Collins Primary Illustrated Dictionary. Collins Dictionaries

If someone has the copyright on a piece of writing or music, it cannot be copied or performed without their permission.

      coral corals

      NOUN a hard substance that forms in the sea from the skeletons of tiny animals called corals

      cord cords

      NOUN 1 strong, thick string

      2 electrical wire covered in rubber or plastic

      corduroy

      NOUN heavy, ribbed cloth made of cotton

      core cores

      NOUN the most central part of an object or place • an apple core • the earth’s core

      cork corks

      NOUN 1 a soft, light substance that forms the bark of a Mediterranean tree

      2 a piece of cork pushed into the end of a bottle to close it

      corkscrew corkscrews

      NOUN a device for pulling corks out of bottles

      corn

      NOUN 1 crops such as wheat and barley

      2 the seeds of these crops

      corner corners, cornering, cornered

      NOUN 1 the point where two sides or edges of something meet • The TV was in the corner of the room.

      See vertex

      VERB 2 If someone corners a person or animal, they get them into a place they can’t escape from. • The police cornered the thief.

      cornet cornets

      NOUN a small, brass instrument used in brass and military bands

      coronation coronations

      NOUN the ceremony at which a king or queen is crowned

      coroner coroners

      NOUN an official who investigates the deaths of people who have died in a violent or unusual way

      corporal corporals

      NOUN an officer of low rank in the army or air force

      corporal punishment

      NOUN punishing of people by beating them

      corps

      Said “kor” NOUN part of an army with special duties • the Medical Corps

      corpse corpses

      NOUN a dead body

      correct corrects, correcting, corrected

      ADJECTIVE 1 If something is correct, there are no mistakes in it.

      VERB 2 If you correct something that is wrong, you make it right. • She corrected my maths homework.

      correction NOUN

      correspond corresponds, corresponding, corresponded

      VERB 1 If one thing corresponds with another, it is similar to it or it matches it in some way.

      2 If numbers or amounts correspond, they are the same.

      3 When people correspond, they write to each other.

      correspondence

      NOUN 1 letters or the writing of letters

      2 If there is a correspondence between two things, there is a similarity between them.

      correspondent correspondents

      NOUN a newspaper, radio or television reporter

      corridor corridors

      NOUN a passage in a building or train

      [from Old Italian corridore meaning place for running]

      corrode corrodes, corroding, corroded

      VERB When something corrodes, it is eaten away. When iron and steel are corroded, rust is formed.

      corrosion NOUN corrosive ADJECTIVE

      corrugated

      ADJECTIVE Corrugated metal or cardboard has parallel folds to make it stronger.

      corrupt corrupts, corrupting, corrupted

      ADJECTIVE 1 People who are corrupt act dishonestly or illegally in return for money or power.

      SYNONYM: dishonest

      VERB 2 If you corrupt someone, you make them dishonest.

      3 If a bug in a computer spoils files, it corrupts them.

      corruption NOUN

      cosmetics

      PLURAL NOUN lipstick, face powder and other make-up

      cosmic

      ADJECTIVE belonging to or relating to the whole universe

      cosmos

      NOUN the universe

      cost costs, costing, cost

      NOUN 1 the amount of money needed to buy, do or make something

      VERB 2 You use cost to talk about the amount of money you have to pay for things. • You can’t have that – it costs too much.

      costume costumes

      NOUN 1 a set of clothes worn by an actor

      2 the clothing worn in a particular place or during a particular period

      cosy cosier, cosiest

      ADJECTIVE warm and comfortable

      cot cots

      NOUN a small bed for a baby, with bars or panels round it to stop the baby falling out

      cottage cottages

      NOUN a small house, especially in the country

      cotton

      NOUN 1 cloth made from the soft fibres of the cotton plant • a cotton shirt

      2 thread used for sewing • a needle and cotton

      couch couches

      NOUN a long, soft piece of furniture for sitting or lying on

      cough coughs, coughing, coughed

      VERB When you cough, you force air out of your throat with a sudden harsh noise.

      could

      VERB 1 the past tense of can

      2 You use could to say that something might happen or might be true. • It could rain later.

      3 You use could when you are asking for something politely. • Could you tell me the way to the station, please?

      couldn’t

      VERB a contraction of could not

      council councils

      NOUN a group of people elected to look after something, especially the affairs of a town, district or county

      counsel counsels, counselling, counselled

      NOUN 1 advice

      VERB 2 If someone counsels people, they give them advice about their problems.

      count counts, counting, counted

      VERB 1 When you count, you say all the numbers in order up to a particular number.

      2 If you count, or count up, all the things in a group, you add them up to see how many there are.

      3 If you can count on someone or something, you can rely on them. • You can count on me to help.

      PHRASE 4 If you keep count of something, you keep a record of how often it happens. •