Collins Dictionaries - Collins First Dictionary

Look at build.

We built our house on a hill.

bulb noun bulbs

A bulb is the part of a lamp that is made of glass and gives out light.

bull noun bulls

A bull is a male cow. Bulls have horns.

bump verb bumps, bumping, bumped

If you bump something, or bump into it, you hit it without meaning to.

I bumped the table with my bag.

bunch noun bunches

A bunch of things is a group of them.

He held a bunch of keys.

bundle noun bundles

A bundle is a lot of clothes, sticks or other things that are fastened together.

buried

Look at bury.

The pirates buried the gold beneath a tree.

burn verb burns, burning, burned, burnt

1 If you burn something, you destroy it or damage it with fire.

He burned all the rubbish.

2 If you burn yourself, you touch something that is hot and get hurt.

I burned myself on the hot iron.

3 If something is burning, it is on fire.

The bonfire is still burning.

burst verb bursts, bursting, burst

When something bursts, it breaks open suddenly.

The bag burst and everything fell out of it.

bury verb buries, burying, buried

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

Squirrels bury nuts to eat in the winter.

bus noun buses

A bus is a large vehicle that carries lots of people.

I go to school on the bus.

bush noun bushes

A bush is a plant with lots of leaves and branches that is smaller than a tree.

busy adjective busier, busiest

1 If you are busy, you have a lot of things to do.

We were busy cleaning the house.

2 A busy place is full of people.

The shops are busy today.

butcher noun butchers

A butcher is a person who sells meat.

butter noun

Butter is a soft yellow and white food that is made from cream. You spread it on bread or cook with it.

butterfly noun butterflies

A butterfly is an insect with four large wings.

button noun buttons

Buttons are small, round things on clothes that you push through holes to fasten the clothes together.

buy verb buys, buying, bought

If you buy something, you pay money so that you can have it.

We went into the shop to buy sweets.

buzz verb buzzes, buzzing, buzzed

If something buzzes, it makes a sound like a bee makes when it flies.

An insect buzzed around my head.

Cc

cabbage noun cabbages

A cabbage is a round vegetable with green, white, or purple leaves.

cage noun cages

A cage is a box or a room made of bars where you keep birds or animals.

cake noun cakes

A cake is a sweet food made from flour, eggs, sugar, and butter that you bake in an oven.

calculator noun calculators

A calculator is a small machine that you use to do sums.

calendar noun calendars

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

calf noun calves

1 A calf is a young cow.

2 Your calves are also the thick parts at the backs of your legs, between your ankles and your knees.

call verb calls, calling, called

1 If you call someone something, you give them a name.

I called my cat Pippin.

2 If you call something, you say it in a loud voice.

Someone called his name.

3 If you call someone, you talk to them on the telephone.

I’ll call you tomorrow.

calves

Look at calf.

My calves hurt.

came

Look at come.

My friends came to play at my house.

camel noun camels

A camel is a large animal with one or two big lumps on its back. Camels live in hot, dry places and carry people and things.

camera noun cameras

A camera is a machine that you use to take pictures.

camp noun camps

A camp is a place where people live in tents for a short time.

can verb could

If you can do something, you are able to do it.

I can swim.

can noun cans

A can is a metal container for food or drink.

She opened a can of soup.

candle noun candles

A candle is a stick of wax with a piece of string through the middle that you burn to give you light.

cannot verb

If you cannot do something, you are not able to do it.

I cannot find my bag.

can’t

Can’t is short for cannot.

He can’t play the piano.

capital noun capitals

1 The capital of a country is the main city, where the country’s leaders work.

Paris is the capital of France.

2 A capital is also a big letter of the alphabet, for example A or R.

car noun cars

A car is a vehicle with four wheels and an engine that can carry a small number of people.

card noun cards

1 Card is stiff paper.

2 A card is a folded piece of stiff paper that has a picture on the front and a message inside. You send cards to people at special times, like birthdays.

3 Cards are pieces of stiff paper with numbers or pictures on them that you use for playing games.

cardboard noun

Cardboard is very thick, stiff paper that is used for making boxes.

care verb cares, caring, cared

1 If you care about something, you think that it is important.

He doesn’t care about the way he looks.

2 If you care for a person or an animal, you look after them.

She cared for her pets.

careful adjective

If you are careful, you think about what you are doing so that you do not make any mistakes.

Be careful when you cross the road.

careless adjective

If you are careless, you do not think about what you are doing, so that you make mistakes.

It was careless of me to forget my keys.

carpet noun carpets

A carpet is a thick, soft cover for a floor.

carrot noun carrots

A carrot is a long, orange vegetable.

carry verb carries, carrying, carried

If you carry something, you hold it and take it somewhere with you.

We carried our bags to the car.

carton noun cartons

A carton is a container made of plastic or cardboard that is used to hold food or drink.

I bought a carton of milk.

cartoon noun cartoons