: a case-hardened senior policewomancasement n a window that is hinged on one sidecase-sensitive adj distinguishing between upper-case and lower-case letters: your password is case-sensitivecash n 1money in the form of banknotes and coins ◇ SYNONYMS: money, funds, notes, currency, silver, brass (N English dialect), dough (slang), coinage 2(informal) money: strapped for cash ◇ SYNONYMS: money, funds, notes, currency, silver, brass (N English dialect), dough (slang), coinage ▸ adj 3of, for, or paid in cash: cash hand-outs ▸ vb 4to obtain or pay banknotes or coins for (a cheque or postal order) ▸ See also cash in on > cashless adjcashew n an edible kidney-shaped nutcashier1 n a person responsible for handling cash in a bank, shop, or other businesscashier2 vb to dismiss with dishonour from the armed forcescash in on vb (informal) to gain profit or advantage from: trying to cash in on the disputecashmere n a very fine soft wool obtained from goatscash register n a till that has a mechanism for displaying and adding the prices of the goods soldcasing n a protective case or coveringcasino n, pl -nosa public building or room where gambling games are playedcask n 1a strong barrel used to hold alcoholic drink 2(Austral) a cubic carton containing wine, with a tap for dispensingcasket n 1a small box for valuables 2(US) a coffincassava n a starch obtained from the root of a tropical American plant, used to make tapiocacasserole n 1a covered dish in which food is cooked slowly, usually in an oven, and served 2a dish cooked and served in this way: beef casserole ▸ vb -roling, -roled 3to cook in a casserolecassette n a plastic case containing a reel of film or magnetic tapecassock n an ankle-length garment, usually black, worn by some Christian priestscassowary n, pl -wariesa large flightless bird of Australia and New Guineacast n 1the actors in a play collectively ◇ SYNONYMS: actors, company, players, characters, troupe, dramatis personae 2 Aan object made of material that has been shaped, while molten, by a mould Bthe mould used to shape such an object 3(surgery) a rigid casing made of plaster of Paris for immobilizing broken bones while they heal 4a sort, kind, or style: people of an academic cast of mind ◇ SYNONYMS: type, sort, kind, style, stamp 5a slight squint in the eye ▸ vb casting, cast 6to select (an actor) to play a part in a play or film ◇ SYNONYMS: choose, name, pick, select, appoint, assign, allot 7to give or deposit (a vote) 8to express (doubts or aspersions) 9to cause to appear: a shadow cast by the grandstand; the gloom cast by the recession ◇ SYNONYMS: give out, spread, deposit, shed, distribute, scatter, emit, radiate 10 Ato shape (molten material) by pouring it into a mould ◇ SYNONYMS: mould, set, found, form, model, shape Bto make (an object) by such a process ◇ SYNONYMS: mould, set, found, form, model, shape 11to throw (a fishing line) into the water 12to throw with force: cast into a bonfire ◇ SYNONYMS: throw, launch, pitch, toss, thrust, hurl, fling, sling 13to direct (a glance): he cast his eye over the horse-chestnut trees ◇ SYNONYMS: bestow, give, level, direct 14to roll or throw (a dice) ◇ SYNONYMS: throw, launch, pitch, toss, thrust, hurl, fling, sling 15 cast asideto abandon or reject: cast aside by her lover 16 cast a spell Ato perform magic Bto have an irresistible influencecastanets pl n a musical instrument, used by Spanish dancers, consisting of curved pieces of hollow wood, held between the fingers and thumb and clicked togethercastaway n a person who has been shipwreckedcaste n 1any of the four major hereditary classes into which Hindu society is divided ◇ SYNONYMS: class, order, rank, status, stratum, social order 2social rank ◇ SYNONYMS: class, order, rank, status, stratum, social ordercastellated adj having turrets and battlements, like a castlecaster sugar n finely ground white sugarcastigate vb -gating, -gatedto find fault with or reprimand (a person) harshly > castigation ncasting vote n the deciding vote used by the chairperson of a meeting when an equal number of votes are cast on each sidecastle n 1a large fortified building or set of buildings, often built as a residence for a ruler or nobleman in medieval Europe ◇ SYNONYMS: fortress, keep, palace, tower, chateau, stronghold, citadel 2same as rookcast-off adj 1discarded because no longer wanted or needed: cast-off clothing ▸ n 2a person or thing that has been discarded because no longer wanted or needed ▸ vb cast off 3to discard (something