NOUN 2 A crane is also a large water bird with long legs and a long neck.
crash crashes, crashing, crashed
NOUN 1 A crash is a traffic accident.
NOUN 2 A crash is also a sudden loud noise like something breaking.
VERB 3 If something crashes, it hits something else and makes a loud noise.
crate crates NOUN
A crate is a large box used for transporting or storing things.
crawl crawls, crawling, crawled VERB
When you crawl, you move forward on your hands and knees.
crayon crayons NOUN
A crayon is a coloured pencil.
craze crazes NOUN
A craze is something that is very popular for a short time.
crazy crazier, craziest
ADJECTIVE 1 Someone or something crazy is very strange or foolish.
ADJECTIVE 2 If you are crazy about something, you are very keen on it.
creak creaks, creaking, creaked VERB
If something creaks, it makes an odd squeaking sound.
cream
ADJECTIVE 1 Something that is cream in colour is yellowish-white.
NOUN 2 Cream is the pale yellow liquid taken from the top of milk.
crease creases, creasing, creased
NOUN 1 A crease is a line made by folding or wrinkling something.
VERB 2 If you crease something, you make lines appear on it.
create creates, creating, created VERB
To create something means to cause it to happen, or exist.
creature creatures NOUN
A creature is any animal, such as a bird, fish or insect.
credit card credit cards NOUN
A credit card is a plastic card that allows someone to buy goods and pay for them later.
creep creeps, creeping, crept VERB
If you creep somewhere, you move quietly and slowly.
crescent crescents NOUN
A crescent is a curved shape that is wider in the middle than at the ends, like a new moon.
crew crews NOUN
A crew is the people who work on a ship, aircraft or spaceship.
cricket crickets
NOUN 1 Cricket is an outdoor game between two teams of eleven players.
NOUN 2 A cricket is a small jumping insect that makes a chirping sound by rubbing its wings together.
cried VERB
Cried is the past tense of cry.
cries VERB
Cries is a present tense form of cry.
crime crimes NOUN
A crime is something which is against the law.
criminal criminals NOUN
A criminal is someone who has done something that is against the law.
crimson ADJECTIVE
Something that is crimson is a dark red colour.
crinkle crinkles, crinkling, crinkled VERB
When something crinkles, it becomes slightly creased.
crisp crisper, crispest; crisps
ADJECTIVE 1 Things like fruit and biscuits that are crisp are fresh and firm.
NOUN 2 A crisp is a crunchy, thinly sliced piece of fried potato.
See Other foods on page 261
criticize criticizes, criticizing, criticized; also spelt criticise VERB
If you criticize someone, you say what you think is wrong with them.
crocodile crocodiles NOUN
A crocodile is a large reptile, about five metres long.
See Reptiles on page 264
crooked ADJECTIVE
Something that is crooked is bent or twisted.
crop crops NOUN
A crop is plants grown for food.
cross crosser, crossest; crosses, crossing, crossed
ADJECTIVE 1 Someone who is cross is angry about something.
NOUN 2 A cross is a mark like + or ×.
VERB 3 If you cross something like a road, you go from one side to the other.
crossing crossings NOUN
A crossing is a place where you can cross the road safely.
crouch crouches, crouching, crouched VERB
If you crouch down, you bend your legs under you so that you are close to the ground.
crow crows NOUN
A crow is a large black bird.
crowd crowds NOUN
A crowd is a large number of people together in one place.
crowded ADJECTIVE
A place that is crowded is full of people.
crown crowns NOUN
A crown is an ornament that kings and queens sometimes wear on their heads.
cruel crueller, cruellest ADJECTIVE
Someone who is cruel hurts people or animals without caring.
cruise cruises NOUN
A cruise is a holiday on a ship that travels to different places.
crumb crumbs NOUN
A crumb is a very small piece of dry food such as bread or biscuit.
crumble crumbles, crumbling, crumbled VERB
If you crumble something that is soft, it breaks into lots of little pieces.
crunch crunches, crunching, crunched VERB
If you crunch something, you crush it noisily, for example between your teeth or under your feet.
crush crushes, crushing, crushed VERB
To crush something is to destroy its shape by squeezing it.
crust crusts NOUN
The crust is a hard layer on the outside of something such as bread.
cry cries, crying, cried
VERB 1 When you cry, tears come from your eyes.
NOUN 2 A cry is a sudden sound that you make when you are surprised or hurt.
crystal crystals NOUN
A crystal is a mineral that has formed into a regular shape.
cub cubs NOUN
A cub is a young wild animal such as a lion, fox or bear.
See Young animals on page 265
cube cubes NOUN
A cube is a solid shape with six square faces all the same size.
See Solid shapes on page 266
cuckoo cuckoos NOUN
A cuckoo is a grey bird. Cuckoos lay their eggs in other birds nests.
cucumber cucumbers NOUN
A cucumber is a long, thin, dark green vegetable, eaten raw.
See Vegetables on page 260
cuddle cuddles, cuddling, cuddled VERB
When you cuddle someone, you put your arms round them.
culprit culprits NOUN
A culprit is someone who has done something harmful or wrong.
cunning ADJECTIVE
Someone who is cunning plans to get what they want, often by tricking other people.
cup cups
NOUN 1 A cup is a small container with a handle, which you drink out of.
NOUN 2 A cup is also a prize for the winner of a game or competition.
cupboard cupboards NOUN
A cupboard is a piece of furniture with doors and shelves.
cure cures, curing, cured
NOUN 1 A cure is something that makes people better when they have been ill.
VERB 2 If someone or something cures a person, they make them well again.
curiosity NOUN
Curiosity is wanting to know about things.
curious
ADJECTIVE 1 Someone who is curious wants to know more about something.
