Collins Primary Illustrated Dictionary
VERB 2 If you brood about something, you are worried about it and can’t stop thinking about it.
brook brooks
NOUN a stream
broom brooms
NOUN a long-handled brush
brother brothers
NOUN Your brother is a boy or man who has the same parents as you.
brother-in-law brothers-in-law
NOUN Someone’s brother-in-law is the brother of their husband or wife, or their sister’s husband.
brought
VERB the past tense and past participle of bring
brown browner, brownest
ADJECTIVE OR NOUN the colour of earth or wood
Brownie Brownies
NOUN a junior member of the Girl Guides
bruise bruises, bruising, bruised
NOUN 1 a purple mark that appears on your skin after something has hit it
VERB 2 If something bruises you, it hits you so that a bruise appears on your skin.
brunette brunettes
NOUN a girl or a woman with dark brown hair
brush brushes, brushing, brushed
NOUN 1 an object with bristles. There are brushes for cleaning things, painting or tidying your hair.
VERB 2 If you brush something, you clean it or tidy it with a brush.
Brussels sprout Brussels sprouts
NOUN a vegetable that looks like a tiny cabbage
brutal
ADJECTIVE Brutal behaviour is violent and cruel.
brutally ADVERB brutality NOUN
bubble bubbles, bubbling, bubbled
NOUN 1 a ball of air in a liquid
VERB 2 When a liquid bubbles, bubbles form in it.
buck bucks, bucking, bucked
NOUN 1 the male of various animals, including deer and rabbits
VERB 2 If a horse bucks, it jumps into the air with all four feet off the ground.
bucket buckets
NOUN a deep, round container with an open top and a handle
buckle buckles, buckling, buckled
NOUN 1 a fastening on the end of a belt or strap
VERB 2 If you buckle a belt or strap, you fasten it.
3 If metal buckles, it crumples up.
bud buds
NOUN a small, tight swelling on a tree or plant, which develops into a flower or leaf
Buddhist
NOUN someone who follows the religious teachings of Buddha, who taught in India in the fifth century. Buddhists believe that the way to end suffering is by overcoming our desires.
Buddhism NOUN
budgerigar budgerigars
NOUN a small, brightly-coloured pet bird. Budgerigars originated in Australia.
[an Australian Aboriginal name, from budgeri + gar meaning good cockatoo]
budget budgets, budgeting, budgeted
NOUN 1 a plan showing how much money will be available and how it will be spent
VERB 2 If you budget for something, you plan how you use your money carefully, so as to be able to afford what you want.
buffalo buffaloes
NOUN 1 a wild animal like a large cow with long curved horns
2 another word for bison
buffet buffets
NOUN 1 a café at a station or on a train
2 a meal at which people serve themselves
bug bugs, bugging, bugged
NOUN 1 a small insect, especially one that causes damage
2 an infection or virus that makes you ill
3 a small error in a computer programme that stops it working properly
VERB 4 If a place is bugged, tiny microphones are hidden there to pick up what people are saying.
build builds, building, built
VERB If you build something, you make it from all its parts.
builder builders
NOUN a person whose job is to build buildings
building buildings
NOUN a structure with walls and a roof
bulb bulbs
NOUN 1 the glass part of an electric lamp
2 an onion-shaped root from which a flower or plant grows. Tulips and daffodils are grown from bulbs.
[from Greek bolbos meaning onion]
bulge bulges, bulging, bulged
VERB 1 If something bulges, it swells out.
NOUN 2 a lump on a normally flat surface
bulk bulks
NOUN 1 a large mass of something
PHRASE 2 If you buy something in bulk, you buy it in large quantities.
bulky bulkier, bulkiest
ADJECTIVE Something that is bulky is large and heavy and sometimes difficult to move.
bull bulls
NOUN the male of some animal species including cattle, elephants and whales
bulldozer bulldozers
NOUN a powerful tractor with a broad blade in front, which is used for moving earth or knocking things down
bullet bullets
NOUN a small piece of metal fired from a gun
bulletin bulletins
NOUN a short news report on radio or television
bullion
NOUN gold or silver bars
bullock bullocks
NOUN a young male bull that is reared for meat
bully bullies, bullying, bullied
NOUN 1 someone who uses their strength or power to hurt or frighten other people
VERB 2 If someone bullies you into doing something, they make you do it by using force or threats.
[a sixteenth-century word meaning fine fellow or hired ruffian]
bump bumps, bumping, bumped
VERB 1 If you bump into something, you knock into it accidentally.
