Collins Dictionaries - Collins Primary Thesaurus

bump (1) VERB

If you bump into something, you knock into it accidentally.

collide with

My bike collided with a tree at top speed.

knock

Julian knocked his knee against the table leg.

strike

Allegra fell downstairs, striking her head on the banister.

To bump into someone is to meet them by chance.

bump (2) NOUN

A bump is a sound like something knocking into something else.

thud

I heard a thud from upstairs – my sister had fallen out of bed.

thump

The apple landed with a thump on the ground beneath the tree.

bump (3) NOUN

A bump is a raised, uneven part of a surface.

bulge

The bulge under the shoplifter’s coat proved to be a clock radio.

lump

I couldn’t sleep last night because of a lump in my mattress.

swelling

When I banged my head I got a swelling over my eye, but it soon went down.

bumpy ADJECTIVE

Something that is bumpy has a rough, uneven surface.

rough

The pirate’s chin was rough, as though he had shaved with a knife and fork.

uneven

Our soccer pitch is uneven, which makes the ball’s bounce unpredictable.

bunch (1) NOUN

A bunch is a group of things together.

bundle

The servant gathered a bundle of twigs.

cluster

Clusters of grapes hung from the vine.

A bunch of flowers is a bouquet, posy or spray. A bunch of flowers for a funeral is a wreath.

bunch (2) NOUN

A bunch is a group of people.

crowd

The crowd grew restless as the floodlights stayed off.

gang

In the old days, gangs of sailors would use force to persuade men to join the navy.

party

A party of people from each school turned up for the tug-of-war.

burglar NOUN

A burglar is someone who breaks into buildings and steals things.

intruder

Dad woke up and realized that there was an intruder downstairs.

robber

The traveller was set upon by robbers, who stole his money.

thief

Thieves broke into the warehouse and stole 100 televisions.

burn (1) VERB

If something is burning, it is on fire.

be alight

The stove was still alight when we came down in the morning.

blaze

A fire blazed merrily in Mole’s sitting room.

flame

The barbecue flamed up around the burgers.

flicker

The fire flickered and crackled.

Something burning is said to be ablaze.

burn (2) VERB

To burn something can mean to damage or destroy it with fire.

char

The barbecue was too hot and charred the sausages.

scorch

The baking sun had scorched the dry grass on the prairies.

shrivel

The heat of the desert had shrivelled even the toughest of the plants.

singe

I leaned too close to the bonfire and singed my hair.

burst VERB

When something bursts, or you burst it, it splits open suddenly.

break

The coffin broke open and the zombie’s hands grasped the fractured lid.

explode

Shells were exploding just behind the enemy trenches.

rupture

A water pipe had ruptured.

split

With the force of the player’s shot, the leather ball had split.

bury VERB

If something is buried under something, it is covered by it.

conceal

The secret door was concealed behind the bookshelves in the library.

cover

I couldn’t find my homework as I had accidentally covered it with my dirty socks!

hide

Sometimes Dad hides a bone in the garden so that our dog Sadie can find it and dig it up.

secrete

The thief secreted the stolen jewels in a box under the floorboards.

➔ See hide (2)

business (1) NOUN

A business is an organization that produces or sells goods, or provides a service.

company

My mum runs her own company.

corporation

Whizzo Fireworks is part of a big corporation making flares and explosives for quarries.

firm

My uncle’s firm deals in electrical supplies.

organization

“Grappo Inc,” boasted the president, “is a big organization full of high achievers.”

business (2) NOUN

Business is work relating to buying and selling goods and services.

industry

The steel industry requires plenty of water for cooling the metal.

trade

The clothing business is sometimes called the rag trade.

business (3) NOUN

Business is a general word for any event, situation or activity.

affair

“That Baskerville murder was a strange affair,” said Sherlock Holmes.

issue

Who owned the buried treasure? It was a complex issue!

matter

“Stop waffling and stick to the matter in hand,” the chairman cut in.

busy (1) ADJECTIVE

If you are busy, you are doing something.

employed

Amal would clearly be employed for the next half hour, dealing with a difficult customer.

hard at work

My brother was hard at work revising when his friends came round.

occupied

I was occupied looking after my baby brother.

working

I was working on my school project when I was interrupted by the phone ringing.

ANTONYMS: idle or unoccupied

busy (2) ADJECTIVE

A busy place is full of people doing things or moving about.

bustling

Trafalgar Square is the bustling heart of London.

hectic

The streets of Rome were hectic and noisy.

lively

There is a lively market in the town centre every Saturday.

but CONJUNCTION

But is used to introduce an idea that is opposite to what has gone before.

however

The games were about to start. However, I felt poorly and sat in the corner.

nevertheless

In my opinion, Sunita had the best fancy dress. Nevertheless, Emma got the prize.

on the other hand

My sister said she’d had a good time. On the other hand, she always says things like that.

yet

Back home, Mum ordered us to bed, yet I wasn’t really tired.

buy VERB

If you buy something, you get it by paying money for it.

acquire

The school acquired a piece of land to extend the playing field.

obtain

Dad obtained tickets for the match.

pay for

We saved up our pocket money and used it to pay for a new CD player.

purchase

“My good man, where in your emporium can I purchase a handbag?” sniffed Lady Bracknell.

Cc

café NOUN

A café is a place where you can buy light meals and drinks.

coffee shop

My sister took me into her favourite coffee shop for a treat.

snack bar

Dad remembers when that expensive restaurant was a simple snack bar.

teashop

On holiday, we had tea and scones in an old-fashioned teashop.

call (1) VERB

If you call someone or something a particular name, that is their name.

christen

My mum has christened her little soft-top car William.

name

My parents wanted to name me Humphrey, but changed their minds.

call (2) VERB

If you call someone, you telephone them.

phone

“Dad just phoned to say he’ll be home shortly,” I told Mum.

ring

Lisa rang the hospital to see how her brother was doing.

telephone

“If you telephone between twelve and one o’clock, you’ll catch me,” the salesman said.

call off VERB

If something is called off, it is cancelled.

abandon