no longer wanted or needed) 4to untie a ship from a dock 5to knot and remove (a row of stitches, esp. the final row) from the needle in knittingcastor n a small swivelling wheel fixed to a piece of furniture to enable it to be moved easily in any directioncastor oil n an oil obtained from the seeds of an Indian plant, used as a lubricant and purgativecastrate vb -trating, -trated 1to remove the testicles of 2to deprive of vigour or masculinity > castration ncasual adj 1being or seeming careless or nonchalant: she was casual about security ◇ SYNONYMS: careless, relaxed, unconcerned, blasé, offhand, nonchalant, lackadaisical 2occasional or irregular: casual workers 3shallow or superficial: casual relationships 4for informal wear: a casual jacket ◇ SYNONYMS: informal, leisure, sporty, non-dressy 5happening by chance or without planning: a casual comment ◇ SYNONYMS: chance, unexpected, random, accidental, incidental ▸ n 6an occasional worker > casually advcasualty n, pl -ties 1a person who is killed or injured in an accident or war ◇ SYNONYMS: fatality, death, loss, wounded 2the hospital department where victims of accidents are given emergency treatment 3a person or thing that has suffered as the result of a particular event or circumstance: 583 job losses with significant casualties among public-sector employees ◇ SYNONYMS: victim, sufferercasuarina (kass-yew-a- reen-a) n an Australian tree with jointed green branchescasuistry n reasoning that is misleading or oversubtle > casuist ncat n 1a small domesticated mammal with thick soft fur and whiskers ◇ SYNONYMS: feline, pussy (informal), moggy (slang), puss (informal), ballarat (Austral informal), tabby 2a wild animal related to the cat, such as the lynx, lion, or tiger. RELATED ADJECTIVE: feline 3 let the cat out of the bagto disclose a secret 4 raining cats and dogsraining very heavily 5 set the cat among the pigeonsto stir up trouble > catlike adjcataclysm ( kat-a-kliz-zum) n 1a violent upheaval of a social, political, or military nature: the cataclysm of the Second World War 2a disaster such as an earthquake or a flood > cataclysmic adjcatacombs ( kat-a-koomz) pl n an underground burial place consisting of tunnels with side recesses for tombscatafalque ( kat-a-falk) n a raised platform on which a body lies in state before or during a funeralcatalepsy n a trancelike state in which the body is rigid > cataleptic adjcatalogue or (US) catalog n 1a book containing details of items for sale ◇ SYNONYMS: list, record, schedule, index, register, directory, inventory, gazetteer 2a list of all the books of a library ◇ SYNONYMS: list, record, schedule, index, register, directory, inventory, gazetteer 3a list of events, qualities, or things considered as a group: a catalogue of killings ▸ vb -loguing, -loguedor -loging, -loged 4to enter (an item) in a catalogue ◇ SYNONYMS: list, file, index, register, classify, inventory, tabulate, alphabetize 5to list a series of (events, qualities, or things): the report catalogues two decades of human-rights violations > cataloguer ncatalyse or (US) -lyze vb -lysing, -lysedor -lyzing, -lyzedto influence (a chemical reaction) by catalysiscatalysis n acceleration of a chemical reaction by the action of a catalyst > catalytic adjcatalyst n 1a substance that speeds up a chemical reaction without itself undergoing any permanent chemical change 2a person or thing that causes an important change to take place: a catalyst for peacecatamaran n a boat with twin parallel hullscatapult n 1a Y-shaped device with a loop of elastic fastened to the ends of the prongs, used by children for firing stones 2a device used to launch aircraft from a warship ▸ vb 3to shoot forwards or upwards violently: traffic catapulted forward with a roar 4to cause (someone) suddenly to be in a particular situation: catapulted to stardomcataract n 1(pathol) Aa condition in which the lens of the eye becomes partially or totally opaque Bthe opaque area 2a large waterfallcatarrh (kat- tar) n excessive mucus in the nose and throat, often experienced during or following a cold > catarrhal adjcatastrophe (kat- ass-trof-fee) n a great and sudden disaster or misfortune ◇ SYNONYMS: disaster, tragedy, calamity, cataclysm, trouble, adversity, fiasco > catastrophic adjcatcall n a shrill whistle or cry of disapproval or derisioncatch vb catching, caught 1to seize and hold ◇ SYNONYMS: seize, get, grab, snatch 2to capture (a person or a fish or animal) ◇ SYNONYMS: capture, arrest, trap, seize, snare, apprehend, ensnare, entrap 3to surprise in an act: two boys were caught stealing ◇ SYNONYMS: discover, surprise, find out, expose, detect, catch in the act, take unawares 4to reach (a bus, train, or plane) in time to board it 5to see or hear: you'll have to be quick if you want to catch her DJ-ing 6to be infected with (an illness) ◇ SYNONYMS: contract, get, develop, suffer from, incur, succumb to, go down with 7to entangle or become entangled 8to attract (someone's attention, imagination, or interest) 9to comprehend or make out: you have to work hard to catch his tone and meaning 10to reproduce (a quality) accurately in a work of art 11(of a fire) to start burning 12(cricket) to dismiss (a batsman) by catching a ball struck by him or her before it touches the ground 13 catch at Ato attempt to grasp Bto take advantage of (an opportunity) 14 catch it(informal) to be punished ▸ n 15a device such as a hook, for fastening a door, window, or box ◇ SYNONYMS: fastener, clip, bolt, latch, clasp 16the total number of fish caught 17(informal) a concealed or unforeseen drawback ◇ SYNONYMS: drawback, trick, trap, disadvantage, hitch, snag, stumbling block, fly in the ointment 18an emotional break in the voice 19(informal) a person considered worth having as a husband or wife 20(cricket) the act of catching a ball struck by a batsman before it touches the ground, resulting in him or her being out ▸ See also catch on , catch out , catch up catchcry n, pl -cries(Austral) a well-known, frequently used phrase, esp one associated with a particular groupcatching adj infectious ◇ SYNONYMS: infectious, contagious, transferable, communicable, transmittablecatchment area n 1the area of land draining into a river, basin, or reservoir 2the area served by a particular school or hospitalcatch on vb (informal) 1to become popular or fashionable ◇ SYNONYMS catch on: become popular, take off, become trendy, come into fashion 2to understand: I was slow to catch on to what she was trying to tell me ◇ SYNONYMS catch on: understand, see, find out, grasp, see through, comprehend, twig (Brit informal), get the picturecatch out vb (informal, chiefly Brit) to trap (someone) in an error or a liecatch phrase n a well-known phrase or slogan associated with a particular entertainer or other celebritycatch up vb 1 be caught up into be unwillingly or accidentally involved in: hundreds of civilians have been caught up in the clashes 2 catch up on or withto bring (something) up to date: he had a lot of paperwork to catch up on 3 catch up withto reach or pass (someone or something): she ran to catch up with him ▸ n catch-up 4a meeting held in order to bring someone up to date with developments 5a facility for watching a television programme after it has been broadcast 6 play catch-up(informal) to attempt to match a standard set by another person or organizationcatchword n a well-known and frequently used phrase or slogancatchy adj catchier, catchiest(of a tune) pleasant and easily rememberedcatechism ( kat-tik-kiz-zum) n instruction on the doctrine of a Christian Church by a series of questions and answerscategorical or categoric adj absolutely clear and certain: he was categorical in his denial > categorically advcategorize or -rise vb -rizing, -rizedor -rising, -risedto put in a category > categorization or -risation ncategory n, pl -riesa class or group of things or people with some quality or qualities in common ◇ SYNONYMS: class, grouping, heading, sort, department, type, division, sectioncater vb 1to provide what is needed or wanted: operating theatres that can cater for open-heart surgery 2to provide food or services: chef is pleased to cater for vegetarians and veganscaterer n a person whose job is to provide food for social events such as parties and weddingscaterpillar n 1the wormlike larva of a butterfly or moth 2(trademark) Also: caterpillar trackan endless track, driven by cogged wheels, used to propel a heavy vehicle such as a bulldozercaterwaul vb 1to make a yowling noise like a cat ▸ n 2such a noisecatfish n, pl -fishor -fishesa freshwater fish with whisker-like barbels around the mouthcatgut n a strong cord made from dried animals' intestines, used to string musical instruments and sports racketscatharsis (kath- thar-siss) n 1the relief of strong suppressed emotions, for example through drama or psychoanalysis 2evacuation of the bowels, esp. with the use of a laxativecathartic adj 1causing catharsis ▸ n 2a drug that causes catharsiscathedral n