COBUILD Advanced Learner’s Dictionary (Collins Cobuild)

charm|less /tʃɑː ^r mləs/ ADJ If you say that something or someone is charmless , you mean that they are unattractive or uninteresting. [WRITTEN ] □ …flat, charmless countryside.

cha rm of|fen|sive N‑SING If you say that someone has launched a charm offensive , you disapprove of the fact that they are being very friendly to their opponents or people who are causing problems for them. [JOURNALISM , DISAPPROVAL ] □ [+ against ] The Swiss recruitment group, will launch a charm offensive against shareholders to try to bring its takeover deal back to the table.

char|nel house /tʃɑː ^r n ^ə l haʊs/ (charnel houses ) N‑COUNT A charnel house is a place where the bodies and bones of dead people are stored.

charred /tʃɑː ^r d/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] Charred plants, buildings, or vehicles have been badly burnt and have become black because of fire. □ …the charred remains of a tank.

chart ◆◇◇ /tʃɑː ^r t/ (charts , charting , charted )

1 N‑COUNT A chart is a diagram, picture, or graph which is intended to make information easier to understand. □ Male unemployment was 14.2%, compared with 5.8% for women (see chart on next page). □ The chart below shows our top 10 choices.

2 → see also bar chart , flow chart , pie chart

3 N‑COUNT A chart is a map of the sea or stars. □ [+ of ] …charts of Greek waters.

4 VERB If you chart an area of land, sea, or sky, or a feature in that area, you make a map of the area or show the feature in it. □ [V n] Ptolemy charted more than 1000 stars in 48 constellations. □ [be V -ed] These seas have been well charted.

5 N‑COUNT [usu pl] The charts are the official lists that show which songs have had the most downloads or which CDs have sold the most copies each week. □ This album confirmed The Orb's status as national stars, going straight to Number One in the charts. □ They topped both the U.S. singles and album charts at the same time.

6 VERB If you chart the development or progress of something, you observe it and record or show it. You can also say that a report or graph charts the development or progress of something. □ [V n] Bulletin boards charted each executive's progress. SYNONYMS chart NOUN 1

table: Other research supports the figures in Table 3.3.

diagram: You can reduce long explanations to simple charts or diagrams.

graph: Recorded information can be viewed via charts and graphs.

visual: Remember you want your visuals to reinforce your message.

char|ter ◆◇◇ /tʃɑː ^r tə ^r / (charters , chartering , chartered )

1 N‑COUNT A charter is a formal document describing the rights, aims, or principles of an organization or group of people. □ …Article 50 of the United Nations Charter.

2 ADJ [ADJ n] A charter plane or boat is one which is hired for use by a particular person or group and which is not part of a regular service. □ …the last charter plane carrying out foreign nationals. □ …frequent charter flights to Spain.

3 VERB If a person or organization charters a plane, boat, or other vehicle, they hire it for their own use. □ [V n] He chartered a jet to fly her home from California to Switzerland. □ [V -ed] They arrived in a yacht chartered by the sports management company.

4 PHRASE If you describe a decision or policy as a charter for someone or something you disapprove of, you mean that it is likely to help or encourage them. □ [+ for ] They described the Home Office scheme as a 'charter for cheats'.

char|tered /tʃɑː ^r tə ^r d/ ADJ [ADJ n] Chartered is used to indicate that someone, such as an accountant or a surveyor, has formally qualified in their profession. [BRIT ] in AM, usually use certified

cha r|ter me m|ber (charter members ) N‑COUNT A charter member of a club, group, or organization is one of the first members, often one who was involved in setting it up. [AM ] in BRIT, use founder member

char|woman /tʃɑː ^r wʊmən/ (charwomen ) N‑COUNT A charwoman is a woman who is employed to clean houses or offices. [BRIT , OLD-FASHIONED ]

chary /tʃeə ri/ ADJ [v-link ADJ ] If you are chary of doing something, you are fairly cautious about doing it. □ [+ of ] I am rather chary of making too many idiotic mistakes. [Also + about ]

chase ◆◇◇ /tʃe I s/ (chases , chasing , chased )

1 VERB If you chase someone, or chase after them, you run after them or follow them quickly in order to catch or reach them. □ [V n] She chased the thief for 100 yards. □ [V + after ] He said nothing to waiting journalists, who chased after him as he left. ● N‑COUNT Chase is also a noun. □ He was reluctant to give up the chase. □ [+ through ] Police said he was arrested without a struggle after a car chase through the streets of Biarritz.

2 VERB If you are chasing something you want, such as work or money, you are trying hard to get it. □ [V n] In Wales, 14 people are chasing every job. □ [V + after ] …publishers and booksellers chasing after profits from high-volume sales. ● N‑SING Chase is also a noun. □ [+ for ] They took an invincible lead in the chase for the championship.

3 VERB If someone chases someone that they are attracted to, or chases after them, they try hard to persuade them to have a sexual relationship with them. □ [V n] I'm not very good at flirting or chasing women. □ [V + after ] 'I was always chasing after unsuitable men,' she says. ● N‑SING Chase is also a noun. □ The chase is always much more exciting than the conquest anyway.

4 VERB If someone chases you from a place, they force you to leave by using threats or violence. □ [V n + from/out of/off ] Many farmers will then chase you off their land quite aggressively. □ [V n + away/off/out ] Angry demonstrators chased him away.

5 PHRASE If someone cuts to the chase , they start talking about or dealing with what is important, instead of less important things. □ Hi everyone, we all know why we are here today, so let's cut to the chase.

6 VERB To chase someone from a job or a position or from power means to force them to leave it. □ [V n + from/out of ] The army will not allow its commander-in-chief to be chased from power.

7 VERB If you chase somewhere, you run or rush there. □ [V prep/adv] They chased down the stairs into the narrow, dirty street.

8 → see also wild goose chase

9 PHRASE If you give chase , you run after someone or follow them quickly in order to catch them. □ Other officers gave chase but the killers escaped.

10 PHRASE If you talk about the thrill of the chase , you are referring to the excitement that people feel when they are trying hard to get something. □ It's the thrill of the chase, the buzz of the risk, that drives you on.

▸ chase away PHRASAL VERB If someone or something chases away worries, fears, or other bad feelings, they cause those feelings to change and become happier. [WRITTEN ] □ [V P n] Ellery's return will help to chase away some of the gloom.

▸ chase down

1 PHRASAL VERB If you chase someone down , you run after them or follow them quickly and catch them. [mainly AM ] □ [V n P ] Ness chased the thief down and held him until police arrived. □ [V P n] For thousands of years chasing down game was the main activity in which humans were involved.