NOUN 2 a soft noise made by something knocking into something else
3 a raised, uneven part of a surface
SYNONYMS: bulge, lump
bumper bumpers
NOUN a bar on the front or back of a vehicle that protects it if it bumps into something
bumpy bumpier, bumpiest
ADJECTIVE Something that is bumpy has a rough, uneven surface. • a bumpy road
bun buns
NOUN a small, round bread roll or cake
bunch bunches
NOUN a group of things together • a bunch of flowers
bundle bundles, bundling, bundled
NOUN 1 a number of things tied together or wrapped up in a cloth
VERB 2 If you bundle someone or something somewhere, you push them there quickly and roughly.
bungalow bungalows
NOUN a one-storey house
[from Hindi bangla meaning house]
bunk bunks
NOUN a bed fixed to a wall in a ship or caravan
bunk beds
PLURAL NOUN two beds fixed together, one above the other
buoy buoys
NOUN a floating object anchored to the bottom of the sea, marking a channel or warning of danger
buoyancy
NOUN Something that has buoyancy is able to float in liquid or in the air.
buoyant
ADJECTIVE 1 Something that is buoyant is able to float.
2 Someone who is buoyant is lively and cheerful.
burden burdens
NOUN a heavy load
burger burgers
NOUN a flat fried cake of meat, vegetables or cheese, served in a bread roll
burglar burglars
NOUN someone who breaks into buildings and steals things
burgle VERB
burn burns, burning, burned or burnt
VERB 1 If something is burning, it is on fire.
2 To burn something means to damage or destroy it with fire.
3 People often burn fuel, such as coal, to keep warm.
NOUN 4 A burn is an injury caused by fire or by something hot.
burqa burqas; also spelt burka
Said “bur-ka” NOUN a long garment worn by some Muslim women in public, covering everything except the eyes
burrow burrows, burrowing, burrowed
NOUN 1 a tunnel or hole in the ground dug by a small animal
VERB 2 When an animal burrows, it digs a burrow.
burst bursts, bursting, burst
VERB 1 When something bursts, or when you burst it, it splits open suddenly.
2 When you burst into a room, you enter suddenly and with force.
NOUN 3 A burst of something is a sudden short period of it. • a burst of applause
bury buries, burying, buried
VERB 1 If you bury something, you put it in a hole in the ground and cover it with earth.
2 If something is buried under something, it is covered by it. • My trainers were buried under a pile of clothes.
bus buses
NOUN a large motor vehicle that carries passengers
[from Latin omnibus meaning for all]
bush bushes
NOUN 1 a large plant, smaller than a tree and with a lot of woody branches
2 In Australia and South Africa, an uncultivated area outside a town or city is called the bush.
3 In New Zealand, the bush is land covered by rainforest.
bushy bushier, bushiest
ADJECTIVE Bushy hair or fur grows very thickly. • My dad has bushy eyebrows.
business businesses
NOUN 1 work relating to the buying and selling of goods and services
2 an organization that produces or sells goods, or provides a service
SYNONYMS: company, firm, organization
busker buskers
NOUN someone who sings or plays music in public places for money
bus stop bus stops
NOUN a place where the bus stops regularly for passengers to get on or off, usually marked with a sign
busy busier, busiest
ADJECTIVE 1 If you are busy, you are doing something and are not free to do anything else. • She was too busy to come to the cinema with us.
2 A busy place is full of people doing things or moving about.
but
CONJUNCTION 1 used to introduce an idea that is opposite to what has gone before • I love cooking, but I hate washing up afterwards.
2 used when you apologize for something • Sorry, but I can’t come to play tomorrow.
PREPOSITION 3 except • There was nothing to eat but potatoes.
butcher butchers
NOUN a shopkeeper who prepares and sells meat
butter
NOUN a soft, fatty food made from cream, which is spread on bread and used in cooking
buttercup buttercups
NOUN a wild plant with bright yellow flowers
butterfly butterflies
NOUN a type of insect with large, colourful wings. Butterflies develop from caterpillars.
buttocks
PLURAL NOUN Your buttocks are the part of your body that you sit on.
[from Old English buttuc meaning rounded slope]
button buttons, buttoning, buttoned
NOUN 1 a small, hard round object sewn on to clothing such as shirts • My new jeans fasten with buttons instead of a zip.
2 a small object on a piece of equipment that you press to make it work • You must push the button down to switch the video on.
VERB 3 If you button a garment, you fasten it using its buttons.
buy buys, buying, bought
VERB If you buy something, you get it by paying money for it.
buzz buzzes, buzzing, buzzed
VERB If something buzzes, it makes a humming sound, like a bee.
buzzer buzzers
NOUN a device that makes a buzzing sound. Buzzers are used to attract attention. • I pressed the door buzzer but nobody was home.
by
PREPOSITION 1 used to show who or what has done something • The announcement was made by the head teacher.
2 used to show how something is done • He cheered us up by taking us to the cinema.
3 next to or near to • They live by the park.
4 before a particular time • We should finish by tea time.
