NOUN 1 a remark about something
VERB 2 If you comment on something, you make a remark about it.
commentary commentaries
NOUN a description of an event that is broadcast on radio or television while the event is happening The commentary on the match was on the radio.
commentator commentators
NOUN someone who gives a radio or television commentary
commerce
NOUN the buying and selling of goods
commercial commercials
NOUN 1 an advertisement on television or radio
ADJECTIVE 2 Commercial activities involve producing large amounts of goods to sell and make money.
commit commits, committing, committed
VERB When someone commits a crime or sin, they do it. The police know who committed the burglary.
committee committees
NOUN a group of people who make decisions on behalf of a larger group
common commoner, commonest; commons
ADJECTIVE 1 Something that is common exists in large numbers or happens often.
NOUN 2 an area of grassy land where everyone can go
ADJECTIVE 3 If something is common to two or more people, they all have it or use it. We had a common interest in butterflies.
PHRASE 4 If two things or people have something in common, they both have it. Sarah and I have a lot in common.
common noun common nouns
NOUN Common nouns name things in general. They begin with lower-case letters: girl, boy, animal, picture.
See noun
common sense
NOUN knowing how to behave sensibly in any situation
Commonwealth
NOUN The Commonwealth is a group of countries that used to be ruled by Britain.
commotion
NOUN a lot of noise and excitement
communal
ADJECTIVE shared by a group of people The shop had communal changing rooms.
communicate communicates, communicating, communicated
VERB When people communicate, they exchange information, usually by talking or writing to each other.
communication communications
NOUN 1 the act of exchanging information, usually by talking, writing or, in the case of animals, making sounds the communication of ideas
PLURAL NOUN 2 Communications are electrical or radio systems that allow people to broadcast or communicate information.
PLURAL NOUN 2 Communications are electrical or radio systems that allow people to broadcast or communicate information.
communion
NOUN 1 a Christian religious service in which people share holy bread and wine
2 the sharing of thoughts and feelings
community communities
NOUN all the people living in a particular area
commuter commuters
NOUN a person who has to travel a long way to work every day
compact
ADJECTIVE Something that is compact takes up very little space, or no more space than is necessary.
compact disc compact discs
NOUN a music or video recording in the form of a small plastic disc
companion companions
NOUN someone you travel or spend time with
company companies
NOUN 1 a business that sells goods or provides a service
2 If you have company, you have a friend or visitor with you.
PHRASE 3 If you keep someone company, you spend time with them.
comparative comparatives
ADJECTIVE 1 You use comparative to show that something is true only when compared with something else.
NOUN 2 In grammar, the comparative is the form of an adjective or adverb that shows an increase in size, quality or amount. It is usually formed by adding -er to a word, for example, bigger, faster, or by putting more before the word, for example, more difficult.
compare compares, comparing, compared
VERB When you compare things, you see in what ways they are different or similar. We compared our hair to see whose was longest.
comparison comparisons
NOUN When you make a comparison, you consider two things together and decide in what ways they are different or similar.
compartment compartments
NOUN 1 a section of a railway carriage
2 one of the separate sections of something such as a bag or a box
compass compasses
NOUN 1 an instrument with a magnetic needle that always points north. You use a compass to find your way.
PLURAL NOUN 2 Compasses are a hinged instrument for drawing circles.
compassion
NOUN pity and sympathy for someone who is suffering
compassionate ADJECTIVE
compass point compass points
NOUN one of the 32 marks on the dial of a compass that show direction North, south, east and west are compass points.
compel compels, compelling, compelled
VERB 1 If you compel someone to do something, you force them to do it.
ADJECTIVE 2 A compelling story or event is extremely interesting.
3 A compelling argument or reason makes you believe that something is true.
compensate compensates, compensating, compensated
VERB 1 To compensate someone means to give them money to replace something that has been lost or damaged.
2 If one thing compensates for another, it cancels out the bad effects of it. The trip to Disneyland compensated for her long illness.
compete competes, competing, competed
VERB 1 If you compete in a contest or game, you take part in it.
2 If you compete, you try to do better than others.
competent
ADJECTIVE Someone who is competent at something can do it satisfactorily. He is a competent nurse.
competition competitions
NOUN an event in which people take part to find out who is the best at something
compile compiles, compiling, compiled
VERB When you compile information, you collect it and put it together.
complain complains, complaining, complained
VERB 1 If you complain, you say that you are not happy about something. The neighbours complained about the noise.
