Collins Primary Illustrated Dictionary

adolescence NOUN

adopt adopts, adopting, adopted

VERB If someone adopts a child, they take them into their family as their son or daughter by a legal process.

[from Latin adoptare meaning to choose for oneself]

adorable

ADJECTIVE loveable and attractive

adore adores, adoring, adored

VERB If you adore someone, you feel deep love and admiration for them.

adoration NOUN

adult adults

NOUN a mature and fully developed person or animal

advance advances, advancing, advanced

VERB 1 To advance is to move forward.

NOUN 2 An advance is progress in something. • There have been many scientific advances in the past century.

PHRASE 3 If you do something in advance of something, you do it beforehand. • We booked our holiday well in advance.

advanced

ADJECTIVE If something is advanced, it is at a high level, or ahead in development or progress. • The children in the top group do advanced maths exercises.

advantage advantages

NOUN 1 a benefit, or something that puts you in a better position • The advantage of e-mail is that it is quicker than the post.

PHRASE 2 If you take advantage of someone, you treat them unfairly for your own benefit.

3 If you take advantage of something, you make use of it.

adventure adventures

NOUN something that is exciting, and perhaps even dangerous

adverb adverbs

NOUN a word that tells you how, when, where or why something happens or something is done. For example, she walked slowly, he came yesterday, they live here.

[from Latin adverbium meaning added word]

advert

NOUN an abbreviation for advertisement

advertise advertises, advertising, advertised

VERB If you advertise something, you tell people about it in a newspaper, on a poster or on TV.

advertisement advertisements

NOUN a notice in a newspaper, on a poster or on TV about a job or things for sale

advice

NOUN a suggestion from someone about what you should do

The noun advice ends in ce.

advisable

ADJECTIVE If it is advisable to do something, it is a sensible thing to do and will probably give the results that you want. • It is advisable to wear a helmet when cycling.

advise advises, advising, advised

VERB If you advise someone to do something, you tell them you think they should do it.

The verb advise ends in se.

aerial aerials

NOUN 1 a piece of wire for receiving television or radio signals

ADJECTIVE 2 happening in the air • We watched the aerial displays at the RAF airshow.

aero-

PREFIX to do with the air, for example aeroplane

[from Greek aer meaning air]

aerobics

NOUN a type of fast physical exercise that increases the oxygen in your blood and strengthens your heart and lungs

aerobic ADJECTIVE

aeroplane aeroplanes

NOUN a vehicle with wings and engines that enable it to fly

aerosol aerosols

NOUN a small, metal container in which liquid is kept under pressure so that it can be forced out as a spray

affair affairs

NOUN 1 an event or series of events • The wedding was a happy affair.

2 If something is your own affair, then it is your concern only.

affect affects, affecting, affected

VERB When something affects someone or something, it causes them to change. • Computers affect our lives in many ways.

affection

NOUN a feeling of love and fondness for someone

affectionate ADJECTIVE

affluent

ADJECTIVE People who are affluent have a lot of money and possessions.

afford affords, affording, afforded

VERB 1 If you can afford something, you have enough money to pay for it.

2 If you can afford to relax, you feel you have done enough work for the moment, and have time to take things easy.

afloat

ADVERB If something or someone is afloat, they are floating.

afraid

ADJECTIVE 1 If you are afraid, you are frightened.

SYNONYM: scared

2 If you are afraid something might happen, you worry that it might happen.

after

PREPOSITION OR ADVERB 1 later than a particular time, date or event • She left just after breakfast. • Soon after, he went to work.

PREPOSITION 2 If you come after someone or something, you are behind them and following them. • They ran after her.

afternoon afternoons

NOUN the part of the day between twelve noon and about six o’clock

afterwards

ADVERB after an event or time • We went swimming, and afterwards we had an ice cream.

again

ADVERB happening one more time • The film was so good that we went to see it again.

SYNONYM: once more

against

PREPOSITION 1 touching and resting on • He leaned the ladder against the wall.

2 in opposition to • France played against England.

age ages, ageing or aging, aged

NOUN 1 The age of something or someone is the number of years they have lived or existed.

2 a particular period in history • the Iron Age

PLURAL NOUN 3 INFORMAL Ages means a very long time. • He’s been talking for ages.

VERB 4 To age is to grow old or to appear older.

Ageing and aging are both correct spellings.

agency agencies

NOUN an organization or business that provides special services • detective agency • advertising agency

agenda agendas

NOUN a list of items to be discussed at a meeting

agent agents

NOUN 1 someone who does business or arranges things for other people • a travel agent

2 someone who works for their country’s secret service

aggravate aggravates, aggravating, aggravated

VERB 1 If you aggravate something, you make it worse.

