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.
chisel chisels NOUN
A chisel is a tool with a long thin blade and a sharp end, which is used for cutting wood or stone.
chocolate chocolates
NOUN 1 Chocolate is a brown sweet or drink made from cocoa.
NOUN 2 A chocolate is a sweet covered with a layer of chocolate.
choice choices
NOUN 1 A choice is the different things that you can choose from.
NOUN 2 A choice can also be someone or something that you choose. If you need a captain, Jessica would be a good choice.
choir choirs NOUN
A choir is a group of people who sing together.
choke chokes, choking, choked VERB
If you choke, you cannot breathe because not enough air can get to your lungs. He choked on a chicken bone.
choose chooses, choosing, chose, chosen VERB
To choose something is to decide which thing you want to have or do.
chop chops, chopping, chopped
VERB 1 When someone chops something like wood, they cut it with an axe.
NOUN 2 A chop is a slice of meat on a bone.
chorus choruses NOUN
A chorus is a part of a song which is repeated after each verse.
chose VERB
Chose is the past tense of choose.
chosen VERB
Chosen is the past participle of choose.
Christian Christians NOUN
A Christian is someone who follows the teachings of Jesus Christ.
Christmas Christmases NOUN
Christmas is a Christian festival held on December 25, when the birth of Jesus Christ is celebrated.
chuckle chuckles, chuckling, chuckled VERB
When you chuckle, you laugh quietly.
church churches NOUN
A church is a building where Christians worship.
cigarette cigarettes NOUN
A cigarette is a thin roll of paper with tobacco in, which people smoke.
cinema cinemas NOUN
A cinema is a place where people watch films.
circle circles NOUN
A circle is a perfect round shape.
circular ADJECTIVE
See Colours and shapes on page 266
circuit circuits NOUN
A circuit is the complete path that an electric current flows through. You can make a simple circuit with a battery, a bulb and wires.
circumference circumferences NOUN
The circumference of a circle is the distance around its edge.
circus circuses NOUN
A circus is a travelling group of people such as clowns and acrobats.
city cities NOUN
A city is a large busy town.
claim claims, claiming, claimed
VERB 1 If someone claims something, they ask for it because it is theirs.
VERB 2 If you claim something is the case, you say it is the case. Amy claims she was the first to finish.
clap claps, clapping, clapped VERB
When you clap, you make a noise by hitting your hands together.
class classes
NOUN 1 A class is a group of people who are taught together.
NOUN 2 A class is also a group of people or things that are alike in some way.
classify classifies, classifying, classified VERB
To classify things is to arrange them in groups with similar features. These books are classified as non-fiction.
classroom classrooms NOUN
A classroom is a room in a school where children have lessons.
clause clauses NOUN
In grammar, a clause is a group of words with a subject and a verb. It may be a complete sentence or one part of a sentence. For example, the girl laughed is a clause because it has a subject (the girl) and a verb (laughed).
claw claws NOUN
The claws of a bird or animal are the hard curved nails at the end of its feet.
clay NOUN
Clay is a type of sticky earth that goes hard when it is dry. It is used to make bricks and pots.
clean cleaner, cleanest ADJECTIVE
If something is clean, it is free from dirt.
clear clearer, clearest; clears, clearing, cleared
ADJECTIVE 1 If a thing is clear, you can see through it.
ADJECTIVE 2 If something you say or write is clear, it is easy to understand.
VERB 3 If you clear an area, you move things that are not wanted out of the way.
clever cleverer, cleverest ADJECTIVE
Someone who is clever is able to learn and understand things easily.
click clicks, clicking, clicked VERB
When you click something, it makes a short snapping sound.
cliff cliffs NOUN
A cliff is a steep hill by the sea.
climate climates NOUN
The climate of a place is the sort of weather it usually has.
climb climbs, climbing, climbed VERB
When you climb something, you move upwards using your hands and feet.
cling clings, clinging, clung VERB
If you cling to someone or something, you hold onto them tightly.
clinic clinics NOUN
A clinic is where people go to get help from a doctor or nurse.
clip clips, clipping, clipped
NOUN 1 A clip is something small and springy which holds things in place.
VERB 2 If you clip something like a hedge, you cut small pieces off it.
cloak cloaks NOUN
A cloak is a loose coat without sleeves that fastens at the neck.
cloakroom cloakrooms NOUN
A cloakroom is a room where coats can be left.
clock clocks NOUN
A clock is an instrument that measures and shows the time.
clockwise ADVERB
If something goes clockwise, it moves in the same direction as the hands on a clock.
clockwork ADJECTIVE
Clockwork toys move when they are wound up with a key.
close closer, closest; closes, closing, closed
(rhymes with dose) ADJECTIVE 1 If something is close, it is very near.
(rhymes with doze) VERB 2 When you close something like a door, you shut it.
closed ADJECTIVE
If something is closed, it is not open.
cloth cloths
NOUN 1 Cloth is material made from something like cotton or wool.
NOUN 2 A cloth is a piece of cloth used for cleaning.
clothes PLURAL NOUN
Clothes are the things people wear, such as shirts, trousers and dresses.
See Clothes on page 257
cloud clouds
NOUN 1 A cloud is a patch of white or grey mist that floats in the sky.
