commotion NOUN
A commotion is a lot of noise, confusion and excitement.
communicate communicates, communicating, communicated VERB
If you communicate with someone, you give them information by talking or writing to them.
compact disc compact discs NOUN
A compact disc is a round flat silver-coloured object which can store information. It is called a CD for short.
company companies
NOUN 1 Company is being with others so you are not lonely.
NOUN 2 A company is a group of people who work together to make or sell things.
comparative comparatives NOUN
In grammar, the comparative is the form of an adjective which has more of that adjective. For example, happier is the comparative of happy.
See Adjective on page 269
compare compares, comparing, compared VERB
When you compare two or more things, you look at them to see in what ways they are the same or different.
compass compasses
NOUN 1 A compass is an instrument with a needle that always points to north.
NOUN 2 A pair of compasses is an instrument used for drawing circles.
compass point compass points NOUN
The main compass points are north, south, east and west.
competition competitions NOUN
A competition is an event to find out who is best at doing something.
complain complains, complaining, complained VERB
If you complain, you say that you are not happy about something.
complete
ADJECTIVE 1 If something is complete, it has been finished.
ADJECTIVE 2 If you talk about a complete thing, you mean all of it. I need a complete change of clothes.
complicated ADJECTIVE
Something complicated is made up of so many parts that it is difficult to understand or deal with.
compose composes, composing, composed VERB
If you compose something, like a poem or a piece of music, you write it.
compound compounds NOUN
In language, a compound is a word that is made up of two or more words. Playground, armchair and toothache are all compounds.
computer computers NOUN
A computer is a machine that stores information and works things out according to instructions in a program.
conceal conceals, concealing, concealed VERB
If you conceal something, you hide it carefully.
concentrate concentrates, concentrating, concentrated VERB
If you concentrate on something, you give it all your attention.
concerned ADJECTIVE
If you are concerned about something, it worries you.
concert concerts NOUN
A concert is a performance by musicians, usually in a big hall.
conclusion conclusions
NOUN 1 A conclusion is something you decide is true after you have thought carefully.
NOUN 2 The conclusion of something is its ending.
concrete NOUN
Concrete is a building material made of cement, sand and water, which goes hard when it is set.
condition conditions
NOUN 1 The condition of something is the state it is in.
NOUN 2 A condition is a rule you must agree to before you are allowed to do something. You can go out on one condition you must be home by five.
conductor conductors NOUN
A conductor is someone who controls the way musicians play together.
cone cones NOUN
A cone is a solid curved shape with a flat circular base and a pointed top.
See Solid shapes on page 266
confess confesses, confessing, confessed VERB
If you confess, you say that you have done something wrong.
confident
ADJECTIVE 1 If you are confident about something, you are sure about it.
ADJECTIVE 2 People who are confident know that they can do something well.
confuse confuses, confusing, confused
VERB 1 To confuse someone means to make them unsure what to do. The new road layout confused everyone.
VERB 2 If you confuse two things, you mix them up by mistake. I always confuse the twins because they are so alike.
congratulate congratulates, congratulating, congratulated VERB
If you congratulate someone, you say you are pleased that something special has happened to them.
conjunction conjunctions NOUN
In grammar, a conjunction is a word that joins two other words or parts of a sentence. And, but, while and although are all conjunctions.
connect connects, connecting, connected VERB
If you connect two things, you join them together.
connective connectives NOUN
In grammar, a connective is a word or phrase that joins parts of a text. For example, and, at last and because are connectives.
conquer conquers, conquering, conquered VERB
To conquer people is to take control of their country by force.
conscious ADJECTIVE
If you are conscious, you are awake and know what is happening.
consecutive ADJECTIVE
If things are consecutive, they happen one after the other. October, November and December are consecutive months.
conservation NOUN
Conservation is the protection of the environment.
consider considers, considering, considered VERB
If you consider something, you think about it carefully.
consist consists, consisting, consisted VERB
Something that consists of particular things is made up of them. The book consists of an introduction, ten chapters and an index.
consonant consonants NOUN
A consonant is any letter of the alphabet except a, e, i, o and u.
See vowel
constant ADJECTIVE
Something that is constant happens all the time. My friend Elizabeth complains of a constant headache.
construct constructs, constructing, constructed VERB
If you construct something, you build it or make it.
consume consumes, consuming, consumed VERB
If you consume something, you eat or drink it, or use it up.
contain contains, containing, contained VERB
The things that something contains are the things in it.
container containers NOUN
A container is something you put things in.
content ADJECTIVE
If you are content, you are happy and satisfied with your life.
contents PLURAL NOUN
The contents of something like a box or cake are the things in it. The contents page of a book tells you what is in it.
contest contests NOUN
A contest is a competition or game which you try to win.
continent continents NOUN
A continent is a very large area of land, such as Africa or Asia.
continue continues, continuing, continued VERB
If you continue to do something, you go on doing it.
continuous ADJECTIVE
Something that is continuous goes on without stopping.
contraction contractions NOUN
A contraction is a shortened form of a word or of words. For example, Im is a contraction of I am.
contradict contradicts, contradicting, contradicted VERB
If you contradict someone, you say the opposite of what they have just said.
control controls, controlling, controlled
VERB 1 If you control something, you make it behave exactly as you want it to.