2 PHRASAL VERB If you chase someone or something down , you manage to find them after searching for them. □ [V n P ] That's when I chased her down to be the singer in my band. □ [V P n] Bank officials argued that it is not their job to chase down every asset of every bank debtor.

▸ chase up

1 PHRASAL VERB If you chase up something that is needed or needs dealing with, you find it or find out what is being done about it. □ [V n P ] When I didn't hear from the suppliers or receive a refund, I chased the matter up. □ [V P n] The authority can chase up the source of the pollution and demand that the owner clean it up.

2 PHRASAL VERB If you chase someone up , you look for them and find them because you want them to do something or give you something. □ [V P n] …the story of a man who comes to Hollywood to chase up a client who has defaulted on a debt. [Also V n P ] COLLOCATIONS chase NOUN 1

noun + chase : car, police

adjective + chase : high-speed

verb + chase : begin, continue, join; abandon, give up

chas|er /tʃe I sə ^r / (chasers ) N‑COUNT [oft n N ] A chaser is an alcoholic drink that you have after you have drunk a stronger or weaker alcoholic drink. □ …whisky with beer chasers.

chasm /kæ zəm/ (chasms )

1 N‑COUNT A chasm is a very deep crack in rock, earth, or ice.

2 N‑COUNT If you say that there is a chasm between two things or between two groups of people, you mean that there is a very large difference between them. □ …the chasm that divides the worlds of university and industry. □ [+ between ] …the chasm between rich and poor in America.

chas|sis /ʃæ si/ chassis /ʃæ siz/ can also be used as the plural form. N‑COUNT A chassis is the framework that a vehicle is built on.

chaste /tʃe I st/ ADJ If you describe a person or their behaviour as chaste , you mean that they do not have sex with anyone, or they only have sex with their husband or wife. [OLD-FASHIONED ] □ He remained chaste.

chas|ten /tʃe I s ^ə n/ (chastens , chastening , chastened ) VERB [usu passive] If you are chastened by something, it makes you regret that you have behaved badly or stupidly. [FORMAL ] □ [be V -ed + by ] He has clearly not been chastened by his thirteen days in detention. □ [V -ed] …a chastened England out to prove they are indeed one of the best teams in the world. [Also be V -ed + into ] ● chas|tened ADJ □ The President now seems a more chastened and less confident politician than when he set out a week ago.

chas|ten|ing /tʃe I sən I ŋ/ ADJ A chastening experience makes you regret that you have behaved badly or stupidly. □ From this chastening experience he learnt some useful lessons.

chas|tise /tʃæsta I z/ (chastises , chastising , chastised ) VERB If you chastise someone, you speak to them angrily or punish them for something wrong that they have done. [FORMAL ] □ [V n + for ] Thomas Rane chastised Peters for his cruelty. □ [V n] The Securities Commission chastised the firm but imposed no fine. □ [V pron-refl] I just don't want you to chastise yourself.

chas|tise|ment /tʃæsta I zmənt/ N‑UNCOUNT [oft a N ] Chastisement is the same as punishment. [OLD-FASHIONED ]

chas|tity /tʃæ st I ti/ N‑UNCOUNT Chastity is the state of not having sex with anyone, or of only having sex with your husband or wife. [OLD-FASHIONED ] □ He took a vow of chastity and celibacy.

chat ◆◇◇ /tʃæ t/ (chats , chatting , chatted )

1 VERB When people chat , they talk to each other in an informal and friendly way. □ [V ] The women were chatting. □ [V + to/with ] I was chatting to him the other day. □ [V + about ] We chatted about old times. ● N‑COUNT Chat is also a noun. □ [+ with ] I had a chat with John.

2 VERB When people chat , they exchange short written messages on the internet or on their phones. □ [V ] The software allows students to collaborate on documents and to chat via instant messaging. □ [V + to/with ] Kirstie was chatting with friends on a website. ● N‑COUNT Chat is also a noun. □ The author took part in a live web chat.

▸ chat up PHRASAL VERB If you chat someone up , usually someone you do not know very well, you talk to them in a friendly way because you are sexually attracted to them. [BRIT , INFORMAL ] □ [V P n] He'd spent most of that evening chatting up one of my friends. □ [V n P ] She was chatting one of the guys up. COLLOCATIONS chat VERB 1

chat + adverb : animatedly, excitedly, happily, merrily; amiably NOUN 1

adjective + chat : cosy, friendly, informal; heart-to-heart, one-to-one, private; brief

châ|teau /ʃæ toʊ/ (châteaux /ʃæ toʊz/) also chateau N‑COUNT A château is a large country house or castle in France.

chat|elaine /ʃæ təle I n/ (chatelaines ) N‑COUNT A chatelaine is the female owner, or the wife of the owner, of a castle or large country house.

chat|line /tʃæ tla I n/ (chatlines ) also chat line N‑COUNT People phone in to chatlines to have conversations with other people who have also phoned in. [BRIT ] □ She started using chat lines basically for someone to talk to.

cha t room (chat rooms ) N‑COUNT A chat room is a site on the internet where people can exchange messages about a particular subject. [COMPUTING ]

cha t show (chat shows ) N‑COUNT A chat show is a television or radio show in which people talk in a friendly, informal way about different topics. [BRIT ] in AM, use talk show

chat|tel /tʃæ t ^ə l/ (chattels ) N‑VAR Chattels are things that belong to you. [OLD-FASHIONED ] □ They were slaves, to be bought and sold as chattels.

chat|ter /tʃæ tə ^r / (chatters , chattering , chattered )

1 VERB If you chatter , you talk quickly and continuously, usually about things which are not important. □ [V adv/prep] Everyone's chattering away in different languages. □ [V + about ] Erica was friendly and chattered about Andrew's children. □ [V -ing] He listened to chattering maids as they passed by. [Also V ] ● N‑UNCOUNT Chatter is also a noun. □ …idle chatter. □ Lila kept up a steady stream of chatter.

2 VERB If your teeth chatter , they keep knocking together because you are very cold or very nervous. □ [V ] She was so cold her teeth chattered.