the principal church of a dioceseCatherine wheel n a firework that rotates, producing sparks and coloured flamecatheter ( kath-it-er) n a slender flexible tube inserted into a body cavity to drain fluidcathode n (electronics) the negative electrode in an electrolytic cell or in an electronic valve or tubecathode rays pl n a stream of electrons emitted from the surface of a cathode in a valvecatholic adj (of tastes or interests) covering a wide rangeCatholic (Christianity) adj 1of the Roman Catholic Church ▸ n 2a member of the Roman Catholic Church > Catholicism ncation ( kat-eye-on) n a positively charged ioncatkin n a drooping flower spike found on trees such as the birch, hazel, and willowcatnap n 1a short sleep or doze ▸ vb -napping, -napped 2to sleep or doze for a short time or intermittentlyCatseyes pl n (trademark, Brit & Austral & NZ) glass reflectors set into the road at intervals to indicate traffic lanes by reflecting light from vehicles' headlightscat's paw n a person used by someone else to do unpleasant things for him or hercattle pl n domesticated cows and bulls. RELATED ADJECTIVE: bovine◇ SYNONYMS: cows, stock, beasts, livestock, bovinescatty adj -tier, -tiest(informal) spiteful: her remarks were amusing and only slightly catty > cattiness ncatwalk n 1a narrow pathway over the stage of a theatre or along a bridge 2a narrow platform where models display clothes in a fashion showCaucasian or Caucasoid adj 1of the predominantly light-skinned supposed racial group of humankind ▸ n 2a member of this groupcaucus n, pl -cuses 1a local committee or faction of a political party 2a political meeting to decide future plans 3(NZ) a formal meeting of all MPs of one partycaught vb the past of catch cauldron or caldron n a large pot used for boilingcauliflower n a vegetable with a large head of white flower buds surrounded by green leavescaulk vb to fill in (cracks) with paste or some other materialcausal adj of or being a cause: a causal connection > causally advcausation or causality n 1the production of an effect by a cause 2the relationship of cause and effectcause n 1something that produces a particular effect ◇ SYNONYMS: origin, source, spring, agent, maker, producer, root, beginning 2grounds for action; justification: there is cause for concern ◇ SYNONYMS: reason, call, need, grounds, basis, incentive, motive, motivation 3an aim or principle which an individual or group is interested in and supports: the Socialist cause ◇ SYNONYMS: aim, movement, principle, ideal, enterprise ▸ vb causing, caused 4to be the cause of ◇ SYNONYMS: produce, create, lead to, result in, generate, induce, bring about, give rise to > causeless adjcause célèbre ( kawzsill- leb-ra) n, pl causes célèbres( kawzsill- leb-raz) a controversial legal case, issue, or personcauseway n a raised path or road across water or marshlandcaustic adj 1capable of burning or corroding by chemical action: caustic soda 2bitter and sarcastic: caustic critics ▸ n 3(chem) a caustic substance > caustically advcauterize or -ise vb -izing, -izedor -ising, -isedto burn (a wound) with heat or a caustic agent to prevent infection > cauterization or -isation ncaution n 1care or prudence, esp. in the face of danger ◇ SYNONYMS: care, discretion, heed, prudence, vigilance, alertness, forethought, circumspection 2warning: a word of caution 3(law, chiefly Brit) a formal warning given to a person suspected of an offence ◇ SYNONYMS: reprimand, warning, injunction, admonition ▸ vb 4to warn or advise: he cautioned against an abrupt turnaround ◇ SYNONYMS: warn, urge, advise, alert, tip off, forewarn > cautionary adjcautious adj showing or having caution ◇ SYNONYMS: careful, guarded, wary, tentative, prudent, judicious, circumspect, cagey (informal) > cautiously advcavalcade n a procession of people on horseback or in carscavalier adj 1showing haughty disregard; offhand ▸ n 2(old-fashioned) a gallant or courtly gentlemanCavalier n a supporter of Charles I during the English Civil Warcavalry n the part of an army originally mounted on horseback, but now often using fast armoured vehicles ◇ SYNONYMS: horsemen, horse, mounted troops > cavalryman ncave n a hollow in the side of a hill or cliff, or underground ◇ SYNONYMS: hollow, cavern, grotto, den, cavitycaveat ( kav-vee-at) n 1(law) a formal notice requesting the court not to take a certain action without warning the person lodging the caveat 2a cautioncave in vb 1to collapse inwards 2(informal) to yield completely under pressure: the government caved in to the revolutionaries' demands ▸ n cave-in 3the sudden collapse of a roof or piece of groundcaveman n, pl -men 1a prehistoric cave dweller 2(informal) a man who is primitive or brutal in behaviourcavern n a large cavecavernous adj like a cavern in vastness, depth, or hollowness: the cavernous buildingcaviar or caviare n the salted roe of the sturgeon, regarded as a delicacy and usually served as an appetizercavil vb -illing, -illed(US) -iling, -iled 1to raise annoying petty objections ▸ n 2a petty objectioncaving n the sport of climbing in and exploring caves > caver ncavity n, pl -ties 1a hollow space ◇ SYNONYMS: hollow, hole, gap, pit, dent, crater 2(dentistry) a decayed area on a toothcavort vb to skip about; capercaw n 1the cry of a crow, rook, or raven ▸ vb 2to make this crycayenne pepper or cayenne n a very hot red spice made from the dried seeds of capsicumscayman or caiman n, pl -mansa tropical American reptile similar to an alligatorCB 1Citizens' Band 2Commander of the Order of the BathCBE Commander of the Order of the British Empire (a Brit. title)CBI Confederation of British Industrycc or c.c. 1carbon copy 2(in South Africa) closed corporation 3cubic centimetreCD compact discCD-ROM compact disc read-only memory: a compact disc used with a computer system as a read-only optical discCE (used, esp. by non-Christians, in numbering years AD) Common Eracease vb ceasing, ceased 1to bring or come to an end ◇ SYNONYMS: stop, end, finish, come to an end ▸ n 2 without ceasewithout stoppingceasefire n a temporary period of truceceaseless adj without stopping > ceaselessly advcedar n 1a coniferous tree with needle-like evergreen leaves and barrel-shaped cones 2the sweet-smelling wood of this treecede vb ceding, cededto transfer or surrender (territory or legal rights)cedilla n a character (¸) placed underneath a c, esp. in French or Portuguese, indicating that it is to be pronounced (s), not (k)ceilidh ( kay-lee) n an informal social gathering in Scotland or Ireland with folk music and country dancingceiling n 1the inner upper surface of a room 2an upper limit set on something such as a payment or salary 3the upper altitude to which an aircraft can climbcelandine n a wild plant with yellow flowerscelebrant n a person who performs or takes part in a religious ceremonycelebrate vb -brating, -brated 1to hold festivities: let's celebrate! ◇ SYNONYMS: rejoice, party, enjoy yourself, carouse, live it up (informal), make merry, put the flags out, kill the fatted calf 2to hold festivities to mark (a happy event, birthday, or anniversary) 3to perform (a solemn or religious ceremony) ◇ SYNONYMS: perform, observe, preside over, officiate at, solemnize 4to praise publicly: the novel is justly celebrated as a masterpiece > celebration n > celebratory adjcelebrated adj well known: the celebrated musician ◇ SYNONYMS: renowned, popular, famous, distinguished, well-known, prominent, acclaimed, notablecelebrity n, pl -ties 1a famous person ◇ SYNONYMS: personality, star, superstar, big name, dignitary, luminary, big shot (informal), V.I.P. 2the state of being famous ◇ SYNONYMS: fame, reputation, distinction, prestige, prominence, stardom, renown, reputeceleriac (sill- ler-ree-ak) n a variety of celery with a large turnip-like rootcelerity (sill- ler-rit-tee) n (formal) swiftnesscelery n a vegetable with long green crisp edible stalkscelestial adj 1heavenly or divine: celestial music 2of or relating to the sky or space: celestial objects such as pulsars and quasarscelibate adj 1unmarried or abstaining from sex, esp. because of a religious vow of chastity ▸ n 2a celibate person > celibacy ncell n 1(biol) the smallest unit of an organism that is able to function independently 2a small simple room in a prison, convent, or monastery ◇ SYNONYMS: room, chamber, lock-up, compartment, cavity, cubicle, dungeon, stall 3any small compartment, such as a cell of a honeycomb 4a small group operating as the core of a larger organization: Communist cells ◇ SYNONYMS: unit, group, section, core, nucleus, caucus, coterie 5a device that produces electrical energy by chemical action 6(US & Canad) a cellular phonecellar n 1an underground room, usually used for storage 2a place where wine is stored 3a stock of bottled winescello ( chell-oh) n, pl -losa large low-pitched musical instrument of the violin family, held between the knees and played with a bow > cellist nCellophane n (trademark) a thin transparent material made from cellulose that