Collins Primary Illustrated Dictionary
chronic
ADJECTIVE lasting a very long time or never stopping • He suffers from chronic hay fever.
chronological
ADJECTIVE arranged in the order in which things happened • Tell me the whole story in chronological order.
chronologically ADVERB
chrysalis chrysalises
NOUN a butterfly or moth when it is developing from being a caterpillar to being a fully grown adult
chrysanthemum chrysanthemums
NOUN a plant with large, brightly-coloured flowers
chuckle chuckles, chuckling, chuckled
VERB When you chuckle, you laugh quietly.
chunk chunks
NOUN a thick piece of something
SYNONYMS: hunk, lump, piece
church churches
NOUN a building where Christians go for religious services and worship
churchyard churchyards
NOUN an area of land around a church, often used as a graveyard
churn churns, churning, churned
NOUN 1 a container used for making milk or cream into butter
VERB 2 When you churn something, you stir it vigorously, for example when making milk into butter.
churn out
VERB If you churn out something, you produce it quickly in large numbers. • They churned out hundreds of leaflets advertising the dance.
chutney
NOUN a strong-tasting, thick sauce made from fruit, vinegar and spices
cider
NOUN an alcoholic drink made from apples
cigar cigars
NOUN a roll of dried tobacco leaves, which people smoke
cigarette cigarettes
NOUN a thin tube of paper containing tobacco, which people smoke
cinder cinders
NOUN Cinders are small pieces of burnt material left after something such as wood or coal has burned.
cinema cinemas
NOUN a place where people go to watch films
circle circles, circling, circled
NOUN 1 a regular, two-dimensional round shape. Every point on the edge is the same distance from the centre.
VERB 2 to move around in a circle • Seagulls circled overhead.
circular ADJECTIVE
circuit circuits
NOUN 1 the path of an electric current
2 a racecourse
3 A training circuit is a course of physical activities.
circulation circulations
NOUN 1 the movement of blood around a body
2 the number of copies of a newspaper or magazine that are sold each time it is issued
circumference circumferences
NOUN 1 the outer line or edge of a circle
2 The length of this line is also called the circumference.
circumstance circumstances
NOUN The circumstances of a situation or event are the conditions that affect what happens. • He did well under difficult circumstances.
circus circuses
NOUN a travelling show performed in a large tent, with performers such as clowns and acrobats
cistern cisterns
NOUN a tank in which water is stored, such as in the roof of a house, or above a toilet
citizen citizens
NOUN The citizens of a country or city are the people who live in it or belong to it.
citrus fruit citrus fruits
NOUN Citrus fruits are juicy, sharp-tasting fruits such as oranges, lemons and grapefruit.
city cities
NOUN a large town where many people live and work
civil
ADJECTIVE 1 relating to the citizens of a place
2 Someone who is civil is polite.
civilian civilians
NOUN a person who is not in the armed forces
civilization civilizations; also spelt civilisation
NOUN 1 a large group of people with a high level of organization and culture • We’re learning about the ancient civilizations of Greece, Rome and Egypt.
2 a highly developed and organized way of life
civilized; also spelt civilised
ADJECTIVE 1 A civilized society is one with a highly developed social organization and a comfortable way of life.
2 A civilized person is polite and reasonable.
civil war civil wars
NOUN a war between groups of people who live in the same country
claim claims, claiming, claimed
VERB 1 If you claim that something is the case, you say that it is so.
2 If you claim something, you ask for it because you believe you have a right to it.
clamber clambers, clambering, clambered
VERB If you clamber somewhere, you climb there with difficulty. • We clambered over the rocks to get to the beach.
clammy clammier, clammiest
ADJECTIVE unpleasantly damp and sticky • The weather was very clammy.
clamp clamps, clamping, clamped
NOUN 1 a device that holds something firmly in place
VERB 2 When you clamp one thing to another, you fasten them together with a clamp.
clan clans
NOUN a group of families related to each other by being descended from the same ancestor
clang clangs, clanging, clanged
VERB When something made of metal clangs, or when you clang it, it makes a loud, ringing sound.
clank clanks, clanking, clanked
VERB When something clanks, it makes a loud, metallic sound.
clap claps, clapping, clapped
VERB 1 When you clap, you hit your hands together loudly to show that you have enjoyed something or that you approve of something.
NOUN 2 a sudden loud noise of thunder
clarify clarifies, clarifying, clarified
VERB If you clarify something, you make it clear and easier to understand.
clarification NOUN
clarinet clarinets
NOUN a woodwind instrument with a straight tube and a single reed in its mouthpiece
clarity
NOUN The clarity of something is its clearness. • The clarity of the water made me think it was very clean.
clash clashes, clashing, clashed
VERB 1 Colours or ideas that clash are so different that they do not go together. • Debbie’s red shirt clashed with her green shorts.
