Collins Primary Thesaurus. Collins Dictionaries

      Manx

      Persian

      Siamese

      tabby

      tortoiseshell

      Some wild cats:

      cheetah

      jaguar

      leopard

      lion

      panther

      puma

      tiger

      catch (1) VERB

      If you catch a person or animal, you capture them.

      arrest

      Navy police arrested the drunken sailor.

      capture

      By luck, the cowboys managed to capture the runaway horse.

      ensnare

      The unfortunate trespasser found herself ensnared in barbed wire.

      trap

      In the forests of Russia, hunters trap animals for their skins.

      catch (2) NOUN

      A catch is a hidden difficulty.

      disadvantage

      One of the disadvantages of having long hair is that it can get very tangled.

      drawback

      There is a drawback to eating too much chocolate. It can make you feel sick!

      snag

      When putting the shelves up we came across a snag – we didn’t have enough screws.

      cause (1) VERB

      If someone or something causes something, they make it happen.

      bring about

      The curse of the Baskervilles brought about the family’s doom.

      create

      Last night some lads created a disturbance in our street.

      lead to

      More policemen on the beat led to a drop in the crime rate.

      produce

      Who would have thought that a small baby would produce so much noise?

      cause (2) NOUN

      The cause of something is the thing that makes it happen.

      origin

      The origin of the tradition was a mystery.

      source

      Gambling was the source of all the earl’s troubles.

      cautious ADJECTIVE

      Someone who is cautious acts carefully to avoid possible danger or disappointment.

      careful

      Ashley was careful about handling the precious eggs.

      wary

      The sparrows were wary of the nearby cat.

      ANTONYM: reckless

      celebration NOUN

      A celebration is an occasion to mark a happy day or event.

      Types of celebration:

      anniversary party

      banquet

      birthday party

      carnival

      feast

      festival

      fête

      gala

      jubilee

      party

      reunion

      wedding

      centre NOUN

      The centre of an object or area is the middle of it.

      core

      The earth’s core consists of molten rock.

      heart

      In the heart of the city, a musician played on a street corner.

      hub

      At the hub of operations was my brother, with his walkie-talkie set.

      middle

      The bull’s-eye is in the middle of a dartboard.

      certain (1) ADJECTIVE

      If you are certain about something, you are sure it is true.

      confident

      Shula was confident that the rumour she had heard was true.

      convinced

      Al was convinced that he would pass his exam.

      positive

      “Are you positive that’s what you want for your birthday?” Mum asked.

      sure

      “I’m sure I put my homework in my bag, but I can’t find it,” I said.

      ANTONYM: uncertain

      certain (2) ADJECTIVE

      If something is certain to happen, it is likely to happen.

      inevitable

      It was inevitable that the bully would meet his match before long.

      likely

      According to the weather forecast, it’s likely to be a sunny afternoon.

      unavoidable

      When its brakes failed, the lorry faced an unavoidable collision.

      ANTONYM: unlikely

      certainly ADVERB

      Certainly can mean without any doubt.

      definitely

      “Put me down for a ticket,” Dad said. “I’m definitely going to the game.”

      undoubtedly

      The horse was undoubtedly the fastest that Jo had ridden.

      without doubt

      Without doubt, geography was John’s favourite subject.

      chair NOUN

      A chair is a seat for one person to sit on, with a back and legs.

      Types of chair:

      armchair

      deckchair

      dining chair

      highchair

      office chair

      rocking chair

      chance (1) NOUN

      If there is a chance that something will happen, it might happen.

      danger

      At oil refineries, there is always a danger of fire breaking out.

      likelihood

      With those clouds, there was a likelihood of rain before long.

      possibility

      “Is there any possibility of a lift, please?” Hamal asked.

      probability

      It is a probability that humans will one day walk on Mars.

      chance (2) NOUN

      Something that happens by chance happens unexpectedly, without being planned.

      accident

      It was totally by accident that Mum bumped into her old friend.

      coincidence