PREPOSITION OR ADVERB 5 going past • We drove by her house.
bypass bypasses
NOUN a road that takes traffic around the edge of a town instead of through the middle • The centre of town is much quieter since they built the bypass.
byte bytes
NOUN a unit of storage in a computer
Cc
cab cabs
NOUN 1 a taxi
2 The cab is where the driver sits in a lorry, bus or train.
cabbage cabbages
NOUN a large, green, leafy vegetable
cabin cabins
NOUN 1 a room in a ship where a passenger sleeps
2 a small wooden house, usually in the country
cabinet cabinets
NOUN 1 a small cupboard • a medicine cabinet
2 The cabinet in a government is a group of ministers who advise the leader and decide policies.
cable cables
NOUN 1 a strong, thick rope or chain
2 a bundle of wires with a rubber covering, which carries electricity
cable television
NOUN a television service that comes through underground wires
cactus cacti or cactuses
NOUN a thick, fleshy plant that grows in deserts. Cactuses are usually covered in spikes.
cadet cadets
NOUN a young person being trained in the armed forces or police
café cafés
NOUN a place where you can buy light meals and drinks
[from the French café meaning coffee or coffee house]
caffeine; also spelt caffein
NOUN a chemical in coffee and tea that makes you more active
cage cages
NOUN a box or room made with bars, in which birds or animals are kept
caged ADJECTIVE
cake cakes, caking, caked
NOUN 1 a sweet food made from eggs, flour, butter and sugar
2 a block of a hard substance such as soap
VERB 3 If something is caked, it becomes covered with a solid layer of something else. • My shoes were caked in mud.
calamity calamities
NOUN something terrible that happens, causing destruction and misery • The earthquake was a terrible calamity.
SYNONYMS: disaster, catastrophe
calcium
Said “kal-see-um” NOUN a soft white mineral found in bones and teeth and in some foods. Milk and cheese are good sources of calcium.
calculate calculates, calculating, calculated
VERB If you calculate something, you work it out, usually by doing some arithmetic. • We calculated how much money we had raised from the sponsored walk.
[from Latin calculus meaning stone or pebble, which the Romans used for counting]
calculation calculations
NOUN something that you think about carefully and work out mathematically, or that you do on a machine such as a calculator
calculator calculators
NOUN a small electronic machine used for doing mathematical calculations
calendar calendars
NOUN a chart, usually organized month by month, showing the date of each day in a particular year • We marked the end of term on the calendar in red.
calf calves
NOUN 1 a young cow
2 Your calves are the backs of your legs between your knees and ankles.
call calls, calling, called
VERB 1 If you call someone or something a particular name, that is their name. • I will call my dog Spot. • That type of machine is called a combine harvester.
2 If you call someone, you telephone them.
3 If you call someone, you shout their name loudly.
NOUN 4 A call is a shout or a cry. • We heard a call for help.
call off
VERB If something is called off it is cancelled. • The party was called off.
call on
VERB If you call on someone, you pay them a short visit.
calm calmer, calmest
ADJECTIVE 1 Someone who is calm is quiet and does not show any worry or excitement.
2 If the sea is calm, the water is not moving very much.
calorie calories
NOUN The amount of energy that food gives you is measured in calories.
came
VERB the past tense of come
camel camels
NOUN a large mammal with either one or two humps on its back. Camels live in hot desert areas and are used for carrying people and things.
camera cameras
NOUN a piece of equipment used for taking photographs or for filming
camouflage camouflages, camouflaging, camouflaged
NOUN 1 a way of avoiding being seen by having the same colour or appearance as the surroundings
VERB 2 To camouflage something is to hide it by giving it the same colour or appearance as its surroundings.
camp camps, camping, camped
NOUN 1 a place where people live in tents or stay in tents for a holiday
VERB 2 If you camp, you stay in a tent.
NOUN 3 a collection of buildings for soldiers or prisoners
camper NOUN
campaign campaigns, campaigning, campaigned
VERB When people campaign, they take action in order to achieve something. • She campaigned against the export of live animals.
campaign NOUN
can could; cans
VERB 1 If someone says you can do something, you are allowed to do it.