2 INFORMAL If you aggravate someone, you annoy them.

aggravating ADJECTIVE aggravation NOUN

aggressive

ADJECTIVE full of hostility and violence • Some breeds of dog are more aggressive than others.

SYNONYMS: belligerent, hostile

agile

ADJECTIVE able to move quickly and easily • He is as agile as a cat.

agilely ADVERB agility NOUN

agitated

ADJECTIVE worried and anxious

agitation NOUN

ago

ADVERB in the past • She bought her flat three years ago.

agony

NOUN very great physical or mental pain

SYNONYMS: suffering, torment

agree agrees, agreeing, agreed

VERB 1 If you agree with someone, you have the same opinion as they do.

2 If you agree to do something, you say you will do it.

agreeable

ADJECTIVE 1 pleasant or enjoyable

2 If you are agreeable to something, you are willing to allow it or to do it.

agreeably ADVERB

agreement agreements

NOUN If you reach an agreement with one or more people, you make a decision with them or come to an arrangement with them.

agriculture

NOUN farming

ahead

ADVERB 1 in front • He looked ahead as he cycled down the road.

2 more advanced than someone or something else • Some countries are ahead of others in space travel.

3 in the future • I can’t think that far ahead.

aid aids

NOUN 1 money, equipment or services provided for people in need

2 something that makes a job easier • The whiteboard is a useful teaching aid.

ailment ailments

NOUN a minor illness

aim aims, aiming, aimed

VERB 1 If you aim at something, you point a weapon at it.

2 If you aim to do something, you are planning to do it.

SYNONYMS: intend, mean

NOUN 3 Your aim is what you intend to achieve. • The aim of the jumble sale is to raise money for charity.

SYNONYMS: goal, objective

aimless

ADJECTIVE If you are aimless, you have no clear purpose or sense of direction.

aimlessly ADVERB

air

NOUN 1 the mixture of oxygen and other gases that we breathe and that forms the earth’s atmosphere

2 the space around things or above the ground • The balloons floated up into the air.

3 used to refer to travel in aircraft • My uncle often travels by air.

air conditioning

NOUN a way of keeping cool, fresh air in a building

aircraft

NOUN any vehicle that can fly

air force air forces

NOUN the part of a country’s armed services that fights using aircraft

airline airlines

NOUN a company that provides air travel

airmail

NOUN the system of sending letters and parcels by air • He sent letters from Hong Kong to Britain by airmail.

airport airports

NOUN a place where people go to catch aeroplanes

airtight

ADJECTIVE If something is airtight, no air can get in or out.

aisle aisles

NOUN a long, narrow gap that people can walk along between rows of seats or shelves • The ticket collector was coming down the aisle.

ajar

ADJECTIVE A door or window that is ajar is slightly open.

alarm alarms, alarming, alarmed

NOUN 1 a feeling of fear and worry • The cat sprang back in alarm.

2 an automatic device used to warn people of something • The burglar alarm went off accidentally.

VERB 3 If something alarms you, it makes you worried and anxious.

album albums

NOUN 1 a CD, cassette or record with a number of songs on it

2 a book in which you keep a collection of things, such as photographs or stamps

alcohol

NOUN the name for drinks such as beer, wine and spirits

alert alerts, alerting, alerted

ADJECTIVE 1 If you are alert, you are paying full attention to what is happening.

SYNONYMS: vigilant, watchful

VERB 2 If you alert someone to a problem or danger, you warn them of it.

algebra

NOUN a branch of mathematics in which symbols and letters are used to represent unknown numbers

alias aliases

NOUN a false name

alibi alibis

NOUN If you have an alibi, you have evidence proving you were somewhere else when a crime was committed.

alien aliens

NOUN 1 In science fiction, an alien is a creature from outer space.

ADJECTIVE 2 Something that is alien to you seems strange because it is not part of your normal experience. • The desert is an alien environment to many people.

[from Latin alienus meaning foreign]

alight alights, alighting, alighted

ADJECTIVE 1 Something that is alight is burning.

VERB 2 If something alights somewhere, it lands there.

3 If someone alights from a vehicle, they get out of it.

alike

ADJECTIVE 1 Things that are alike are very similar in some way.

ADVERB 2 If people or things are treated alike, they are treated the same.

alive

ADJECTIVE If someone or something is alive, they are living.

alkali alkalis

NOUN a chemical substance sometimes used in cleaning materials. Alkalis can neutralize acids.

ANTONYM: acid

alkaline ADJECTIVE

all

ADJECTIVE, NOUN OR ADVERB 1 the whole of something • She told us all about it. • He ate all the chocolate.

ADVERB 2 also used to show that both sides in a game or contest have the same score • The final score was three points all.