2 If you complain of pain or illness, you say that you have it.
complaint NOUN
complement complements, complementing, complemented
VERB 1 If one thing complements another, the two things go well together. Her piano music complements the poem.
NOUN 2 In grammar, a complement is a word or phrase that gives information about the subject or object of a sentence. For example, in the sentence Rover is a dog, is a dog is the complement.
Do not confuse complement with compliment.
complete completes, completing, completed
VERB 1 If you complete something, you finish it. She has just completed her third short story.
ADJECTIVE 2 If something is complete, none of it is missing.
completely
ADVERB totally
SYNONYM: utterly
complex complexes
ADJECTIVE 1 Complex things have many different parts and are hard to understand.
NOUN 2 a group of buildings used for a particular purpose, such a sports complex
complexion complexions
NOUN the quality of the skin on your face
complicated
ADJECTIVE Something that is complicated is hard to understand.
complication complications
NOUN something that makes a situation more difficult to deal with
compliment compliments
NOUN If you pay someone a compliment, you tell them you admire or like something about them.
Do not confuse compliment with complement.
component components
NOUN The components of something are the parts it is made of.
compose composes, composing, composed
VERB 1 If you compose a piece of music, a letter, or a speech, you write it.
2 If something is composed of particular things or people, it is made up of them.
composer composers
NOUN someone who writes music
composition compositions
NOUN 1 a piece of music or writing
2 the things that something is made up of
compost
NOUN a mixture of rotted plants and manure that gardeners add to the soil to help plants grow
compound word compound words
NOUN a word with a single meaning, but made up of two or more words. For example, gingerbread, housework and teapot are all compound words.
comprehend comprehends, comprehending, comprehended
VERB If you comprehend something, you understand it.
comprehensive comprehensives
ADJECTIVE 1 Something that is comprehensive includes everything that you need to know.
NOUN 2 a school where children of all abilities are taught together
comprehensively ADVERB
compress compresses, compressing, compressed
VERB If you compress something, you squeeze it or shorten it. She compressed her story into one page.
compromise compromises, compromising, compromised
NOUN 1 an agreement in which people accept less than they really wanted
VERB 2 When people compromise, they settle for less than they really wanted.
compulsory
ADJECTIVE If something is compulsory, you have to do it.
computer computers
NOUN an electronic machine that stores information and makes calculations
computerize computerizes, computerizing, computerized; also spelt computerise
VERB When a system or process is computerized, such as train timetables or bank accounts, the work is done by computers.
comrade comrades
NOUN a companion, especially in battle
con cons, conning, conned
VERB 1 If someone cons you, or you are conned, you are tricked into doing something. He conned me into buying the tickets.
NOUN 2 a trick that makes you believe or do something that you would not normally believe or do
concave
ADJECTIVE A concave surface curves inwards, rather than being level or bulging outwards.
ANTONYM: convex
conceal conceals, concealing, concealed
VERB If you conceal something, you hide it.
conceited
ADJECTIVE Someone who is conceited is too proud of their appearance or abilities.
SYNONYMS: bigheaded, self-important
conceive conceives, conceiving, conceived
VERB 1 If you cant conceive of something, you cant imagine it or believe it. He couldnt conceive of anything more fun than surfing.
2 If you conceive something such as a plan, you think of it and work out how it could be done. Alex conceived the idea while eating his lunch.
3 When a woman conceives, she becomes pregnant.
concentrate concentrates, concentrating, concentrated
VERB 1 If you concentrate on something, you give it all your attention. I need to concentrate on my homework.
2 When something is concentrated in one place, it is all there rather than in several places. The shops were concentrated in the town centre.
concentrated
ADJECTIVE A concentrated liquid has been made stronger by having water removed from it. concentrated orange juice
concentration concentrations
NOUN 1 the ability to give your full attention to something you do or hear
2 A concentration of something is a large amount of it in one place.
concept concepts
NOUN an abstract or general idea
conception conceptions
NOUN the idea you have of something
concern concerns, concerning, concerned
NOUN 1 worry about something or someone
2 If something is your concern, it is your duty or responsibility.