2 If you can do something, you are able to do it. • I can say “hello” in French.
NOUN 3 a metal container, often sealed, with food or drink inside
canal canals
NOUN a long, narrow, man-made stretch of water
canary canaries
NOUN a yellow songbird
cancel cancels, cancelling, cancelled
VERB If you cancel something that has been arranged, you stop it from happening. • They cancelled the school trip.
cancer cancers
NOUN a serious disease in which abnormal cells in a part of the body increase rapidly, causing growths
candidate candidates
NOUN a person who is being considered for a job
candle candles
NOUN a stick of hard wax with a piece of string called a wick through the middle. You light the wick to produce a flame.
cane canes
NOUN 1 the long, hollow stem of a plant such as bamboo
2 strips of cane used for weaving baskets and other containers
3 a long, narrow stick used to support plants
canine canines
ADJECTIVE 1 relating to dogs
NOUN 2 a canine is one of the pointed teeth near the front of the mouth in humans and some animals
cannibal cannibals
NOUN a person who eats human flesh
cannon cannons or cannon
NOUN a large gun, usually on wheels, which fires heavy iron balls
cannot
VERB the same as can not
canoe canoes
NOUN a small, narrow boat that you row using a paddle
canoeing NOUN canoeist NOUN
can’t
VERB a contraction of cannot
canteen canteens
NOUN a place to eat in a school or workplace
canvas canvases
NOUN 1 strong, heavy cloth used for making things such as sails and tents
2 a piece of canvas on which an artist does a painting
canyon canyons
NOUN a narrow river valley with steep sides
cap caps
NOUN 1 a soft, flat hat, often with a peak at the front
2 a bottle top
3 a small explosive used in toy guns
capable
ADJECTIVE 1 If you are capable of doing something, you are able to do it.
2 Someone who is capable is able to do something well.
capacity capacities
NOUN the maximum amount that something can hold or produce • The arena has a seating capacity of two thousand.
capital capitals
NOUN 1 The capital of a country is the city where the government meets. • Paris is the capital of France.
2 A capital, or a capital letter, is a larger, upper-case letter used at the beginning of a sentence or a name: Carol, Tim.
capsize capsizes, capsizing, capsized
VERB If a boat capsizes, it turns upside down.
capsule capsules
NOUN 1 a small container with medicine inside, which you swallow
2 the part of a spacecraft in which astronauts travel
[from Latin capsula meaning little box]
captain captains
NOUN 1 the officer in charge of a ship or aeroplane
2 the leader of a sports team
caption captions
NOUN a title printed underneath a picture or a photograph
captive captives
NOUN someone who is locked up and kept prisoner
capture captures, capturing, captured
VERB If someone captures someone or something, they take them prisoner.
car cars
NOUN 1 a four-wheeled road vehicle with an engine and room to carry a few passengers
2 a railway carriage used for a particular purpose • the buffet car
caravan caravans
NOUN 1 a vehicle pulled by a car in which people live or spend their holidays
2 a group of people and animals travelling together, usually across a desert
carbohydrate carbohydrates
NOUN a substance that gives you energy. It is found in foods like sugar and bread.
carbon
NOUN a chemical found in coal, diamonds and graphite. All living things contain carbon.
carbon dioxide
NOUN the gas that human beings and other animals breathe out
carbon footprint carbon footprints
NOUN the amount of carbon monoxide produced by a person, company or country
card cards
NOUN 1 a piece of stiff paper or plastic with a message or information on it • birthday card • credit card
2 When you play cards, you play a game using special playing cards.
3 strong, stiff paper
cardboard
NOUN thick, stiff paper, which is stronger than card
cardigan cardigans
NOUN a knitted jacket that fastens up the front
care cares, caring, cared
VERB 1 If you care about something or someone, you are concerned about them and interested in them.
2 If you care for a person or an animal, you look after them.
NOUN 3 worry or trouble • She didn’t have a care in the world.
4 If you do something with care, you concentrate very hard on it so that you don’t make mistakes. • He wrote the telephone number down with great care.
PHRASE 5 If you take care of a person or an animal, you look after them. • Shakira said she would take care of the hamsters while we were on holiday.
career careers
NOUN Your career is the series of jobs you have in life, often in the same occupation. • a teaching career
careful
ADJECTIVE acting sensibly and with care
ANTONYM: careless
carefully ADVERB
careless
ADJECTIVE not paying attention to what you are doing
SYNONYMS: slapdash, sloppy
carelessly ADVERB carelessness NOUN
caretaker caretakers
NOUN a person who looks after a large building such as a school
cargo cargoes
NOUN goods carried on a ship or plane
Caribbean
Said “carib-ee-un” NOUN 1 short for the Caribbean Sea, which lies between the West Indies and South America
ADJECTIVE 2 to do with the Caribbean Sea or the islands in it • I love Caribbean food.
carnation carnations
NOUN a plant with thin leaves and scented white, pink or red flowers
carnival carnivals
NOUN a public festival with music, processions and dancing
carnivore carnivores
NOUN an animal that eats meat
carnivorous ADJECTIVE
carol carols
NOUN a religious song sung at Christmas time
carpenter carpenters
NOUN a person who makes and repairs wooden things
carpentry NOUN
carpet carpets
NOUN a thick floor covering usually made of material like wool
carriage carriages
NOUN 1 one of the separate sections of a passenger train
2 an old-fashioned vehicle for carrying passengers, usually pulled by horses