3 VERB When birds or animals chatter , they make high-pitched noises. [LITERARY ] □ [V ] Birds were chattering somewhere. ● N‑UNCOUNT Chatter is also a noun. □ [+ of ] …almond trees vibrating with the chatter of crickets.

chatter|box /tʃæ tə ^r bɒks/ (chatterboxes ) N‑COUNT A chatterbox is someone who talks a lot. [INFORMAL ]

cha t|ter|ing clas|ses N‑PLURAL The chattering classes are people such as journalists, broadcasters, or public figures who comment on events but have little or no influence over them. [BRIT , JOURNALISM , DISAPPROVAL ] □ Radical feminism is currently the fashionable topic among the chattering classes.

chat|ty /tʃæ ti/

1 ADJ Someone who is chatty talks a lot in a friendly, informal way. □ She's quite a chatty person.

2 ADJ A chatty style of writing or talking is friendly and informal. □ … a long, chatty e-mail from a colleague.

cha t-up line (chat-up lines ) N‑COUNT A chat-up line is a remark that someone makes in order to start a conversation with someone they do not know but find sexually attractive. [BRIT ] in AM, use line

chauf|feur /ʃoʊ fə ^r , ʃoʊfɜː ^r / (chauffeurs , chauffeuring , chauffeured )

1 N‑COUNT The chauffeur of a rich or important person is the man or woman who is employed to look after their car and drive them around in it.

2 VERB If you chauffeur someone somewhere, you drive them there in a car, usually as part of your job. □ [V n adv/prep] It was certainly useful to have her there to chauffeur him around. □ [V -ed] Caroline had a chauffeured car waiting to take her to London. [Also V n]

chau|vin|ism /ʃoʊ v I n I zəm/

1 N‑UNCOUNT Chauvinism is a strong, unreasonable belief that your own country is more important and morally better than other people's. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ [+ of ] It may also appeal to the latent chauvinism of many ordinary people. ● chau|vin|ist (chauvinists ) N‑COUNT □ They consider themselves patriots, but they are chauvinists and authoritarians.

2 → see also male chauvinism

3 → see also male chauvinist

chau|vin|is|tic /ʃoʊ v I n I st I k/

1 ADJ [usu ADJ n] If you describe someone as chauvinistic , you believe that they think their own country is more important and morally better than any other. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ …national narrow-mindedness and chauvinistic arrogance.

2 ADJ If you describe a man or his behaviour as chauvinistic , you disapprove of him for believing that men are naturally better and more important than women. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ My ex-boyfriend Anthony was very chauvinistic.

chav /tʃæ v/ (chavs ) N‑COUNT If you call someone a chav , you think that the way they look shows a lack of taste and education, although they may wear expensive clothes. [DISAPPROVAL ]

cheap ◆◆◇ /tʃiː p/ (cheaper , cheapest )

1 ADJ [v-link ADJ , ADJ n] Goods or services that are cheap cost less money than usual or than you expected. □ Smoke detectors are cheap and easy to put up. □ Running costs are coming down because of cheaper fuel. □ They served breakfast all day and sold it cheap. ● cheap|ly ADV [ADV after v] □ It will produce electricity more cheaply than a nuclear plant. ● cheap|ness N‑UNCOUNT □ [+ of ] The cheapness and simplicity of the design makes it ideal for our task.

2 ADJ [ADJ n] If you describe goods as cheap , you mean they cost less money than similar products but their quality is poor. □ Don't resort to cheap copies; save up for the real thing. □ …a tight suit made of some cheap material.

3 ADJ [ADJ n] If you describe someone's remarks or actions as cheap , you mean that they are unkindly or insincerely using a situation to benefit themselves or to harm someone else. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ These tests will inevitably be used by politicians to make cheap political points.

4 ADJ [usu v-link ADJ ] If you describe someone as cheap , you are criticizing them for being unwilling to spend money. [AM , DISAPPROVAL ] □ Oh, please, Dad, just this once don't be cheap.

5 PHRASE If someone does or buys something on the cheap , they spend less money than they should because they are more concerned with what it costs than with its quality. [INFORMAL , DISAPPROVAL ] □ Most modern housing estates are terrible and inevitably done on the cheap.

cheap|en /tʃiː pən/ (cheapens , cheapening , cheapened ) VERB If something cheapens a person or thing, it lowers their reputation or position. □ [V n] When America boycotted the Moscow Games, it cheapened the medals won. □ [V -ed] Love is a word cheapened by overuse.

cheapo /tʃiː poʊ/ ADJ [ADJ n] Cheapo things are very inexpensive and probably of poor quality. [INFORMAL ] □ …cheapo deals on wobbly airlines.

chea p sho t (cheap shots ) N‑COUNT A cheap shot is a comment someone makes which you think is unfair or unkind. [DISAPPROVAL ]

cheap|skate /tʃiː pske I t/ (cheapskates ) N‑COUNT If you say that someone is a cheapskate , you think that they are mean and do not like spending money. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ Tell your husband not to be a cheapskate.

cheat /tʃiː t/ (cheats , cheating , cheated )

1 VERB When someone cheats , they do not obey a set of rules which they should be obeying, for example in a game or exam. □ [V ] Students may be tempted to cheat in order to get into top schools. ● cheat|ing N‑UNCOUNT □ In an election in 1988, he was accused of cheating by his opponent.

2 N‑COUNT Someone who is a cheat does not obey a set of rules which they should be obeying. □ Cheats will be disqualified.

3 VERB If someone cheats you out of something, they get it from you by behaving dishonestly. □ [V n + out of/of ] The company engaged in a deliberate effort to cheat them out of their pensions. □ [V n] Many brokers were charged with cheating customers in commodity trades.

4 PHRASE If you say that someone cheats death , you mean they only just avoid being killed. [JOURNALISM ] □ He cheated death when he was rescued from the roof of his blazing cottage.

▸ cheat on

1 PHRASAL VERB If someone cheats on their husband, wife, or partner, they have a sexual relationship with another person. [INFORMAL ] □ [V P n] I'd found Philippe was cheating on me and I was angry and hurt.

2 PHRASAL VERB If someone cheats on something such as an agreement or their taxes, they do not do what they should do under a set of rules. [mainly AM ] □ [V P n] Their job is to check that none of the signatory countries is cheating on the agreement.

cheat|er /tʃiː tə ^r / (cheaters ) N‑COUNT A cheater is someone who cheats. [mainly AM ]

chea t sheet (cheat sheets ) N‑COUNT A cheat sheet is a short list of information that you can use to help you do or remember something. □ If this all sounds too hard to remember, print out the cheat sheet and stick it on the side of your computer screen for quick reference.

check ◆◆◇ /tʃe k/ (checks , checking , checked )

1 VERB If you check something such as a piece of information or a document, you make sure that it is correct or satisfactory. □ [V n] Check the accuracy of everything in your CV. □ [V ] I think there is an age limit, but I'd have to check. □ [V wh] She hadn't checked whether she had a clean ironed shirt. □ [V that] He checked that he had his room key. □ [V + with ] I shall need to check with the duty officer. ● N‑COUNT Check is also a noun. □ [+ on ] He is being constantly monitored with regular checks on his blood pressure. □ …a security check.