ADJECTIVE 2 Something that is curious is unusual and hard to explain.
curl curls, curling, curled
VERB 1 If an animal curls up, it makes itself into a rounded shape.
NOUN 2 Curls are pieces of hair shaped in curves and circles.
curly ADJECTIVE
currant currants NOUN
Currants are small dried grapes.
current currents
NOUN 1 A current is a steady movement of water or air.
NOUN 2 A current is also the movement of electricity through a wire.
curriculum curriculums or curricula NOUN
A curriculum is the different courses taught at a school or college.
curry curries NOUN
Curry is an Indian dish made with spices.
cursor cursors NOUN
A cursor is a small sign on a computer screen that shows where the next letter or number will appear.
curtain curtains NOUN
A curtain is a large piece of material that you pull across a window to cover it.
curve curves NOUN
A curve is a smooth, gradually bending line.
curved ADJECTIVE
cushion cushions NOUN
A cushion is a soft object put on a seat to make it more comfortable.
custom customs NOUN
A custom is something that people usually do. Its his custom to take the dog for a walk after supper.
customer customers NOUN
A customer is a person who buys something, especially from a shop.
cut cuts, cutting, cut
VERB 1 If you cut yourself, you hurt yourself by accident on something sharp.
VERB 2 If you cut something, you use a knife or scissors to remove parts of it.
cutlery NOUN
Cutlery is the knives, forks and spoons that you eat your food with.
cycle cycles, cycling, cycled
NOUN 1 A cycle is a bicycle.
VERB 2 If you cycle, you ride a bicycle.
cyclist NOUN
cylinder cylinders NOUN
A cylinder is a three-dimensional shape like a tube with flat circular ends.
cylindrical ADJECTIVE
See Solid shapes on page 266
Dd
dad dads NOUN
Your dad is your father.
daddy daddies NOUN
INFORMAL Your daddy is your father.
daffodil daffodils NOUN
A daffodil is a yellow trumpet-shaped flower that blooms in the spring.
dagger daggers NOUN
A dagger is a weapon like a knife.
daily ADJECTIVE
Something that is daily happens every day.
dairy dairies NOUN
A dairy is a shop or company that sells milk and food made from milk, such as butter and cheese.
daisy daisies NOUN
A daisy is a small wild flower with white petals and a yellow centre.
dam dams NOUN
A dam is a wall built across a river or stream to hold back water.
damage damages, damaging, damaged VERB
To damage something means to harm or spoil it.
damp damper, dampest ADJECTIVE
Something that is damp is slightly wet.
dance dances, dancing, danced VERB
When you dance, you move your body in time to music.
dandelion dandelions NOUN
A dandelion is a wild plant with bright yellow flowers.
danger dangers NOUN
A danger is something that could harm you.
dangerous ADJECTIVE
If something is dangerous, it is likely to harm you.
dare dares, daring, dared VERB
If you dare to do something, you are brave enough to do it.
dark darker, darkest ADJECTIVE
When it is dark, there is not enough light to see properly.
darkness NOUN
dart darts, darting, darted
VERB 1 If a person or animal darts, they move suddenly and quickly.
NOUN 2 A dart is a short arrow that you throw in the game of darts.
dash dashes, dashing, dashed
VERB 1 If you dash somewhere, you run or go there quickly.
NOUN 2 A dash is the punctuation mark () which shows a change of subject, or which may be used instead of brackets.
See Punctuation on page 270
data NOUN
Data is information, usually in the form of facts or figures.
database databases NOUN
A database is a collection of information, often stored in a computer.
date dates
NOUN 1 If someone asks you the date, you tell them the day and the month.
NOUN 2 A date is a small brown sticky fruit which grows on palm trees.
daughter daughters NOUN
A girl is the daughter of her parents.
dawn NOUN
Dawn is the time of day when it first begins to get light.
day days NOUN
A day is the 24 hours between one midnight and the next.
daylight NOUN
Daylight is the light that there is during the day before it gets dark.
dazzle dazzles, dazzling, dazzled VERB
If a light dazzles you, it is so bright that you cannot really see for a while.
dead ADJECTIVE
A person, animal or plant that is dead is no longer living.
deaf deafer, deafest ADJECTIVE
Someone who is deaf cannot hear very well, or cannot hear at all.
deal deals, dealing, dealt
VERB 1 When you deal in a card game, you give cards to the players.
VERB 2 If you deal with something, you do what needs to be done with it.
dear dearer, dearest
ADJECTIVE 1 You use Dear at the beginning of a letter or message before the name of the person you are writing to.
ADJECTIVE 2 If something is dear, it costs a lot of money.
death NOUN
Death is the end of life, when an animal or person dies.
decade decades NOUN
A decade is a period of ten years.
decay decays, decaying, decayed VERB
When something like a plant or piece of meat decays, it becomes rotten.
deceive deceives, deceiving, deceived VERB
If someone deceives you, they make you believe something untrue.
December NOUN
December is the 12th month of the year. It has 31 days.
decide decides, deciding, decided VERB
If you decide to do something, you make up your mind to do it.
decimal decimals
ADJECTIVE 1 A decimal system involves counting in units of ten.
NOUN 2 A decimal or decimal fraction is written with a dot followed by numbers, such as 0·2, 8·35. The numbers after the dot represent tenths, hundredths and so on.
NOUN 3 A decimal point is the dot that comes between whole numbers and fractions.
NOUN 4 A decimal place is the position of a number after a decimal point.
decision decisions NOUN
A decision is a choice you make about what you think should be done.
deck decks NOUN
A deck is a floor on a ship or bus.
decorate decorates, decorating, decorated
VERB 1 If you decorate something, you add things to make it more attractive.