Collins Primary Illustrated Dictionary. Collins Dictionaries

trail behind it

      [from Greek kometes meaning long-haired]

      comfort comforts, comforting, comforted

      NOUN 1 the state of being pleasantly relaxed

      2 a feeling of relief from worry or unhappiness • It’s a comfort to me to know that they are safe.

      VERB 3 If you comfort someone, you make them less worried or unhappy.

      comfortable

      ADJECTIVE 1 If you are comfortable, you are at ease and relaxed.

      2 Something that is comfortable makes you feel relaxed. • a comfortable chair

      comfortably ADVERB

      comic comics

      NOUN 1 a magazine that contains stories told in pictures

      ADJECTIVE 2 funny • a comic song

      comma commas

      NOUN the punctuation mark (,). It can show a short pause, or it can separate items in a list or words in speech marks from the rest of the sentence.

      command commands, commanding, commanded

      NOUN 1 an order to do something

      VERB 2 If you command someone to do something, you order them to do it.

      commemorate commemorates, commemorating, commemorated

      VERB If you commemorate something, you do something special to show that you remember it. • On Remembrance Day we commemorate all the people who died in the two World Wars.

      comment comments, commenting, commented

      NOUN 1 a remark about something

      VERB 2 If you comment on something, you make a remark about it.

      commentary commentaries

      NOUN a description of an event that is broadcast on radio or television while the event is happening • The commentary on the match was on the radio.

      commentator commentators

      NOUN someone who gives a radio or television commentary

      commerce

      NOUN the buying and selling of goods

      commercial commercials

      NOUN 1 an advertisement on television or radio

      ADJECTIVE 2 Commercial activities involve producing large amounts of goods to sell and make money.

      commit commits, committing, committed

      VERB When someone commits a crime or sin, they do it. • The police know who committed the burglary.

      committee committees

      NOUN a group of people who make decisions on behalf of a larger group

      common commoner, commonest; commons

      ADJECTIVE 1 Something that is common exists in large numbers or happens often.

      NOUN 2 an area of grassy land where everyone can go

      ADJECTIVE 3 If something is common to two or more people, they all have it or use it. • We had a common interest in butterflies.

      PHRASE 4 If two things or people have something in common, they both have it. • Sarah and I have a lot in common.

      common noun common nouns

      NOUN Common nouns name things in general. They begin with lower-case letters: girl, boy, animal, picture.

      See noun

      common sense

      NOUN knowing how to behave sensibly in any situation

      Commonwealth

      NOUN The Commonwealth is a group of countries that used to be ruled by Britain.

      commotion

      NOUN a lot of noise and excitement

      communal

      ADJECTIVE shared by a group of people • The shop had communal changing rooms.

      communicate communicates, communicating, communicated

      VERB When people communicate, they exchange information, usually by talking or writing to each other.

      communication communications

      NOUN 1 the act of exchanging information, usually by talking, writing or, in the case of animals, making sounds • the communication of ideas

      PLURAL NOUN 2 Communications are electrical or radio systems that allow people to broadcast or communicate information.

      communion

      NOUN 1 a Christian religious service in which people share holy bread and wine

      2 the sharing of thoughts and feelings

      community communities

      NOUN all the people living in a particular area

      commuter commuters

      NOUN a person who has to travel a long way to work every day

      compact

      ADJECTIVE Something that is compact takes up very little space, or no more space than is necessary.

      compact disc compact discs

      NOUN a music or video recording in the form of a small plastic disc

      companion companions

      NOUN someone you travel or spend time with

      company companies

      NOUN 1 a business that sells goods or provides a service

      2 If you have company, you have a friend or visitor with you.

      PHRASE 3 If you keep someone company, you spend time with them.

      comparative comparatives

      ADJECTIVE 1 You use comparative to show that something is true only when compared with something else.

      NOUN 2 In grammar, the comparative is the form of an adjective or adverb that shows an increase in size, quality or amount. It is usually formed by adding -er to a word, for example, bigger, faster, or by putting more before the word, for example, more difficult.

      compare compares, comparing, compared

      VERB When you compare things, you see in what ways they are different or similar. • We compared our hair to see whose was longest.

      comparison comparisons

      NOUN When you make a comparison, you consider two things together and decide in what ways they are different or similar.

      compartment compartments

      NOUN 1 a section of a railway carriage

      2 one of the separate sections of something such as a bag or a box

      compass compasses

      NOUN 1 an instrument with a magnetic needle that always points north. You use a compass to find your way.

      PLURAL NOUN 2 Compasses are a hinged instrument for drawing circles.

      compassion

      NOUN pity and sympathy for someone who is suffering

      compassionate ADJECTIVE

      compass point compass points

      NOUN one of the 32 marks on the dial of a compass that show direction • North, south, east and west are compass points.

      compel compels, compelling, compelled

      VERB 1 If you compel someone to do something, you force them to do it.