2 → see also cross-check

3 VERB If you check on someone or something, you make sure they are in a safe or satisfactory condition. □ [V + on ] He decided to check on things at the warehouse.

4 VERB If you check something that is written on a piece of paper, you put a mark, like a V with the right side extended, next to it to show that something is correct or has been selected or dealt with. [AM ] □ [V n] Check the box at the top of the form indicating that it is the correct version. in BRIT, usually use tick 5 VERB To check something, usually something bad, means to stop it from spreading or continuing. □ [V n] Sex education is also expected to help check the spread of sexually transmitted diseases.

6 VERB If you check yourself or if something checks you, you suddenly stop what you are doing or saying. □ [V pron-refl] He was about to lose his temper but checked himself in time. □ [V n] I held up one finger to check him.

7 VERB When you check your luggage at an airport, you give it to an official so that it can be taken on to your plane. □ [V n] We arrived at the airport, checked our baggage and wandered around the gift shops. ● PHRASAL VERB To check in your luggage means the same as to check it. □ [V P n] They checked in their luggage and found seats in the departure lounge. [Also V n P ]

8 N‑COUNT The check in a restaurant is a piece of paper on which the price of your meal is written and which you are given before you pay. [mainly AM ] in BRIT, use bill 9 CONVENTION In a game of chess, you say check when you are attacking your opponent's king.

10 N‑COUNT [oft N n] A pattern of squares, usually of two colours, can be referred to as checks or a check . □ Styles include stripes and checks. □ …a red and white check dress.

11 PHRASE If something or someone is held in check or is kept in check , they are controlled and prevented from becoming too great or powerful. □ Unemployment was still held in check but the economy was stagnating.

12 A check is the same as a cheque . [AM ]

13 → see also double-check , rain check , spot check

▸ check in

1 PHRASAL VERB When you check in or check into a hotel or clinic, or if someone checks you in , you arrive and go through the necessary procedures before you stay there. □ [V P ] I'll ring the hotel. I'll tell them we'll check in tomorrow. □ [V P n] He has checked into an alcohol treatment centre. □ [V n P ] Check us in at the hotel and wait for my call. [Also V n P n]

2 PHRASAL VERB When you check in at an airport, you arrive and show your ticket before going on a flight. □ [V P ] He had checked in at Amsterdam's Schiphol airport for a flight to Manchester.

3 → see also check-in , check 7

▸ check off PHRASAL VERB When you check things off , you check or count them while referring to a list of them, to make sure you have considered all of them. □ [V P n] Once you've checked off the items you ordered, put this record in your file. □ [V n P ] I haven't checked them off but I would say that's about the number.

▸ check out

1 PHRASAL VERB When you check out of a hotel or clinic where you have been staying, or if someone checks you out , you pay the bill and leave. □ [V P + of ] They packed and checked out of the hotel. □ [V P ] I was disappointed to miss Bryan, who had just checked out. □ [V n P + of ] I'd like to check him out of here the day after tomorrow. [Also V P n, V n P ]

2 PHRASAL VERB If you check out something or someone, you find out information about them to make sure that everything is correct or satisfactory. □ [V n P ] Maybe we ought to go down to the library and check it out. □ [V P n] The police had to check out the call.

3 PHRASAL VERB If something checks out , it is correct or satisfactory. □ [V P ] She was in San Diego the weekend Jensen got killed. It checked out.

4 → see also checkout

▸ check up

1 PHRASAL VERB If you check up on something, you find out information about it. □ [V P + on ] It is certainly worth checking up on your benefit entitlements. □ [V P ] The Government employs tax inspectors to check up and make sure people pay all their tax.

2 → see also check-up

3 PHRASAL VERB If you check up on someone, you obtain information about them, usually secretly. □ [V P + on ] I'm sure he knew I was checking up on him. COLLOCATIONS check NOUN 1

noun + check : health, safety, security; border; background

adjective + check : rigorous, stringent, thorough; regular, routine

verb + check : carry out, do, make, perform, run; undergo VERB 1

check + adverb : carefully, rigorously, thoroughly; periodically, regularly, routinely SYNONYMS check VERB 1

examine: He examined her passport and stamped it.

test: Test the water with your wrist.

verify: I verified the source from which I had that information.

vet: All objects are vetted by a distinguished panel of experts.

inspect: Elaine went outside to inspect the playing field.

check|book /tʃe kbʊk/ → see cheque book

checked /tʃe kt/ ADJ Something that is checked has a pattern of small squares, usually of two colours. □ He was wearing blue jeans and a checked shirt.

check|er /tʃe kə ^r / (checkers )

1 N‑UNCOUNT Checkers is a game for two people, played with 24 round pieces on a board. [AM ] in BRIT, use draughts 2 N‑COUNT A checker is a person or machine that has the job of checking something. □ Run what you've written through a spell checker before sending.

checker|board /tʃe kə ^r bɔː ^r d/ (checkerboards ) in BRIT, also use chequerboard 1 N‑COUNT A checkerboard is a square board with 64 black and white squares that is used for playing checkers or chess. [AM ] in BRIT, use chessboard , draughts board 2 ADJ [ADJ n] A checkerboard pattern is made up of equal-sized squares of two different colours, usually black and white.

check|ered /tʃe kə ^r d/ → see chequered

che ck-in (check-ins ) N‑COUNT At an airport, a check-in is the counter or desk where you check in.

che ck|ing ac|count (checking accounts ) N‑COUNT A checking account is a personal bank account which you can take money out of at any time using your cheque book or cash card. [AM ] in BRIT, usually use current account

check|list /tʃe kl I st/ (checklists ) N‑COUNT A checklist is a list of all the things that you need to do, information that you want to find out, or things that you need to take somewhere, which you make in order to ensure that you do not forget anything. □ [+ of ] Make a checklist of the tools and materials you will need.

che ck mark (check marks ) N‑COUNT A check mark is a written mark like a V with the right side extended. It is used to show that something is correct or has been selected or dealt with. [AM ] in BRIT, use tick

check|mate /tʃe kme I t/ N‑UNCOUNT In chess, checkmate is a situation in which you cannot stop your king being captured and so you lose the game. WORD HISTORY checkmate