NOUN 2 You can use cloud to describe a lot of smoke, steam or dust.
cloudy ADJECTIVE
clover NOUN
Clover is a small wild plant. It has white or purple flowers, and leaves divided into three parts.
clown clowns NOUN
A clown is someone in a circus who wears funny clothes and does silly things to make people laugh.
club clubs NOUN
A club is an organization joined by people who are interested in the same thing, such as chess or riding.
clue clues NOUN
clue clues NOUN
A clue is something that helps to solve a problem or mystery.
clump clumps NOUN
A clump is a small group of plants growing together.
clumsy clumsier, clumsiest ADJECTIVE
Someone who is clumsy moves awkwardly and carelessly.
clumsily ADVERB
clung VERB
Clung is the past tense of cling.
cluster clusters NOUN
A cluster is a number of things close together in a small group.
clutch clutches, clutching, clutched VERB
If you clutch something, you hold it tightly with your hand.
clutter NOUN
Clutter is an untidy mess.
coach coaches
NOUN 1 A coach is a long motor vehicle used for taking passengers on long journeys.
NOUN 2 A coach is also a section of a train that carries passengers.
NOUN 3 A coach is someone who trains you for a sport or gives you extra lessons.
coal NOUN
Coal is a hard black rock which is dug out of the ground and burned to give heat.
coarse coarser, coarsest ADJECTIVE
Anything that is coarse looks and feels rough.
coast coasts NOUN
The coast is the place where the land meets the sea.
coat coats
NOUN 1 A coat is a piece of clothing with long sleeves, that you wear over other clothes when you go out.
NOUN 2 An animals coat is its fur.
NOUN 3 A layer of paint is called a coat.
cobweb cobwebs NOUN
A cobweb is a net made by a spider to trap insects.
cock cocks NOUN
A cock is any male bird.
cocoa NOUN
Cocoa is a brown powder made from the seeds of the cacao tree, and also a hot drink made from this powder.
coconut coconuts NOUN
A coconut is a large nut with white flesh, milky juice, and a hard hairy shell.
cocoon cocoons NOUN
A cocoon is a covering of silky threads that some young insects make for themselves before they grow into adults.
cod NOUN
A cod is a large sea fish which is caught for food.
code codes
NOUN 1 A code is a system of changing letters in a message for other letters or symbols, so that only people who know the code can read it.
NOUN 2 A code is also a group of letters and numbers that identify something. Do you know the telephone code for York?
NOUN 3 A code is also a set of rules.
coffee NOUN
Coffee is a coarse powder made by grinding roasted coffee beans, and also a hot drink made from this powder.
See Drinks on page 261
cog cogs NOUN
A cog is a wheel with teeth which turns another part of a machine.
coil coils NOUN
A coil is a series of loops into which something has been wound.
coin coins NOUN
A coin is a small piece of metal used as money.
cold colder, coldest; colds
ADJECTIVE 1 If the weather is cold, the temperature outside is low.
NOUN 2 A cold is a common illness. You sneeze and your nose feels blocked.
collage collages NOUN
A collage is a picture made by sticking pieces of paper or cloth onto a surface.
collapse collapses, collapsing, collapsed VERB
If someone or something collapses, they suddenly fall down.
collar collars
NOUN 1 The collar of a shirt or jacket is the part that fits round your neck.
NOUN 2 A collar is also a leather band round the neck of a dog or cat.
collect collects, collecting, collected
VERB 1 If you collect a number of things, you bring them together for a special reason. She collected sticks for firewood.
VERB 2 If you collect someone or something from a place, you call there and take them away. We had to collect her from school.
collection collections NOUN
A collection is a group of things brought together over a period of time. My dads got a huge stamp collection.
collective noun collective nouns NOUN
In grammar, a collective noun refers to a group of things. For example, a group of sheep is called a flock.
See Collective nouns on page 268
college colleges NOUN
A college is where people go to study after they have left school.
collide collides, colliding, collided VERB
If a moving object collides with something, it hits it.
collision NOUN
colon colons NOUN
The punctuation mark : is a colon. You can use it in several ways, for example in front of a list of things.
See Punctuation on page 270
colour colours NOUN
The colour of something is the way it looks in daylight. The colour of grass is green.
See Colours and shapes on page 266
colt colts NOUN
A colt is a young male horse.
column columns
NOUN 1 A column is a tall stone post which supports part of a building.
NOUN 2 A column is also a vertical strip of print in a newspaper or magazine.
NOUN 3 If numbers are arranged in vertical lists, these are called columns.
comb combs NOUN
A comb is a flat piece of plastic or metal with narrow teeth on one edge. You use it to tidy your hair.
combine combines, combining, combined VERB
If you combine things, you mix them together.
come comes, coming, came, come
VERB 1 To come to a place is to move there or arrive there.
VERB 2 If you come from a place, you were born there, or it is your home.
comedy comedies NOUN
A comedy is a play or film that makes people laugh.
comet comets NOUN
A comet is an object which travels around the sun, leaving a long bright trail behind it.
comfort comforts, comforting, comforted VERB
If you comfort someone, you make them feel less worried or unhappy.
comfortable ADJECTIVE
If something is comfortable, it is easy to wear or use.
comic comics NOUN
A comic is a magazine that tells stories in pictures.
comma commas NOUN
A comma is a punctuation mark (,) which is used to separate parts of a sentence or items on a list.
See Punctuation on page 270
command commands, commanding, commanded VERB
If you command someone to do something, you order them to do it.
commercial commercials NOUN
A commercial is an advertisement on television or radio.
common ADJECTIVE
If something is common, you often see it or it often happens.
common noun common nouns NOUN
Common nouns name things in general. For example, boy, dog and computer are all common nouns.
See Noun on page 268
common sense NOUN
If you have common sense, you usually act sensibly and do the right thing.
commotion NOUN
A commotion is a lot of noise, confusion and excitement.