2 If one event clashes with another, they happen at the same time, so you cannot go to both.
3 If people clash with each other, they fight or argue.
clasp clasps, clasping, clasped
VERB 1 If you clasp something, you hold it tightly.
NOUN 2 a fastening such as a hook or a catch
class classes
NOUN 1 a group of pupils or students taught together, or a lesson that they have together
2 A class of people or things is a group of them of a particular type. • Beetles and ants belong to different classes of insect.
SYNONYMS: group, kind, type
classic
ADJECTIVE Something described as classic is considered a high quality example of something. • He has a classic car.
classical
ADJECTIVE 1 traditional in style and content • classical ballet
2 Classical music is serious music thought to be of lasting value.
classify classifies, classifying, classified
VERB to arrange things into groups with something in common • We classified the foods into three groups: fruits, vegetables and meats.
classification NOUN
classroom classrooms
NOUN a room in a school where lessons take place
clatter clatters, clattering, clattered
VERB 1 When things clatter, they hit each other with a loud, rattling noise.
NOUN 2 a loud noise made by hard things hitting against each other • There was a great clatter when the waitress dropped the tray.
clause clauses
NOUN In grammar, a clause is a group of words with a subject and a verb, which may be a complete sentence or part of a sentence.
claw claws, clawing, clawed
NOUN 1 An animal’s claws are the hard, curved nails at the end of its feet.
2 The claws of a crab or a lobster are the two jointed parts at the end of the leg, used for holding things.
VERB 3 3 If an animal claws something, it digs its claws into it
clay
NOUN a type of earth that is soft and sticky when wet and hard when baked dry. It is used to make pottery and bricks.
clean cleaner, cleanest; cleans, cleaning, cleaned
ADJECTIVE 1 free from dirt or unwanted marks
VERB 2 to remove dirt from something
clear clearer, clearest; clears, clearing, cleared
ADJECTIVE 1 easy to understand, see or hear • The instructions on the packet were very clear.
2 easy to see through • a clear liquid
VERB 3 To clear unwanted things from a place is to remove them. • We cleared the dirty dishes from the table.
4 If you clear a fence or other obstacle, you jump over it without touching it.
clearly ADVERB
clear up
VERB When you clear up a place, you tidy it and put things away.
clench clenches, clenching, clenched
VERB 1 When you clench your fist, you curl your fingers up tightly.
2 When you clench your teeth, you squeeze them together tightly, either in pain or in anger.
clerk clerks
NOUN a person who keeps records or accounts in an office, bank or law court
clever cleverer, cleverest
ADJECTIVE 1 intelligent and quick to understand things
SYNONYMS: bright, intelligent, smart
2 very effective or skilful • We came up with a clever plan.
cliché clichés
NOUN an idea or phrase that is no longer effective because it has been used so much. For example, in this day and age and over the moon.
click clicks, clicking, clicked
VERB 1 When something clicks or when you click it, it makes a short snapping sound.
NOUN 2 a sound of something clicking
client clients
NOUN someone who pays a professional person or company for a service
cliff cliffs
NOUN a high area of land with a very steep side, usually next to the sea
cliffhanger cliffhangers
NOUN a very exciting or frightening situation, usually in a television or radio serial, where you are left not knowing what is going to happen next
climate climates
NOUN the general weather conditions that are typical of a place
climax climaxes
NOUN the most exciting moment of something, usually near the end
climb climbs, climbing, climbed
VERB 1 If you climb something, such as a tree, mountain or ladder, you move towards the top of it.
2 If you climb somewhere, you move there with difficulty. • We climbed over the high wall.
NOUN 3 a movement upwards • I was tired after the long climb to the top of the hill.
climber NOUN
cling clings, clinging, clung
VERB If you cling to something, you hold on to it tightly.
clinic clinics
NOUN a place where people go for medical advice or treatment
clip clips, clipping, clipped
NOUN 1 a small metal or plastic object used for holding things together
2 a short piece of a film shown by itself
VERB 3 If you clip something, you cut bits from it to shape it.
clipboard clipboards
NOUN a stiff piece of board or plastic, with a clip at the top to keep papers in place
clippers
PLURAL NOUN a tool used for cutting • hedge clippers
cloak cloaks, cloaking, cloaked
NOUN 1 a wide, loose coat without sleeves
VERB 2 If something cloaks something else, it covers or hides it. • The mist cloaked the land.
cloakroom cloakrooms
NOUN 1 a room where you can leave coats and luggage for a while
2 a room with toilets and washbasins in a public building
clock clocks
NOUN an instrument that measures and shows the time
clockwise
ADVERB in the same direction as the hands on a clock
clockwork
NOUN 1 Toys that move by clockwork are wound up with a key.