Allah

PROPER NOUN the Muslim name for God

allege alleges, alleging, alleged

VERB If you allege that something is true, you say it’s true, but you cannot prove it.

allergy allergies

NOUN If you have an allergy to something, it makes you ill to eat or touch it.

allergic ADJECTIVE

alley alleys

NOUN a narrow street or passageway between buildings

alliance alliances

NOUN a group of countries, organizations or people who have similar aims and who work together to achieve them

alligator alligators

NOUN a large, scaly reptile, similar to a crocodile

[from Spanish el lagarto meaning lizard]

alliteration

NOUN the use of several words together that begin with the same letter or sound. For example, the slithery snake slid silently across the sand.

allotment allotments

NOUN a piece of land that people rent to grow fruit and vegetables on

allow allows, allowing, allowed

VERB If someone allows you to do something, they let you do it.

all right

ADJECTIVE 1 If something is all right, it is satisfactory, but not especially good. • Do you like mushrooms? They’re all right.

2 If someone is all right, they are safe and not harmed.

3 You say all right if you agree to something. • Will you help? All right.

ally allies

NOUN a person or a country that helps and supports another

SYNONYMS: friend, partner

almond almonds

NOUN an oval edible nut, cream in colour

almost

ADVERB very nearly • I have almost as many points as you.

SYNONYMS: just about, practically

alone

ADJECTIVE not with other people or things

along

PREPOSITION 1 moving forward • We strolled along the road.

2 from one end of something to the other • The cupboards stretched along the wall.

alongside

PREPOSITION OR ADVERB next to something • We tied our boat alongside the jetty.

aloud

ADVERB When you read aloud, you read so that people can hear you.

alphabet alphabets

NOUN all the letters used to write words in a language. The letters of an alphabet are written in a special order.

alphabetical

ADJECTIVE If something is in alphabetical order, it is arranged according to the letters of the alphabet.

alphabetically ADVERB

already

ADVERB If you have done something already, you did it earlier. • Josh has already gone to bed.

also

ADVERB in addition to something that has just been mentioned • I bought an ice cream, and I also bought a drink.

altar altars

NOUN a holy table in a church or temple

alter alters, altering, altered

VERB If something alters, or if you alter it, it changes.

alternate alternates, alternating, alternated

Said “ol-ter-nut” ADJECTIVE 1 If something happens on alternate days, it happens on one in every two days.

Said “ol-ter-nayt” VERB 2 If two things alternate, they regularly happen one after the other.

alternative alternatives

NOUN something you can do or have instead of something else • Is there an alternative to meat on the menu?

although

CONJUNCTION in spite of the fact that • He wasn’t well-known in America, although he had made a film there.

altitude altitudes

NOUN height above sea level • The mountain range reaches an altitude of 1330 metres.

altogether

ADVERB 1 completely or entirely • The car got slower, then stopped altogether.

2 in total – used of amounts • I have two cats and two dogs. That’s four pets altogether.

aluminium

NOUN a silvery-white, lightweight metal

always

ADVERB 1 all the time • He’s always late.

2 forever • I’ll always remember this day.

a.m.

a.m. is used to show times in the morning

[an abbreviation of the Latin ante meridiem meaning before noon]

am

VERB a present tense of be

amateur amateurs

NOUN someone who does something without being paid for it • He began playing football as an amateur, but now he is a professional.

amaze amazes, amazing, amazed

VERB If something amazes you, it surprises you very much.

SYNONYMS: astonish, astound

amazement NOUN

amazing

ADJECTIVE If something is amazing, it is very surprising.

amazingly ADVERB

ambassador ambassadors

NOUN a person sent to a foreign country as the representative of their own government

amber

NOUN 1 a hard, yellowish-brown substance from trees, used in making jewellery

NOUN OR ADJECTIVE 2 an orange-brown colour

ambiguous

ADJECTIVE If something is ambiguous, it can have more than one meaning.

ambiguously ADVERB ambiguity NOUN

ambition ambitions

NOUN If you have an ambition to do something, you want very much to do it.

amble ambles, ambling, ambled

VERB If you amble, you walk along in a slow, relaxed way.

ambulance ambulances

NOUN a vehicle for taking sick and injured people to hospital

ambush ambushes, ambushing, ambushed

NOUN 1 a surprise attack

VERB 2 If one group of people ambushes another, they hide and lie in wait, and then make a surprise attack.

ammonia

NOUN a strong-smelling, colourless liquid or gas, often used in cleaning substances

ammunition

NOUN anything that can be fired from a gun or other weapon, for example bullets and shells

amoeba amoebas or amoebae

NOUN a tiny living organism that has only one cell. An amoeba reproduces by dividing into two.

among or amongst

PREPOSITION 1 surrounded by

2 in the company of • He was among friends.