NOUN 2 The controls on a machine are knobs or other things used to work it.
convenient ADJECTIVE
If something is convenient, it is easy to use or do.
conversation conversations NOUN
If you have a conversation with someone, you talk to each other.
convince convinces, convincing, convinced VERB
If someone or something convinces you, they make you believe that something is true.
cook cooks, cooking, cooked VERB
When you cook food, you prepare it for eating by heating it.
cooker cookers NOUN
A cooker is a piece of equipment for cooking food.
cookie cookies NOUN
A cookie is another word for a biscuit.
cool cooler, coolest ADJECTIVE
If something is cool, its temperature is low but it is not cold.
coordinates NOUN
Coordinates are two numbers or letters which help you find the exact position of something. They are often used on maps, graphs and charts.
cope copes, coping, coped VERB
If you cope with a task or problem, you deal with it successfully.
copper NOUN
Copper is a reddish-brown metal.
copy copies, copying, copied
NOUN 1 A copy is something made to look exactly like something else.
VERB 2 If you copy something, you make a copy of it.
VERB 3 If you copy what someone does, you do the same thing.
coral corals NOUN
Coral is a hard substance that forms in the sea from the skeletons of tiny animals called corals.
cord cords NOUN
Cord is thick, strong string.
core cores NOUN
The core of a fruit is the hard part in the middle that contains seeds.
cork corks
NOUN 1 Cork is the light bark of the cork oak tree.
NOUN 2 A cork is a piece of cork used to block the open end of a bottle.
corn NOUN
Corn is a cereal crop, such as wheat or sweet corn.
corner corners NOUN
A corner is the place where two edges or roads join.
correct corrects, correcting, corrected
ADJECTIVE 1 Something that is correct is true and has no mistakes.
VERB 2 If you correct your work, you put right any mistakes you made.
corridor corridors NOUN
A corridor is a long passage in a building or train.
cost costs, costing, cost VERB
If something costs an amount of money, you can buy it for that amount.
costume costumes NOUN
A costume is the clothes worn by an actor, or that people wear for special events.
cosy cosier, cosiest ADJECTIVE
A house or room that is cosy is comfortable and warm, and not too big.
cot cots NOUN
A cot is a bed with high sides for a baby or a young child.
cottage cottages NOUN
A cottage is a small house, usually in the country.
cotton
NOUN 1 Cotton is cloth made from the soft fibres of the cotton plant.
NOUN 2 Cotton is also a thread used for sewing.
NOUN 3 Cotton wool is soft fluffy cotton, often used for cleaning the skin.
cough coughs NOUN
A cough is a noise made by someone forcing air out of their throat.
could
VERB 1 Could is part of the verb can. You use could to say that something might happen. It could rain tomorrow.
VERB 2 You also say could when you are asking for something politely. Could you please tell me the way to the station?
council councils NOUN
The council is a group of people who look after the affairs of a town, district or county.
count counts, counting, counted
VERB 1 When you count, you say numbers in order. Count up to a hundred.
VERB 2 If you count a number of things, you are finding out how many there are.
counter counters
NOUN 1 A counter is a long narrow table in a shop, where things are sold.
NOUN 2 A counter is also a small round flat object, usually made of plastic, that is used in board games.
country countries
NOUN 1 A country is a land that has its own government and often its own language.
NOUN 2 The country is land away from towns and cities.
couple couples
NOUN 1 A couple of things or people means two of them. It should only take a couple of days.
NOUN 2 Two people are sometimes called a couple, especially if they are married or having a relationship.
coupon coupons NOUN
A coupon is a piece of printed paper that allows you to pay less than usual for something.
courage NOUN
Courage is not showing that you are afraid of something.
course courses
NOUN 1 A course is a series of lessons.
NOUN 2 A course can also be one part of a meal.
of course PHRASE You use of course to make something you are saying stronger. Of course I still want to go.
court courts
NOUN 1 A court is an area marked out for a game like tennis or badminton.
NOUN 2 A court is also a place where things to do with the law are decided.
NOUN 3 The court of a king or queen is where they live with their family.
courtyard courtyards NOUN
A courtyard is an open flat area of ground with walls all round it.
cousin cousins NOUN
Your cousin is a child of your uncle or aunt.
cover covers, covering, covered
VERB 1 If you cover something, you put something over it to protect or hide it.
NOUN 2 The covers on a bed are the blankets or duvet that you have over you to keep you warm.
NOUN 3 The cover of a book or magazine is the outside of it.
cow cows NOUN
A cow is a large farm animal that gives milk.
coward cowards NOUN
A coward is someone who avoids anything dangerous, painful or difficult.
cowboy cowboys NOUN
A cowboy is a man whose job is to look after cattle.
crab crabs NOUN
A crab is a sea animal. It has four pairs of legs, two pincers, and a flat round body covered by a shell.
crack cracks, cracking, cracked
VERB 1 If you crack something, or it cracks, it has a small split in it but does not quite break.
NOUN 2 A crack is the line on something that shows it is nearly broken.
NOUN 3 A crack is also a sudden loud noise.
cracker crackers
NOUN 1 A cracker is a thin crisp biscuit, often slightly salty.
NOUN 2 A cracker can be a cardboard tube covered in coloured paper, that people have at parties. It makes a sharp sound when you pull the ends apart.
cradle cradles NOUN
A cradle is a small box-shaped bed for a baby.
crane cranes
NOUN 1 A crane is a machine that moves heavy things by lifting them.
NOUN 2 A crane is also a large water bird with long legs and a long neck.