is used as a protective wrapping, esp. for foodcellular adj 1of, consisting of, or resembling a cell or cells: cellular changes 2woven with an open texture: cellular blankets 3designed for or using cellular radio: cellular phonescellulite n fat deposits under the skin alleged to resist dietingcelluloid n 1a kind of plastic made from cellulose nitrate and camphor, used to make toys and, formerly, photographic film 2the cinema or films generally: a Shakespeare play committed to celluloidcellulose n the main constituent of plant cell walls, used in making paper, rayon, and plasticsCelsius adj denoting a measurement on the Celsius scaleCelt ( kelt) n 1a person from Scotland, Ireland, Wales, Cornwall, or Brittany 2a member of a people who inhabited Britain, Gaul, and Spain in pre-Roman timesCeltic ( kel-tik, sel-tik) n 1a group of languages that includes Gaelic, Welsh, and Breton ▸ adj 2of the Celts or the Celtic languagescement n 1 Aa fine grey powder made of limestone and clay, mixed with water and sand to make mortar or concrete ◇ SYNONYMS: mortar, plaster, paste Bmortar or concrete ◇ SYNONYMS: mortar, plaster, paste 2something that unites, binds, or joins things or people: bone cement; the cement of fear and hatred of the Left ◇ SYNONYMS: sealant, glue, gum, adhesive 3(dentistry) a material used for filling teeth ▸ vb 4to join, bind, or cover with cement ◇ SYNONYMS: stick, join, bond, attach, seal, glue, plaster, weld 5to make (a relationship) stronger: this would cement a firm alliance between the army and rebelscemetery n, pl -teriesa place where dead people are buried: a military cemetery ◇ SYNONYMS: graveyard, churchyard, burial ground, necropolis, God's acrecenotaph n a monument honouring soldiers who died in a warcenser n a container for burning incensecensor n 1a person authorized to examine films, letters, or publications, in order to ban or cut anything considered obscene or objectionable ▸ vb 2to ban or cut portions of (a film, letter, or publication) ◇ SYNONYMS: expurgate, cut, blue-pencil, bowdlerizecensorious adj harshly criticalcensorship n the practice or policy of censoring films, letters, or publicationscensure n 1severe disapproval ◇ SYNONYMS: disapproval, criticism, blame, condemnation, rebuke, reprimand, reproach, stick (slang) ▸ vb -suring, -sured 2to criticize (someone or something) severely ◇ SYNONYMS: criticize, blame, condemn, denounce, rebuke, reprimand, reproach, scold, damncensus n, pl -susesan official periodic count of a population including such information as sex, age, and occupationcent n a monetary unit worth one hundredth of the main unit of currency in many countriescentaur n (Greek myth) a creature with the head, arms, and torso of a man, and the lower body and legs of a horsecentenarian n a person who is at least 100 years oldcentenary (sen- teen-a-ree) n, pl -naries(chiefly Brit) a 100th anniversary or the celebration of one. US equivalent: centennialcenter n, vb (US) same as centre centi- prefix 1denoting one hundredth: centimetre 2denoting one hundred: centipedecentigrade adj same as Celsius centigram or centigramme n one hundredth of a gramcentilitre or (US) centiliter n a measure of volume equivalent to one hundredth of a litrecentimetre or (US) centimeter n a unit of length equal to one hundredth of a metrecentipede n a small wormlike creature with many legscentral adj 1of, at, or forming the centre of something: eastern and central parts of the country ◇ SYNONYMS: inner, middle, mid, interior 2main or principal: a central issue ◇ SYNONYMS: main, central, chief, key, essential, primary, principal, fundamental, focal > centrally adv > centrality ncentral heating n a system for heating a building by means of radiators or air vents connected to a central source of heat > centrally heated adjcentralism n the principle of bringing a country or an organization under central control > centralist adjcentralize or -ise vb -izing, -izedor -ising, -isedto bring (a country or an organization) under central control > centralization or -isation ncentral reservation n (Brit & NZ) the strip that separates the two sides of a motorway or dual carriagewaycentre or (US) center n 1the middle point or part of something ◇ SYNONYMS: middle, heart, focus, core, nucleus, hub, pivot, kernel 2a place where a specified activity takes place: a shopping centre 3a person or thing that is a focus of interest: the centre of a long-running dispute 4a place of activity or influence: the parliament building was