Collins Primary Illustrated Dictionary. Collins Dictionaries

      5 If you lose count of something, you cannot remember how often it has happened.

      counter counters

      NOUN 1 a long, flat surface in a shop, over which goods are sold

      2 a small, flat, round object used in board games

      counterfeit counterfeits, counterfeiting, counterfeited

      Said “kown-ter-fit” ADJECTIVE 1 Counterfeit things are not genuine, but have been made to look genuine in order to deceive people. • counterfeit money

      VERB 2 If someone counterfeits something, they make an exact copy of it in order to trick people.

      countless

      ADJECTIVE too many to count

      country countries

      NOUN 1 one of the political areas the world is divided into

      2 land away from towns and cities • It is peaceful living in the country.

      countryside

      NOUN land away from towns and cities

      county counties

      NOUN a region with its own local government • The county of Lincolnshire is in the east of England.

      couple couples

      NOUN 1 two people who are married or having a romantic relationship

      2 A couple of things or people means two of them, or not very many.

      couplet couplets

      NOUN two lines of poetry together that usually rhyme

      coupon coupons

      NOUN 1 a piece of printed paper that entitles you to pay less than usual for something

      2 a form you fill in to ask for information or to enter a competition

      courage

      NOUN the quality shown by people who do things that they know are dangerous or difficult • She showed great courage in her efforts to save them from the burning house.

      courageous ADJECTIVE

      courageously ADVERB

      courgette courgettes

      NOUN a vegetable that looks like a small green marrow

      courier couriers

      NOUN 1 someone employed by a travel company to look after people on holiday

      2 someone employed to deliver letters and parcels quickly

      course courses

      NOUN 1 a series of lessons or lectures

      2 a piece of land where races take place or golf is played

      3 the route something such as a ship or a river takes • The captain changed course to avoid the storm.

      4 one of the parts of a meal • The first course was soup.

      PHRASE 5 If you say of course, you are showing that you are absolutely sure about something. • Of course she wouldn’t do a thing like that.

      court courts

      NOUN 1 a place where legal matters are decided by a judge and jury or a magistrate. The judge and jury or magistrate can also be referred to as the court. • He is due to appear in court next week. • The court awarded him ten thousand pounds in compensation.

      2 a place where a game such as tennis or badminton is played

      3 the place where a king or queen lives and works

      courteous

      ADJECTIVE Courteous behaviour is polite and considerate.

      courteously ADVERB

      courtyard courtyards

      NOUN a flat area of ground surrounded by buildings or walls

      cousin cousins

      NOUN Your cousin is the child of your uncle or aunt.

      cove coves

      NOUN a small bay on the coast

      cover covers, covering, covered

      VERB 1 If you cover something, you put something else over it to protect it or hide it.

      2 If something covers something else, it forms a layer over it.

      3 If you cover a particular distance, you travel that distance.

      4 If you cover a subject, you discuss it in a lesson, course or book. • We covered the Vikings in today’s lesson.

      NOUN 5 something put over an object to protect it or keep it warm

      6 The cover of a book or magazine is its outside.

      7 Cover is trees, rocks or other places where you can shelter or hide. • When it started raining they ran for cover.

      coverage

      NOUN The coverage of something in the news is the reporting of it. • There was complete coverage of the Wimbledon finals on television.

      cow cows

      NOUN a large female mammal kept on farms for its milk and meat

      coward cowards

      NOUN a person who is easily frightened and avoids dangerous situations

      cowardly ADJECTIVE cowardice NOUN

      cowboy cowboys

      NOUN a man employed to look after cattle in America

      coy coyer, coyest

      ADJECTIVE If someone behaves in a coy way, they pretend to be shy and modest.

      crab crabs

      NOUN a crustacean with four pairs of legs, two claws, and a flat, round body covered by a shell

      crack cracks, cracking, cracked

      VERB 1 If something cracks, or if something cracks it, it becomes damaged, with lines appearing on its surface.

      2 If you crack a joke, you tell it.

      3 If you crack a problem or code, you solve it.

      NOUN 4 one of the lines appearing on something when it cracks

      5 a narrow gap • My ring fell into a crack in the pavement.

      cracker crackers

      NOUN 1 a thin, crisp biscuit that is often eaten with cheese

      2 a paper-covered tube that pulls apart with a bang, and usually has a toy and paper hat inside

      crackle crackles, crackling, crackled

      VERB 1 something crackles, it makes a series of short sharp sounds • The bonfire started to crackle as the flames grew higher.

      NOUN 2 a short sharp sound

      cradle cradles, cradling, cradled

      NOUN 1 a box-shaped bed for a baby

      VERB 2 If you cradle something in your arms or hands, you hold it there carefully.

      craft crafts

      NOUN 1 an activity that needs skill with the hands, such as weaving, carving or pottery

      2 a boat, plane or spacecraft

      craftsman or craftswoman craftsmen or craftswomen

      NOUN a person who makes things skilfully with their hands

      craftsmanship NOUN

      crafty craftier, craftiest

      ADJECTIVE Crafty people get what they want by tricking other people in a clever way.

      SYNONYMS: cunning, wily

      crag crags

      NOUN a steep, rugged