3 between more than two • The money will be divided among seven charities.

amount amounts

NOUN how much there is of something • You need a large amount of flour for this recipe.

amphibian amphibians

NOUN a creature that lives partly on land and partly in water, for example a frog or a newt

amphibious ADJECTIVE

amplify amplifies, amplifying, amplified

VERB If you amplify a sound, you make it louder.

amplifier NOUN

amputate amputates, amputating, amputated

VERB If a surgeon amputates part of the body, such as an arm or a leg, they cut it off.

amputation NOUN

amuse amuses, amusing, amused

VERB 1 If something amuses you, you think it is funny.

2 If you amuse yourself, you find things to do that stop you from being bored.

amused ADJECTIVE amusing ADJECTIVE

amusement amusements

NOUN 1 the feeling you have when you think that something is funny or you have pleasure

2 a mechanical device used for entertainment, at a fair for example

3 Amusements are ways of passing the time pleasantly.

an

ADJECTIVE An is used instead of a in front of words that begin with the vowels a, e, i, o, or u. • an apple • an egg

anaemia

NOUN a medical condition in which there are too few red cells in the blood. It makes you feel tired and look pale.

anaemic ADJECTIVE

anaesthetic anaesthetics; also spelt anesthetic

NOUN a substance that stops you feeling pain. A general anaesthetic stops you from feeling pain in the whole of your body by putting you to sleep. A local anaesthetic makes just one part of your body go numb.

anagram anagrams

NOUN a word or phrase formed by changing the order of the letters of another word or phrase. For example, draw is an anagram of ward and dear is an anagram of read.

analogue

ADJECTIVE An analogue watch or clock shows the time with pointers that move round a dial.

ANTONYM: digital

analogy analogies

NOUN a comparison between two things that are similar in some ways

analyse analyses, analysing, analysed

VERB If you analyse something, you investigate it carefully to understand it or to find out what it consists of.

anatomy anatomies

NOUN the study of the structure of bodies, both animal and human, to find out how they work

anatomical ADJECTIVE

ancestor ancestors

NOUN a member of your family who lived many years ago • He could trace his ancestors back 700 years.

[from Latin antecessor meaning one who goes before]

anchor anchors, anchoring, anchored

NOUN 1 a heavy, hooked object at the end of a chain. It is dropped from a boat into the water to keep the boat from floating away.

VERB 2 If you anchor something, you hold it down firmly.

ancient

ADJECTIVE Things that are ancient existed or happened a very long time ago.

ANTONYM: modern

and

CONJUNCTION You use and to link two or more parts of a sentence together. • Let’s go to the cinema and then have pizza.

anecdote anecdotes

NOUN a short, sometimes entertaining story about a person or an event

angel angels

NOUN a being who, some people believe, lives in heaven and acts as a messenger for God

[from Greek angelos meaning messenger]

anger

NOUN the strong feeling you get about something unfair or cruel

SYNONYMS: fury, rage, wrath

angle angles

NOUN 1 the distance between two lines at the point where they join together. Angles are measured in degrees. • an angle of 90 degrees

2 the direction from which you look at something • He painted pictures of the garden from all angles.

angry angrier, angriest

ADJECTIVE very annoyed

SYNONYMS: furious, cross

anguish

NOUN great suffering

animal animals

NOUN any living being that is not a plant

animation animations

NOUN a way of making films using drawings that appear to move when you watch them

animated ADJECTIVE

ankle ankles

NOUN the joint that connects your foot to your leg

annihilate annihilates, annihilating, annihilated

VERB If someone or something annihilates someone or something else, they destroy them completely.

annihilation NOUN

anniversary anniversaries

NOUN a date that is remembered because something special happened on that date in a previous year • We celebrated Mum and Dad’s twelfth wedding anniversary.

announce announces, announcing, announced

VERB If you announce something, you tell people about it publicly or officially. • They announced the team on Friday morning.

SYNONYM: make known

announcement NOUN

annoy annoys, annoying, annoyed

VERB If someone or something annoys you, they make you angry or impatient.

SYNONYMS: bother, irritate

annoyance NOUN

annual annuals

ADJECTIVE 1 happening once a year • our annual sports day

NOUN 2 a book that is published once a year for children

anonymous

ADJECTIVE If something is anonymous, nobody knows who is responsible for it. • The charity received an anonymous donation.

anorak anoraks

NOUN a warm, waterproof jacket, usually with a hood

[an Eskimo word]

anorexia

NOUN a psychological illness in which the person refuses to eat

[from Greek an + orexis meaning no appetite]

another

ADJECTIVE OR PRONOUN one more person or thing

answer answers, answering, answered

VERB 1 If you answer someone, you reply to them in speech or writing.

NOUN 2 the reply you give when you answer someone • I received an answer to my letter.