The purpose of the game of chess may be to capture your opponent's king, but in terms of word origins, a player's aim is really to kill the king: checkmate comes from the Arabic phrase shāh māt , meaning 'the king is dead'.

check|out /tʃe kaʊt/ (checkouts ) also check-out N‑COUNT In a supermarket, a checkout is a counter where you pay for things you are buying. □ …queuing at the checkout in Sainsbury's.

check|point /tʃe kpɔ I nt/ (checkpoints ) N‑COUNT A checkpoint is a place where traffic is stopped so that it can be checked.

che ck-up (check-ups ) also checkup N‑COUNT A check-up is a medical examination by your doctor or dentist to make sure that there is nothing wrong with your health. □ The disease was detected during a routine check-up.

ched|dar /tʃe də ^r / (cheddars ) N‑VAR Cheddar is a type of hard yellow cheese, originally made in Britain.

cheek /tʃiː k/ (cheeks )

1 N‑COUNT Your cheeks are the sides of your face below your eyes. □ Tears were running down her cheeks. □ She kissed him lightly on both cheeks. ● -cheeked COMB □ …rosy-cheeked children.

2 N‑SING You say that someone has a cheek when you are annoyed or shocked at something unreasonable that they have done. [INFORMAL ] □ I'm amazed they had the cheek to ask in the first place. □ I still think it's a bit of a cheek sending a voucher rather than a refund. □ The cheek of it, lying to me like that!

3 PHRASE If you turn the other cheek when someone harms or insults you, you do not harm or insult them in return.

4 cheek by jowl → see jowl

cheek|bone /tʃiː kboʊn/ (cheekbones ) N‑COUNT [usu pl] Your cheekbones are the two bones in your face just below your eyes. □ She was very beautiful, with high cheekbones.

cheeky /tʃiː ki/ (cheekier , cheekiest ) ADJ If you describe a person or their behaviour as cheeky , you think that they are slightly rude or disrespectful but in a charming or amusing way. [mainly BRIT ] □ The boy was cheeky and casual. □ Martin gave her a cheeky grin. ● cheeki|ly /tʃiː k I li/ ADV [usu ADV with v] □ He strolled cheekily past the commissionaires for a free wash in the gentlemen's cloakroom.

cheer ◆◇◇ /tʃ I ə ^r / (cheers , cheering , cheered )

1 VERB When people cheer , they shout loudly to show their approval or to encourage someone who is doing something such as taking part in a game. □ [V ] We all cheered as they drove up the street. □ [V n] …2,000 Villa fans who cheered him into his goal. □ [V + for ] …the Irish Americans who came to the park to cheer for their boys. □ [V -ing] Cheering crowds lined the route. ● N‑COUNT Cheer is also a noun. □ [+ from ] The colonel was rewarded with a resounding cheer from the men.

2 VERB If you are cheered by something, it makes you happier or less worried. □ [be V -ed] Stephen noticed that the people around him looked cheered by his presence. □ [V n] The weather was perfect but it did nothing to cheer him. ● cheer|ing ADJ □ …very cheering news.

3 CONVENTION People sometimes say ' Cheers ' to each other just before they drink an alcoholic drink. [mainly BRIT , FORMULAE ]

4 CONVENTION Some people say ' Cheers ' as a way of saying 'thank you' or 'goodbye'. [BRIT , INFORMAL , FORMULAE ]

▸ cheer on PHRASAL VERB When you cheer someone on , you shout loudly in order to encourage them, for example when they are taking part in a game. □ [V n P ] A thousand supporters packed into the stadium to cheer them on. □ [V P n] Most will probably be cheering on their favourite players.

▸ cheer up PHRASAL VERB When you cheer up or when something cheers you up , you stop feeling depressed and become more cheerful. □ [V n P ] I think he misses her terribly. You might cheer him up. □ [V pron-refl P ] I wrote that song just to cheer myself up. □ [V P ] Cheer up, better times may be ahead. [Also V P n] SYNONYMS cheer VERB 2

hearten: The news heartened everybody.

encourage: Investors were encouraged by the news.

brighten: That really brightened my day.

cheer|ful /tʃ I ə ^r fʊl/

1 ADJ Someone who is cheerful is happy and shows this in their behaviour. □ They are both very cheerful in spite of their colds. □ [+ about ] Jack sounded quite cheerful about the idea. ● cheer|ful|ly ADV [ADV with v] □ 'We've come with good news,' Pat said cheerfully. □ She greeted him cheerfully. ● cheer|ful|ness N‑UNCOUNT [oft adj N ] □ I remember this extraordinary man with particular affection for his unfailing cheerfulness.

2 ADJ Something that is cheerful is pleasant and makes you feel happy. □ The nursery is bright and cheerful, with plenty of toys.

cheerio /tʃ I ə rioʊ / CONVENTION People sometimes say ' Cheerio ' as a way of saying goodbye. [BRIT , INFORMAL , FORMULAE ]

cheer|leader /tʃ I ə ^r liːdə ^r / (cheerleaders ) N‑COUNT A cheerleader is one of the people who leads the crowd in cheering at a large public event, especially a sports event.

cheer|less /tʃ I ə ^r ləs/ ADJ Cheerless places or weather are dull and depressing. □ The kitchen was dank and cheerless. □ …a bleak, cheerless day.

cheery /tʃ I ə ri/ (cheerier , cheeriest ) ADJ If you describe a person or their behaviour as cheery , you mean that they are cheerful and happy. □ She was cheery and talked to them about their problems. ● cheeri|ly ADV □ 'Come on in,' she said cheerily.

cheese ◆◇◇ /tʃiː z/ (cheeses )

1 N‑VAR Cheese is a solid food made from milk. It is usually white or yellow. □ …bread and cheese. □ …cheese sauce. □ He cut the mould off a piece of cheese. □ …delicious French cheeses.