the centre of resistance 5a political party or group that favours moderation 6(sport) a player who plays in the middle of the field rather than on a wing ▸ vb -tring, -tred(US) -tering, -tered 7to put in the centre of something 8 centre onto have as a centre or main theme: the summit is expected to centre on expanding the role of the UN ◇ SYNONYMS centre on something or someone: focus, concentrate, cluster, revolve, convergecentrifugal (sent- riff-few-gl) adj 1moving or tending to move away from a centre 2of or operated by centrifugal force: centrifugal extractorscentrifuge n a machine that separates substances by the action of centrifugal forcecentripetal (sent- rip-it-al) adj moving or tending to move towards a centrecentrist n a person who holds moderate political viewscenturion n (in ancient Rome) the officer in command of a centurycentury n, pl -ries 1a period of 100 years 2a score of 100 runs in cricket 3(in ancient Rome) a unit of foot soldiers, originally consisting of 100 menCEO chief executive officercephalopod ( seff-a-loh-pod) n a sea mollusc with a head and tentacles, such as the octopusceramic n 1a hard brittle material made by heating clay to a very high temperature 2an object made of this material ▸ adj 3made of ceramic: ceramic tilescereal n 1any grass that produces an edible grain, such as oat, wheat, or rice 2the grain produced by such a plant 3a breakfast food made from this grain, usually eaten mixed with milkcerebral ( serr-rib-ral) adj 1of the brain: a cerebral haemorrhage 2involving intelligence rather than emotions or instinct: the cerebral joys of the literary worldcerebrum ( serr-rib-rum) n, pl -brumsor -bra(-bra) the main part of the human brain, associated with thought, emotion, and personalityceremonial adj 1of ceremony or ritual ◇ SYNONYMS: formal, public, official, ritual, stately, solemn, liturgical, courtly ▸ n 2a system of formal rites; ritual ◇ SYNONYMS: ritual, ceremony, rite, formality, solemnity > ceremonially advceremonious adj excessively polite or formal > ceremoniously advceremony n, pl -nies 1a formal act or ritual performed for a special occasion: a wedding ceremony ◇ SYNONYMS: ritual, service, rite, observance, commemoration, solemnities 2formally polite behaviour ◇ SYNONYMS: formality, ceremonial, propriety, decorum 3 stand on ceremonyto insist on or act with excessive formalitycerise (ser- reess) adj cherry-redcertain adj 1positive and confident about something: he was certain they would agree ◇ SYNONYMS: sure, convinced, positive, confident, satisfied, assured 2definitely known: it is by no means certain the tomb still exists ◇ SYNONYMS: known, true, positive, conclusive, unequivocal, undeniable, irrefutable, unquestionable, nailed-on (slang) 3sure or bound: the cuts are certain to go ahead ◇ SYNONYMS: bound, sure, fated, destined 4some but not much: a certain amount 5particular: certain aspects 6named but not known: a running commentary by a certain Mr Fox 7 for certainwithout doubtcertainly adv without doubt: he will certainly be back ◇ SYNONYMS: definitely, surely, truly, undoubtedly, without doubt, undeniably, indisputably, assuredlycertainty n 1the condition of being certain ◇ SYNONYMS: confidence, trust, faith, conviction, assurance, sureness, positiveness 2pl -tiessomething established as inevitable ◇ SYNONYMS: inevitabilitycertifiable adj considered to be legally insanecertificate n an official document stating the details of something such as birth, death, or completion of an academic course ◇ SYNONYMS: document, licence, warrant, voucher, diploma, testimonial, authorization, credential(s)certify vb -fies, -fying, -fied 1to confirm or attest to ◇ SYNONYMS: confirm, declare, guarantee, assure, testify, verify, validate, attest 2to guarantee (that certain required standards have been met) ◇ SYNONYMS: confirm, declare, guarantee, assure, testify, verify, validate, attest 3to declare legally insane > certification ncertitude n (formal) confidence or certaintycervix n, pl cervixesor cervices 1the lower part of the womb that extends into the vagina 2(anatomy) the neck > cervical adjcesium n (US) same as caesium cessation n an ending or pause: a cessation of hostilitiescesspool or cesspit n a covered tank or pit for collecting and storing sewage or waste watercetacean (sit- tay-shun) n a sea creature such as a whale or dolphin, which belongs to a family of fish-shaped mammals and breathes through a blowholecf compareCFC chlorofluorocarbonCGI computer-generated image(s)