PHRASE 2 If something goes like clockwork, it happens with no problems or delays.
clog clogs, clogging, clogged
VERB 1 When something is clogged, or when you clog something up, it becomes blocked and doesn’t work properly or doesn’t allow things to move freely. • The traffic was clogging the roads.
NOUN 2 a shoe made entirely of wood, originally from the Netherlands
clone clones
NOUN an animal or plant that is an identical copy of another animal or plant
close closes, closing, closed; closer, closest
Said “klohz” VERB 1 If you close something, you move it so that it is no longer open. • He closed the door behind him.
2 If a shop or other building closes at a certain time, it does not do business after that time.
Said “klohss” ADJECTIVE 3 Something that is close to something else is near to it.
SYNONYMS: near, nearby
4 People who are close are very friendly with each other and know each other well.
5 If the weather is close, it is uncomfortably warm and stuffy.
NOUN 6 a street that is closed at one end • We live in Park Close.
closely ADVERB
close-up close-ups
Said “klohss-up” NOUN A close-up in a film or a photograph is taken at very close range and shows things in great detail.
cloth cloths
NOUN 1 fabric made by a process such as weaving
2 a piece of material used for wiping or protecting things
clothes
PLURAL NOUN things people wear on their bodies
cloud clouds
NOUN 1 a mass of water vapour that is seen as a white or grey patch in the sky
2 A cloud of smoke or dust is a mass of it floating in the air.
cloudy cloudier, cloudiest
ADJECTIVE 1 full of clouds • The sky was cloudy.
SYNONYMS: dull, overcast
2 difficult to see through • a cloudy liquid
SYNONYM: murky
clover
NOUN a small plant with leaves made up of three similar parts
clown clowns
NOUN a circus performer who wears funny clothes and make-up and does silly things to make people laugh
club clubs
NOUN 1 a group of people with similar interests, who meet regularly. The place where they meet is also called a club. • a youth club
2 a team that competes in sports competitions
clue clues
NOUN something that helps solve a problem or mystery • Police have found clues to the robbery.
clueless
ADJECTIVE INFORMAL If you say that someone is clueless, you think they are stupid and not able to do things properly.
clump clumps
NOUN a small group of things growing or standing close together • a clump of trees
clumsy clumsier, clumsiest
ADJECTIVE moving awkwardly and carelessly
SYNONYMS: awkward, ungainly
clumsily ADVERB
clung
VERB the past tense and past participle of cling
cluster clusters, clustering, clustered
NOUN 1 a group of things together • There is a cluster of houses by the lake.
VERB 2 If people cluster together, they stay together in a close group.
[from Old English clyster meaning bunch of grapes]
clutch clutches, clutching, clutched
VERB If you clutch something, you hold it tightly or seize it.
clutter clutters, cluttering, cluttered
NOUN 1 an untidy mess
VERB 2 Things that clutter a place fill it and make it untidy.
coach coaches, coaching, coached
NOUN 1 a large bus that takes passengers on long journeys
2 a section of a train that carries passengers
VERB 3 If someone coaches you, they help you to get better at a sport or a subject.
SYNONYMS: instruct, train
NOUN 4 someone who coaches a person or sports team
coal
NOUN a hard, black rock taken from under the ground and burned as a fuel
coarse coarser, coarsest
ADJECTIVE 1 Something that is coarse is rough in texture.
2 Someone who is coarse talks or behaves in a rude, offensive way.
coarsely ADVERB coarseness NOUN
coast coasts, coasting, coasted
NOUN 1 the edge of the land where it meets the sea
VERB 2 If a vehicle coasts somewhere, it moves there with the engine switched off. • The car coasted quietly down the hill.
coastal ADJECTIVE
coastguard coastguards
NOUN an official who watches the sea near a coast to get help for sailors when they need it
coat coats, coating, coated
NOUN 1 a piece of outdoor clothing with sleeves, which you wear over other clothes
2 An animal’s coat is the fur or hair on its body.
3 A coat of paint or varnish is a layer of it.
VERB 4 If you coat something, you cover it with a thin layer of something. • We coated the biscuits with chocolate.
coating coatings
NOUN a thin layer of something spread over a surface
coax coaxes, coaxing, coaxed
VERB If you coax someone to do something, you persuade them gently to do it.
cobble cobbles
NOUN Cobbles or cobblestones are stones with a rounded surface that were used in the past for making roads.