2 → see also cottage cheese , cream cheese , goat cheese , macaroni cheese

3 as different as chalk and cheese → see chalk

cheese|board /tʃiː zbɔː ^r d/ (cheeseboards ) also cheese board N‑COUNT [usu sing] A cheeseboard is a board from which cheese is served at a meal.

cheese|burg|er /tʃiː zbɜː ^r gə ^r / (cheeseburgers ) N‑COUNT A cheeseburger is a flat round piece of cooked meat called a burger with a slice of cheese on top, served in a bread roll.

cheese|cake /tʃiː zke I k/ (cheesecakes ) N‑VAR Cheesecake is a dessert that consists of a base made from broken biscuits covered with a soft sweet mixture containing cream cheese.

cheese|cloth /tʃiː zklɒθ, [AM ] -klɔːθ/ N‑UNCOUNT Cheesecloth is cotton cloth that is very thin and light. There are tiny holes between the threads of the cloth. □ …cheesecloth shirts.

cheesed off /tʃiː zd ɒ f/ ADJ [v-link ADJ ] If you are cheesed off , you are annoyed, bored, or disappointed. [BRIT , INFORMAL ] □ [+ by ] Jean was thoroughly cheesed off by the whole affair.

cheesy /tʃiː zi/ (cheesier , cheesiest )

1 ADJ [usu ADJ n] Cheesy food is food that tastes or smells of cheese. □ …cheesy biscuits.

2 ADJ If you describe something as cheesy , you mean that it is cheap, unpleasant, or insincere. [INFORMAL , DISAPPROVAL ] □ …a cheesy Baghdad hotel. □ Politicians persist in imagining that 'the people' warm to their cheesy slogans.

chee|tah /tʃiː tə/ (cheetahs ) N‑COUNT A cheetah is a wild animal that looks like a large cat with black spots on its body. Cheetahs can run very fast.

chef /ʃe f/ (chefs ) N‑COUNT A chef is a cook in a restaurant or hotel.

chemi|cal ◆◆◇ /ke m I k ^ə l/ (chemicals )

1 ADJ [ADJ n] Chemical means involving or resulting from a reaction between two or more substances, or relating to the substances that something consists of. □ …chemical reactions that cause ozone destruction. □ …the chemical composition of the ocean. □ …chemical weapons. ● chemi|cal|ly /ke m I kli/ ADV [ADV with v, ADV adj] □ …chemically-treated foods. □ The medicine chemically affects your physiology.

2 N‑COUNT [usu pl] Chemicals are substances that are used in a chemical process or made by a chemical process. □ The whole food chain is affected by the over-use of chemicals in agriculture. □ …the chemical industry.

che mi|cal en|gi|nee r (chemical engineers ) N‑COUNT A chemical engineer is a person who designs and constructs the machines needed for industrial chemical processes.

che mi|cal en|gi|nee r|ing N‑UNCOUNT Chemical engineering is the designing and constructing of machines that are needed for industrial chemical processes.

che|mise /ʃəmiː z/ (chemises ) N‑COUNT A chemise is a long, loose piece of underwear worn by women in former times.

chem|ist /ke m I st/ (chemists )

1 N‑COUNT A chemist or a chemist's is a shop where drugs and medicines are sold or given out, and where you can buy cosmetics and some household goods. [BRIT ] □ There are many creams available from the chemist which should clear the infection.

2 N‑COUNT A chemist is someone who works in a chemist's shop and is qualified to prepare and sell medicines. [BRIT ] in AM, use druggist , pharmacist 3 N‑COUNT A chemist is a person who does research connected with chemistry or who studies chemistry. □ She worked as a research chemist.

chem|is|try /ke m I stri/

1 N‑UNCOUNT Chemistry is the scientific study of the structure of substances and of the way that they react with other substances.

2 N‑UNCOUNT The chemistry of an organism or a material is the chemical substances that make it up and the chemical reactions that go on inside it. □ [+ of ] We have literally altered the chemistry of our planet's atmosphere. □ Stress has a profound effect on our body chemistry.

3 N‑UNCOUNT If you say that there is chemistry between two people, you mean that it is obvious they are attracted to each other or like each other very much. □ [+ between ] …the extraordinary chemistry between the two actors.

chemo /kiː moʊ/ N‑UNCOUNT Chemo is the same as chemotherapy . [INFORMAL ] □ The first time I had chemo I was quite scared.

chemo|thera|py /kiː moʊθe rəpi/ N‑UNCOUNT Chemotherapy is the treatment of disease using chemicals. It is often used in treating cancer.

che|nille /ʃəniː l/ N‑UNCOUNT Chenille is cloth or clothing made from a type of thick furry thread.

cheque /tʃe k/ (cheques ) in AM, use check 1 N‑COUNT [oft by N ] A cheque is a printed form on which you write an amount of money and who it is to be paid to. Your bank then pays the money to that person from your account. □ [+ for ] He wrote them a cheque for £10,000. □ I'd like to pay by cheque.

2 → see also blank cheque , traveller's cheque

che que book (cheque books ) The spellings chequebook , and in American English, checkbook are also used. N‑COUNT A cheque book is a book of cheques which your bank gives you so that you can pay for things by cheque.

che que|book jou r|nal|ism also cheque-book journalism in AM, use checkbook journalism N‑UNCOUNT Chequebook journalism is the practice of paying people large sums of money for information about crimes or famous people in order to get material for newspaper articles. [DISAPPROVAL ]

che que card (cheque cards ) N‑COUNT In Britain, a cheque card or a cheque guarantee card is a small plastic card given to you by your bank and which you have to show when you are paying for something by cheque or when you are cashing a cheque at another bank.

chequer|board /tʃe kə ^r bɔː ^r d/ → see checkerboard

cheq|uered /tʃe kə ^r d/ in AM, use checkered 1 ADJ [usu ADJ n] If a person or organization has had a chequered career or history, they have had a varied past with both good and bad periods. □ He had a chequered political career spanning nearly forty years.

2 ADJ [ADJ n] Something that is chequered has a pattern with squares of two or more different colours. □ …red chequered tablecloths.

cher|ish /tʃe r I ʃ/ (cherishes , cherishing , cherished )

1 VERB If you cherish something such as a hope or a pleasant memory, you keep it in your mind for a long period of time. □ [V n] The president will cherish the memory of this visit to Ohio. ● cher|ished ADJ [ADJ n] □ …the cherished dream of a world without wars.

2 VERB If you cherish someone or something, you take good care of them because you love them. □ [V n] The previous owners had cherished the house. ● cher|ished ADJ [ADJ n] □ He described the picture as his most cherished possession.

