Collins Primary Illustrated Dictionary. Collins Dictionaries

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.