Collins Dictionaries - Collins Junior Illustrated Dictionary

central ADJECTIVE

Something that is central is in the middle of an object or an area.

centre centres

NOUN 1 The centre of anything is the middle of it.

NOUN 2 A centre is a place where people can go for a particular purpose, for example sports.

century centuries NOUN

A century is a period of 100 years. The 21st century is the time between 2000 and 2099.

cereal cereals

NOUN 1 Cereal is a plant which has seeds called grain that can be used for food.

NOUN 2 Cereal is also a food made from grain that is often eaten for breakfast.

See Other foods on page 261

ceremony ceremonies NOUN

A ceremony is a set of formal actions performed at a special occasion such as a wedding.

certain ADJECTIVE

If you are certain of something, you are sure it is true.

certificate certificates NOUN

A certificate is a piece of paper which says that something important like a birth or marriage took place.

chain chains NOUN

A chain is made from rings of metal joined together in a line.

chair chairs NOUN

A chair is a seat with a back, for one person.

chalk NOUN

Chalk is a soft white rock. It can be made into sticks for writing on blackboards.

challenge challenges, challenging, challenged

NOUN 1 A challenge is something new and exciting that needs a lot of effort. Learning how to cook is a new challenge for me.

VERB 2 If someone challenges you, they ask you to have a competition with them.

champion champions NOUN

A champion is a person who has beaten everyone else in a contest.

chance chances

NOUN 1 If there is a chance that something will happen, it might happen.

NOUN 2 If you are given a chance to do something, you are allowed to do it if you want to.

by chance PHRASE If something happens by chance, it has not been planned.

change changes, changing, changed

VERB 1 When something changes, it becomes different.

VERB 2 When you change your clothes, you put on different ones.

NOUN 3 If there is a change in something, it is different in some way.

NOUN 4 Change is the money you are given when you pay more than the right amount for something.

channel channels

NOUN 1 A channel is a passage for water or other liquid.

NOUN 2 Television companies use channels to broadcast programmes.

chaos NOUN

Chaos is a state of complete confusion, where nothing is organized.

chapter chapters NOUN

A chapter is a part of a book.

character characters

NOUN 1 The characters of a book, film or play are the people it is about.

NOUN 2 Someone’s character is the sort of person they are. She has a kind character.

charge charges, charging, charged

VERB 1 If someone charges you money, they ask you to pay for something.

VERB 2 If something or someone charges towards you, they rush forward.

in charge PHRASE If you are in charge of something, you are the person looking after it.

charity charities NOUN

A charity is an organization which raises money for a particular cause, such as people in need.

charm charms

NOUN 1 A charm is a small ornament that is fixed to a bracelet or necklace.

NOUN 2 A charm is also a magical spell or an object that is supposed to bring good luck.

chart charts

NOUN 1 A chart is a sheet of paper that shows things like dates or numbers.

NOUN 2 A chart can also be a map of the sea or of the stars.

chase chases, chasing, chased VERB

If you chase someone, you run after them to try and catch them.

chat chats NOUN

A chat is a friendly talk about things that are not very important.

chatroom chatrooms NOUN

A chatroom is a site on a computer network where people discuss a particular subject.

chatter chatters, chattering, chattered VERB

When people chatter, they talk about unimportant things.

cheap cheaper, cheapest ADJECTIVE

Something cheap costs very little, or less than you might expect.

cheat cheats, cheating, cheated VERB

When someone cheats, they lie or do unfair things to get what they want.

check checks, checking, checked

VERB 1 If you check something, you make sure it is correct or safe.

NOUN 2 A check is a pattern of squares.

checkout checkouts NOUN

A checkout is the place in a supermarket where you pay.

cheek cheeks NOUN

Your cheeks are the sides of your face below your eyes.

cheeky cheekier, cheekiest ADJECTIVE

Cheeky speech or behaviour is rude and disrespectful.

cheer cheers, cheering, cheered VERB

When you cheer, you shout to show you are pleased about something or to encourage a person or team.

cheerful ADJECTIVE

Someone who is cheerful shows they are feeling happy.

cheese cheeses NOUN

Cheese is a food made from milk. Some cheeses have a strong flavour.

See Other foods on page 261

cheetah cheetahs NOUN

A cheetah is a large wild animal of the cat family, with black spots.

chef chefs NOUN

A chef is the head cook in a restaurant or hotel.

chemist chemists

NOUN 1 A chemist is a person who makes up medicine.

NOUN 2 The chemist is a shop where you can buy medicine and things like soap and toothpaste.

NOUN 3 A chemist can be a scientist trained in chemistry.

chemistry NOUN

Chemistry is the scientific study of how substances are made up and how they work together.

cheque cheques NOUN

A cheque is a piece of paper that people use to pay for things.

cherry cherries NOUN

A cherry is a small round red or black fruit with a hard seed called a stone in the middle.

See Fruit on page 260

chess NOUN

Chess is a game for two people. It is played on a board marked in black and white squares.

chest chests

NOUN 1 Your chest is the top part of the front of your body, between your neck and your waist.

NOUN 2 A chest is a large heavy box, usually made of wood.

chestnut chestnuts

NOUN 1 A chestnut is a large tree.

NOUN 2 A chestnut is also a shiny brown nut that grows on a chestnut tree.

chew chews, chewing, chewed VERB

When you chew food, you bite it several times.

chick chicks NOUN

A chick is a baby bird.

See Young animals on page 265

chicken chickens NOUN

A chicken is a bird kept on a farm for its eggs and meat.

chickenpox NOUN

Chickenpox is an illness that gives you itchy spots.

chief chiefs NOUN

A chief is a person in charge of other people.

child children NOUN

A child is a young boy or girl.

childhood NOUN

A person’s childhood is the time of life when they are a child.

childish ADJECTIVE

You call a person childish if they are not acting like an adult is expected to act.

children PLURAL NOUN

Children is the plural of child.

chilly chillier, chilliest ADJECTIVE

If you feel chilly, you are not quite warm enough to be comfortable.

chime chimes NOUN

A chime is the musical sound made by a bell or a clock.

chimney chimneys NOUN

A chimney is a pipe which takes smoke from a fire up into the air.

chimpanzee chimpanzees NOUN

A chimpanzee is a small ape with dark fur that lives in forests in Africa.

chin chins NOUN

Your chin is the part of your face below your mouth.

chip chips, chipping, chipped

NOUN 1 A chip is a long thin fried piece of potato.

See Other foods on page 261

NOUN 2 A silicon chip is a tiny piece of special material used in computers.

VERB 3 When you chip something, you break a small piece off it.