3 VERB If you cherish a right, a privilege, or a principle, you regard it as important and try hard to keep it. □ [V n] These people cherish their independence and sovereignty. ● cher|ished ADJ [ADJ n] □ Freud called into question some deeply-cherished beliefs.

che|root /ʃəruː t/ (cheroots ) N‑COUNT A cheroot is a cigar with both ends cut flat.

cher|ry /tʃe ri/ (cherries )

1 N‑COUNT Cherries are small, round fruit with red skins.

2 N‑VAR A cherry or a cherry tree is a tree that cherries grow on.

cherry-pick /tʃe rip I k/ (cherry-picks , cherry-picking , cherry-picked ) VERB If someone cherry-picks people or things, they choose the best ones from a group of them, often in a way that other people consider unfair. □ [V n] The club is in debt while others are queuing to cherry-pick their best players.

cher|ub /tʃe rəb/ (cherubs ) N‑COUNT A cherub is a kind of angel that is represented in art as a naked child with wings.

che|ru|bic /tʃəruː b I k/ ADJ If someone looks cherubic , they look sweet and innocent like a cherub. [LITERARY ]

cher|vil /tʃɜː ^r v I l/ N‑UNCOUNT Chervil is a herb that tastes like aniseed.

Chesh|ire cat /tʃe ʃə ^r kæ t/ PHRASE If someone is grinning like a Cheshire cat or like the Cheshire cat , they are smiling very widely. □ He had a grin on his face like a Cheshire Cat.

chess /tʃe s/ N‑UNCOUNT Chess is a game for two people, played on a chessboard. Each player has 16 pieces, including a king. Your aim is to move your pieces so that your opponent's king cannot escape being taken. □ …the world chess championships.

chess|board /tʃe sbɔː ^r d/ (chessboards ) N‑COUNT A chessboard is a square board with 64 black and white squares that is used for playing chess.

chest ◆◇◇ /tʃe st/ (chests )

1 N‑COUNT [oft poss N ] Your chest is the top part of the front of your body where your ribs, lungs, and heart are. □ He crossed his arms over his chest. □ He was shot in the chest. □ He complained of chest pain.

2 N‑COUNT A chest is a large, heavy box used for storing things. □ At the very bottom of the chest were his carving tools. □ …a treasure chest. □ …a medicine chest.

3 PHRASE If you get something off your chest , you talk about something that has been worrying you. □ I feel it's done me good to get it off my chest.

che st com|pre ss|ion N‑VAR Chest compression is the act of applying pressure to someone's chest in order to help blood flow through the heart in an emergency situation. □ Give one breath of mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, followed by five chest compressions.

chest|nut /tʃe snʌt/ (chestnuts )

1 N‑COUNT A chestnut or chestnut tree is a tall tree with broad leaves. ● N‑UNCOUNT Chestnut is the wood of this tree.

2 → see also horse chestnut

3 N‑COUNT Chestnuts are the reddish-brown nuts that grow on chestnut trees. You can eat chestnuts.

4 COLOUR Something that is chestnut is dark reddish-brown in colour. □ …a woman with chestnut hair. □ …a chestnut mare.

che st of dra wers (chests of drawers ) N‑COUNT A chest of drawers is a low, flat piece of furniture with drawers in which you keep clothes and other things.

chesty /tʃe sti/ ADJ [ADJ n] If you have a chesty cough, you have a lot of mucus in your lungs. [BRIT ]

chev|ron /ʃe vrɒn/ (chevrons ) N‑COUNT A chevron is a V shape. □ The chevron or arrow road sign indicates a sharp bend to the left or right.

chew /tʃuː / (chews , chewing , chewed )

1 VERB When you chew food, you use your teeth to break it up in your mouth so that it becomes easier to swallow. □ [V n] Be certain to eat slowly and chew your food extremely well. □ [V + at/on ] Daniel leaned back on the sofa, still chewing on his apple. □ [V ] …the sound of his mother chewing and swallowing.

2 VERB If you chew gum or tobacco, you keep biting it and moving it around your mouth to taste the flavour of it. You do not swallow it. □ [V n] One girl was chewing gum.

3 VERB If you chew your lips or your fingernails, you keep biting them because you are nervous. □ [V n] He chewed his lower lip nervously.

4 VERB If a person or animal chews an object, they bite it with their teeth. □ [V n] They pause and chew their pencils. □ [V prep] One owner left his pet under the stairs where the animal chewed through electric cables.

5 PHRASE If you say that someone has bitten off more than they can chew , you mean that they are trying to do something which is too difficult for them. □ He bought the old hotel but soon realized he had bitten off more than he could chew.

6 to chew the cud → see cud

▸ chew up

1 PHRASAL VERB If you chew food up , you chew it until it is completely crushed or soft. □ [V n P ] I took one of the pills and chewed it up. [Also V P n]

2 PHRASAL VERB If something is chewed up , it has been destroyed or damaged in some way. [INFORMAL ] □ [be V -ed P ] Every spring the ozone is chewed up, and the hole appears. □ [V P n] …rebels who are now chewing up Government-held territory. □ [V n P ] This town is notorious for chewing people up and spitting them out.

che w|ing gum N‑UNCOUNT Chewing gum is a kind of sweet that you can chew for a long time. You do not swallow it. □ …a stick of chewing gum.

chewy /tʃuː i/ (chewier , chewiest ) ADJ If food is chewy , it needs to be chewed a lot before it becomes soft enough to swallow. □ The meat was too chewy. □ …chewy chocolate cookies.

chia|ro|scu|ro /kiæ rəskʊə roʊ/ N‑UNCOUNT Chiaroscuro is the use of light and shade in a picture, or the effect produced by light and shade in a place. □ …the natural chiaroscuro of the place.

chic /ʃiː k/

1 ADJ Something or someone that is chic is fashionable and sophisticated. □ Her gown was very French and very chic.

2 N‑UNCOUNT Chic is used to refer to a particular style or to the quality of being chic. □ …French designer chic.

chi|can|ery /ʃ I ke I nəri/ N‑UNCOUNT Chicanery is using cleverness to cheat people. [FORMAL ]

chi|ca|no /tʃ I ke I noʊ/ (chicanos ) N‑COUNT A chicano is an American citizen, whose family originally came from Mexico. [AM ] □ …views expressed by one young Chicano interviewed by Phinney.

chick /tʃ I k/ (chicks ) N‑COUNT A chick is a baby bird.

chick|en ◆◇◇ /tʃ I k I n/ (chickens , chickening , chickened )

1 N‑COUNT Chickens are birds which are kept on a farm for their eggs and for their meat. □ Lionel built a coop so that they could raise chickens and have a supply of fresh eggs. □ …free-range chickens. ● N‑UNCOUNT Chicken is the flesh of this bird eaten as food. □ …roast chicken with wild mushrooms. □ …chicken soup.

