Collins Dictionaries - Collins Junior Illustrated Dictionary

VERB 2 People often burn fuel, such as coal, to keep warm.

NOUN 3 A burn is an injury caused by heat or fire.

burrow burrows NOUN

A burrow is a hole in the ground that an animal lives in.

burst bursts, bursting, burst VERB

When something like a balloon or tyre bursts, it splits open suddenly.

bury buries, burying, buried VERB

If you bury something, you put it in a hole in the ground and cover it.

bus buses NOUN

A bus is a large motor vehicle. People pay to go on buses.

bush bushes NOUN

A bush is a large woody plant with lots of branches. It is smaller than a tree.

business businesses

NOUN 1 Business is the work of making, buying and selling things or services.

NOUN 2 A business is a group of people who make and sell things.

bus stop bus stops NOUN

A bus stop is a place where people can get on or off buses.

busy busier, busiest

ADJECTIVE 1 When you are busy, you are working hard on something.

ADJECTIVE 2 A place that is busy is full of people doing things or moving about.

but CONJUNCTION

You use but to join two parts of a sentence when the second part is unexpected. Megan likes most green vegetables, but she won’t eat broccoli.

butcher butchers NOUN

A butcher is a shopkeeper who cuts up meat and sells it.

butter NOUN

Butter is a yellow fat made from cream. You spread it on bread or use it for cooking.

See Other foods on page 261

butterfly butterflies NOUN

A butterfly is an insect with four large wings which flies during the day.

See Insects on page 264

button buttons

NOUN 1 A button is a small disc used to fasten clothes.

NOUN 2 A button is also a part of a machine that you press to make it work.

buy buys, buying, bought VERB

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

buzz buzzes, buzzing, buzzed VERB

If something buzzes, it makes a “zzz” sound like a bee.

by

PREPOSITION 1 You use by to show who or what has done something. The announcement was made by the head teacher.

PREPOSITION 2 You use by to show how something is done. He cheered us up by taking us to the cinema.

PREPOSITION 3 You use by to talk about being next to or near to another thing. They live by the park.

PREPOSITION 4 If something happens by a particular time, it happens before that time. We should finish by tea time.

PREPOSITION OR ADVERB 5 You use by to talk about going past something. We drove by her house.

Cc

cab cabs

NOUN 1 The cab is the place where the driver sits in a bus, truck or train.

NOUN 2 A cab is another word for a taxi.

cabbage cabbages NOUN

A cabbage is a vegetable that looks like a large ball of leaves.

See Vegetables on page 260

cabin cabins

NOUN 1 A cabin is a room in a ship, boat or aeroplane for passengers or crew.

NOUN 2 A cabin is also a small house in a wild place such as a forest.

cable cables

NOUN 1 A cable is a thick rope or chain.

NOUN 2 A cable is also a bundle of wires with a rubber covering, which carries electricity.

NOUN 3 Cable television is a system in which the signals are sent along wires.

cactus cactuses or cacti NOUN

A cactus is a plant with spines. It can grow in hot, dry places like deserts.

café cafés NOUN

A café is a place with tables and chairs where you buy drinks and snacks.

cage cages NOUN

A cage is a box or room with bars in which birds or animals are kept.

cake cakes NOUN

A cake is a sweet food made with flour, sugar, fat and eggs, and baked in an oven.

See Other foods on page 261

calculate calculates, calculating, calculated VERB

If you calculate something in maths, you work it out.

calculation calculations NOUN

A calculation is something you work out in maths.

calculator calculators NOUN

A calculator is a small electronic machine which you can use to give you the answer to different calculations.

calendar calendars NOUN

A calendar is a list of the months, weeks and days in a year.

calf calves

NOUN 1 Calves are young cows, elephants and whales.

See Young animals on page 265

NOUN 2 Your calf is the part at the back of your leg between the knee and ankle.

call calls, calling, called

VERB 1 If you call someone, you shout for them, or telephone them.

VERB 2 If you call someone something, you give them a name.

VERB 3 If an animal or thing is called something, that is their name.

calm calmer, calmest

ADJECTIVE 1 If you are calm, you do not seem worried or excited.

ADJECTIVE 2 If the sea is calm, it is smooth and still because there is no wind.

came VERB

Came is the past tense of come.

camel camels NOUN

A camel is a large animal which carries people and things in the desert.

camera cameras NOUN

A camera is a piece of equipment you use to take pictures.

camouflage camouflages, camouflaging, camouflaged VERB

To camouflage something is to hide it by giving it the same colour or appearance as its surroundings.

camp camps NOUN

A camp is a place where people stay in tents.

can could; cans

VERB 1 If you can do something, you are able to do it. I can swim.

NOUN 2 A can is a metal container for something like food, drink or paint.

canal canals NOUN

A canal is a narrow stretch of water made for boats to travel along.

cancel cancels, cancelling, cancelled VERB

If you cancel something that has been planned, you stop it from happening.

candle candles NOUN

A candle is a wax stick with a string called a wick inside. You light the wick and it burns to give light.

cane canes

NOUN 1 A cane is the long hollow stem of a plant such as bamboo.

NOUN 2 A cane is a tall narrow stick used to support things.

cannot VERB

Cannot is the same as can not.

canoe canoes NOUN

A canoe is a small light boat, moved with a paddle.

can’t VERB

Can’t is a contraction of cannot.

canvas NOUN

Canvas is strong cloth, used for making things like tents and sails.

canyon canyons NOUN

A canyon is a narrow valley with very steep sides, often with a river.

cap caps

NOUN 1 A cap is a soft flat hat with a peak at the front.

NOUN 2 A cap is also a small flat lid on a bottle or container.

capable ADJECTIVE

If a person is capable of doing something, they are able to do it. He’s capable of doing better.

capacity capacities NOUN

The capacity of something is the largest amount it can hold, produce or carry.

The capacity of this jug is one litre.

capital capitals

NOUN 1 The capital is the main city in a country. Paris is the capital of France.

NOUN 2 A capital is a big letter of the alphabet, such as A, B and C. Capital letters are also called upper-case letters.

See lower-case

See also Punctuation on page 270