Collins Dictionaries - Collins Primary Illustrated Dictionary

VERB 3 If something is caked, it becomes covered with a solid layer of something else. • My shoes were caked in mud.

calamity calamities

NOUN something terrible that happens, causing destruction and misery • The earthquake was a terrible calamity.

SYNONYMS: disaster, catastrophe

calcium

Said “kal-see-um” NOUN a soft white mineral found in bones and teeth and in some foods. Milk and cheese are good sources of calcium.

calculate calculates, calculating, calculated

VERB If you calculate something, you work it out, usually by doing some arithmetic. • We calculated how much money we had raised from the sponsored walk.

[from Latin calculus meaning stone or pebble, which the Romans used for counting]

calculation calculations

NOUN something that you think about carefully and work out mathematically, or that you do on a machine such as a calculator

calculator calculators

NOUN a small electronic machine used for doing mathematical calculations

calendar calendars

NOUN a chart, usually organized month by month, showing the date of each day in a particular year • We marked the end of term on the calendar in red.

calf calves

NOUN 1 a young cow

2 Your calves are the backs of your legs between your knees and ankles.

call calls, calling, called

VERB 1 If you call someone or something a particular name, that is their name. • I will call my dog Spot. • That type of machine is called a combine harvester.

2 If you call someone, you telephone them.

3 If you call someone, you shout their name loudly.

NOUN 4 A call is a shout or a cry. • We heard a call for help.

call off

VERB If something is called off it is cancelled. • The party was called off.

call on

VERB If you call on someone, you pay them a short visit.

calm calmer, calmest

ADJECTIVE 1 Someone who is calm is quiet and does not show any worry or excitement.

2 If the sea is calm, the water is not moving very much.

calorie calories

NOUN The amount of energy that food gives you is measured in calories.

came

VERB the past tense of come

camel camels

NOUN a large mammal with either one or two humps on its back. Camels live in hot desert areas and are used for carrying people and things.

camera cameras

NOUN a piece of equipment used for taking photographs or for filming

camouflage camouflages, camouflaging, camouflaged

NOUN 1 a way of avoiding being seen by having the same colour or appearance as the surroundings

VERB 2 To camouflage something is to hide it by giving it the same colour or appearance as its surroundings.

camp camps, camping, camped

NOUN 1 a place where people live in tents or stay in tents for a holiday

VERB 2 If you camp, you stay in a tent.

NOUN 3 a collection of buildings for soldiers or prisoners

camper NOUN

campaign campaigns, campaigning, campaigned

VERB When people campaign, they take action in order to achieve something. • She campaigned against the export of live animals.

campaign NOUN

can could; cans

VERB 1 If someone says you can do something, you are allowed to do it.

2 If you can do something, you are able to do it. • I can say “hello” in French.

NOUN 3 a metal container, often sealed, with food or drink inside

canal canals

NOUN a long, narrow, man-made stretch of water

canary canaries

NOUN a yellow songbird

cancel cancels, cancelling, cancelled

VERB If you cancel something that has been arranged, you stop it from happening. • They cancelled the school trip.

cancer cancers

NOUN a serious disease in which abnormal cells in a part of the body increase rapidly, causing growths

candidate candidates

NOUN a person who is being considered for a job

candle candles

NOUN a stick of hard wax with a piece of string called a wick through the middle. You light the wick to produce a flame.

cane canes

NOUN 1 the long, hollow stem of a plant such as bamboo

2 strips of cane used for weaving baskets and other containers

3 a long, narrow stick used to support plants

canine canines

ADJECTIVE 1 relating to dogs

NOUN 2 a canine is one of the pointed teeth near the front of the mouth in humans and some animals

cannibal cannibals

NOUN a person who eats human flesh

cannon cannons or cannon

NOUN a large gun, usually on wheels, which fires heavy iron balls

cannot

VERB the same as can not

canoe canoes

NOUN a small, narrow boat that you row using a paddle

canoeing NOUN canoeist NOUN

can’t

VERB a contraction of cannot

canteen canteens

NOUN a place to eat in a school or workplace

canvas canvases

NOUN 1 strong, heavy cloth used for making things such as sails and tents

2 a piece of canvas on which an artist does a painting

canyon canyons

NOUN a narrow river valley with steep sides

cap caps

NOUN 1 a soft, flat hat, often with a peak at the front

2 a bottle top

3 a small explosive used in toy guns

capable

ADJECTIVE 1 If you are capable of doing something, you are able to do it.

2 Someone who is capable is able to do something well.

capacity capacities

NOUN the maximum amount that something can hold or produce • The arena has a seating capacity of two thousand.

capital capitals

NOUN 1 The capital of a country is the city where the government meets. • Paris is the capital of France.

2 A capital, or a capital letter, is a larger, upper-case letter used at the beginning of a sentence or a name: Carol, Tim.

capsize capsizes, capsizing, capsized

VERB If a boat capsizes, it turns upside down.

capsule capsules

NOUN 1 a small container with medicine inside, which you swallow

2 the part of a spacecraft in which astronauts travel

[from Latin capsula meaning little box]

captain captains

NOUN 1 the officer in charge of a ship or aeroplane

2 the leader of a sports team

caption captions

NOUN a title printed underneath a picture or a photograph

captive captives

NOUN someone who is locked up and kept prisoner

capture captures, capturing, captured

VERB If someone captures someone or something, they take them prisoner.

car cars

NOUN 1 a four-wheeled road vehicle with an engine and room to carry a few passengers

2 a railway carriage used for a particular purpose • the buffet car

caravan caravans

NOUN 1 a vehicle pulled by a car in which people live or spend their holidays

2 a group of people and animals travelling together, usually across a desert

carbohydrate carbohydrates

NOUN a substance that gives you energy. It is found in foods like sugar and bread.

carbon

NOUN a chemical found in coal, diamonds and graphite. All living things contain carbon.

carbon dioxide

NOUN the gas that human beings and other animals breathe out

carbon footprint carbon footprints

NOUN the amount of carbon monoxide produced by a person, company or country

card cards

NOUN 1 a piece of stiff paper or plastic with a message or information on it • birthday card • credit card

2 When you play cards, you play a game using special playing cards.

3 strong, stiff paper

cardboard

NOUN thick, stiff paper, which is stronger than card

cardigan cardigans

NOUN a knitted jacket that fastens up the front

care cares, caring, cared