cobra cobras
NOUN a type of large poisonous snake from Africa and Asia
cobweb cobwebs
NOUN the very thin net that a spider spins to catch insects
cock cocks
NOUN an adult male chicken, or any other male bird
cockerel cockerels
NOUN a young cock
cockle cockles
NOUN a type of small, edible shellfish
Cockney Cockneys
NOUN someone who was born in the East End of London
cockpit cockpits
NOUN 1 the area in a plane where the pilot sits in control
2 the driver’s compartment in a racing car
cockroach cockroaches
NOUN a large, dark-coloured insect often found in dirty rooms
[from Spanish cucaracha]
cocky cockier, cockiest
ADJECTIVE INFORMAL If you are cocky, you are sure of yourself and sometimes rather cheeky.
cocoa
NOUN 1 a brown powder made from the seeds of a tropical tree and used for making chocolate
2 a hot drink made from this powder
coconut coconuts
NOUN a very large nut with white flesh, milky juice, and a hard hairy shell
cocoon cocoons
NOUN a silky covering over the larvae of moths and some other insects
cod
NOUN a large, edible fish
code codes
NOUN 1 a system of replacing the letters or words in a message with other letters or words, so that nobody can understand the message unless they know the system • They wrote messages in code.
2 a group of numbers and letters used to identify something • the telephone code for Falmouth
coeducation
NOUN Coeducation is a system where girls and boys are taught together at the same school.
coeducational ADJECTIVE
coffee
NOUN 1 a powder made by roasting and grinding the beans of the coffee plant
2 a hot drink made from coffee
coffin coffins
NOUN a box in which a dead body is buried or cremated
cog cogs
NOUN a wheel with teeth, which turns another wheel or part of a machine
coil coils, coiling, coiled
NOUN 1 a length of rope or wire wound into a series of loops
2 A single loop is also called a coil.
VERB 3 If something coils, or if you coil it, it winds into a series of loops. • The snake coiled around the branch.
coin coins, coining, coined
NOUN 1 a small metal disc used as money
VERB 2 If you coin a word or a phrase, you invent it.
coinage
NOUN the coins that are used in a particular country
coincide coincides, coinciding, coincided
VERB When two things coincide, they happen at the same time. • Auntie’s visit coincided with my birthday.
coincidence coincidences
NOUN what happens when two or more things occur at the same time by chance
coke
NOUN a grey fuel produced from coal
cola colas
NOUN a sweet, brown fizzy drink, like Coca-Cola
colander colanders
NOUN a bowl-shaped container with holes in it, used for washing or draining food
cold colder, coldest; colds
ADJECTIVE 1 If something is cold, it has a very low temperature.
2 If the weather is cold, the air temperature is very low.
NOUN 3 a minor illness that makes you sneeze and cough, and sometimes gives you a sore throat
cold-blooded
ADJECTIVE 1 A cold-blooded animal has a body temperature that changes according to the surrounding temperature.
2 Someone who is cold-blooded does not show any pity.
cold-bloodedly ADVERB
coleslaw
NOUN a salad of chopped cabbage and other vegetables in mayonnaise
collaborate collaborates, collaborating, collaborated
VERB When people collaborate, they work together to produce something. • The two schools collaborated to produce a play.
collaboration NOUN collaborator NOUN
collage collages
NOUN a picture made by sticking pieces of paper or cloth on to a surface
collapse collapses, collapsing, collapsed
VERB 1 If something such as a building collapses, it falls down suddenly.
2 If a person collapses, they fall down suddenly because they are ill.
collapsible
ADJECTIVE A collapsible object can be folded flat when it is not in use. • collapsible chairs
collar collars
NOUN 1 the part around the neck of something, such as a coat or shirt
2 a leather band round the neck of a dog or cat
colleague colleagues
NOUN A person’s colleagues are the people they work with.
collect collects, collecting, collected
VERB 1 If you collect things, you gather them together for a special purpose or as a hobby.
2 If you collect someone or something from a place, you call there and take them away. • We collected Ali from school.
3 When things collect in a place, they gather there over a period of time. • Dust collects in corners.
collection collections
NOUN 1 a group of things you have gathered over a period of time • a stamp collection
2 the organized collecting of money, for example for charity, or the money collected
collective noun collective nouns
NOUN a noun that refers to a group of people or things. For example, a flock, a herd, and a shoal are all collective nouns.
college colleges
NOUN a place where students study after they have left school
collide collides, colliding, collided
VERB If a moving object collides with something, it hits it. • They collided with each other as they rushed through the door.
collision collisions
NOUN A collision is when a moving object hits something.
SYNONYM: crash
colon colons
NOUN 1 the punctuation mark (:). It is used to introduce a list, a quotation or an explanation of a statement. • We need to buy several things: bread, milk, fruit and toothpaste.
2 part of your intestine
colonel colonels
NOUN an army officer with a fairly high rank
colony colonies
NOUN 1 a country that is controlled by another country
2 a group of people or animals living together
colossal
ADJECTIVE very large indeed
[from Greek kolossos meaning huge statue]