Collins Primary Illustrated Dictionary. Collins Dictionaries

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]

      colour colours

      NOUN the appearance something has as a result of reflecting light • Red, blue and yellow are the primary colours.

      colour blind

      ADJECTIVE Someone who is colour blind is not able to see the difference between certain colours.

      colourful

      ADJECTIVE 1 Something that is colourful has a lot of different colours or bright colours.

      ANTONYMS: dull, colourless

      2 A colourful story is very exciting and interesting.

      ANTONYMS: dull, boring

      colourless

      ADJECTIVE 1 without colour

      2 dull and uninteresting

      colt colts

      NOUN a young male horse

      column columns

      NOUN 1 a tall, solid, upright cylinder, especially one supporting part of a building

      2 In a newspaper or magazine, a column is a vertical section of writing.

      3 a group of people or vehicles moving in a long line

      coma comas

      NOUN a state of deep unconsciousness

      comb combs, combing, combed

      NOUN 1 a flat object with long, thin, pointed parts, which you use for tidying your hair

      VERB 2 When you comb your hair, you tidy it with a comb.

      combat combats, combating, combated

      NOUN 1 fighting • In the Falklands War many soldiers had to take part in armed combat.

      VERB 2 If someone combats something, they try to stop it happening. • We need new ways to combat crime.

      combination combinations

      NOUN 1 a mixture of things • Fatima won the competition through a combination of skill and determination.

      2 a series of numbers or letters used to open a special lock

      combine combines, combining, combined

      VERB If you combine things, you mix them together. • Combine the butter and sugar, then add the eggs. • The book combines adventure and mystery.

      combine harvester combine harvesters

      NOUN a large machine used on farms to cut, sort and clean grain

      combustion

      NOUN the process of burning

come comes, coming, came

      VERB 1 If you come to a place, you move or arrive there.

      2 If something comes to a particular point, it reaches that point. • The water came up to her waist.

      3 When a particular time comes, it happens. • Spring came early this year.

      comedian comedians

      NOUN an entertainer whose job is to make people laugh

      comedy comedies

      NOUN a play, film, or television programme that is intended to make people laugh

      comet comets

      NOUN an object that travels around