2 N‑COUNT If someone calls you a chicken , they mean that you are afraid to do something. [INFORMAL , DISAPPROVAL ] □ I'm scared of the dark. I'm a big chicken. ● ADJ [v-link ADJ ] Chicken is also an adjective. □ Why are you so chicken, Gregory?

3 PHRASE If you say that someone is counting their chickens , you mean that they are assuming that they will be successful or get something, when this is not certain. □ I don't want to count my chickens before they are hatched.

4 PHRASE If you describe a situation as a chicken and egg situation, you mean that it is impossible to decide which of two things caused the other one. □ It's a chicken and egg question: does team spirit lead to winning or does winning generate team spirit?

5 chickens come home to roost → see roost

▸ chicken out PHRASAL VERB If someone chickens out of something they were intending to do, they decide not to do it because they are afraid. [INFORMAL ] □ [V P + of ] His mother complains that he makes excuses to chicken out of family occasions such as weddings. □ [V P ] I had never ridden on a motor-cycle before. But it was too late to chicken out.

chi ck|en feed also chickenfeed N‑UNCOUNT If you think that an amount of money is so small it is hardly worth having or considering, you can say that it is chicken feed . □ I was making a million a year, but that's chicken feed in the pop business.

chicken|pox /tʃ I k I npɒks/ also chicken pox N‑UNCOUNT Chickenpox is a disease which gives you a high temperature and red spots that itch.

chi ck|en wire N‑UNCOUNT Chicken wire is a type of thin wire netting.

chi ck flick (chick flicks ) N‑COUNT A chick flick is a romantic film that is not very serious and is intended to appeal to women. [INFORMAL ]

chi ck lit N‑UNCOUNT Chick lit is modern fiction about the lives and romantic problems of young women, usually written by young women. [INFORMAL ]

chick|pea /tʃ I kpiː/ (chickpeas ) also chick pea N‑COUNT [usu pl] Chickpeas are hard round seeds that look like pale-brown peas. They can be cooked and eaten.

chick|weed /tʃ I kwiːd/ N‑UNCOUNT Chickweed is a plant with small leaves and white flowers which grows close to the ground.

chico|ry /tʃ I kəri/ N‑UNCOUNT Chicory is a plant with crunchy bitter-tasting leaves. It is eaten in salads, and its roots are sometimes used instead of coffee.

chide /tʃa I d/ (chides , chiding , chided ) VERB If you chide someone, you speak to them angrily because they have done something wicked or foolish. [OLD-FASHIONED ] □ [V n + for/about ] Cross chided himself for worrying. □ [V n] He gently chided the two women.

chief ◆◆◆ /tʃiː f/ (chiefs )

1 N‑COUNT The chief of an organization is the person who is in charge of it. □ …a commission appointed by the police chief. □ [+ of ] …Putin's chief of security.

2 N‑COUNT ; N‑TITLE The chief of a tribe is its leader. □ [+ of ] …Sitting Bull, chief of the Sioux tribes of the Great Plains.

3 ADJ [ADJ n] Chief is used in the job titles of the most senior worker or workers of a particular kind in an organization. □ …the chief test pilot.

4 ADJ [ADJ n] The chief cause, part, or member of something is the most important one. □ Financial stress is well established as a chief reason for divorce. □ The job went to one of his chief rivals. SYNONYMS chief ADJ 4

primary: That's the primary reason the company's share price has held up so well.

leading: Britain's future as a leading industrial nation depends on investment.

main: What are the main differences and similarities between them?

prime: Political stability, meanwhile, will be a prime concern.

principal: …the country's principal source of foreign exchange earnings.

Chie f Co n|sta|ble (Chief Constables ) N‑COUNT ; N‑TITLE A Chief Constable is the officer who is in charge of the police force in a particular county or area in Britain.

chie f ex|e cu|tive o f|fic|er (chief executive officers ) N‑COUNT The chief executive officer of a company is the person who has overall responsibility for the management of that company. The abbreviation CEO is often used. [BUSINESS ]

Chie f Ju s|tice (Chief Justices ) N‑COUNT ; N‑TITLE A Chief Justice is the most important judge of a court of law, especially a supreme court.

chief|ly /tʃiː fli/ ADV [ADV with v] You use chiefly to indicate that a particular reason, emotion, method, or feature is the main or most important one. □ He joined the consular service, chiefly because this was one of the few job vacancies.

Chie f of Sta ff (Chiefs of Staff ) N‑COUNT The Chiefs of Staff are the most senior officers in each service of the armed forces.

chief|tain /tʃiː ftən/ (chieftains ) N‑COUNT A chieftain is the leader of a tribe. □ …the legendary British chieftain, King Arthur.

chif|fon /ʃ I fɒn, [AM ] ʃ I fɑː n/ (chiffons ) N‑VAR Chiffon is a kind of very thin silk or nylon cloth that you can see through. □ …floaty chiffon skirts.

chi|gnon /ʃiː njɒn, [AM ] ʃiːnjɑː n/ (chignons ) N‑COUNT A chignon is a knot of hair worn at the back of a woman's head.

Chi|hua|hua /tʃ I wɑː wɑː/ (Chihuahuas ) also chihuahua N‑COUNT A Chihuahua is a very small dog with short hair.

chil|blain /tʃ I lble I n/ (chilblains ) N‑COUNT [usu pl] Chilblains are painful red swellings which people sometimes get on their fingers or toes in cold weather.

child ◆◆◆ /tʃa I ld/ (children )

1 N‑COUNT A child is a human being who is not yet an adult. □ When I was a child I lived in a country village. □ He's just a child. □ …a child of six. □ It was only suitable for children.

2 N‑COUNT Someone's children are their sons and daughters of any age. □ How are the children? □ The young couple decided to have a child.

child|bearing /tʃa I ldbeər I ŋ/

1 N‑UNCOUNT Childbearing is the process of giving birth to babies.

2 ADJ [ADJ n] A woman of childbearing age is of an age when women are normally able to give birth to children.

chi ld be n|efit N‑UNCOUNT In Britain, child benefit is an amount of money paid weekly by the state to families for each of their children.

child|birth /tʃa I ldbɜː ^r θ/ N‑UNCOUNT Childbirth is the act of giving birth to a child. □ She died in childbirth.

child|care /tʃa I ldkeə ^r / N‑UNCOUNT Childcare refers to looking after children, and to the facilities which help parents to do so. □ Both partners shared childcare.

child|hood ◆◇◇ /tʃa I ldhʊd/ (childhoods ) N‑VAR [oft poss N , N n] A person's childhood is the period of their life when they are a child. □ She had a happy childhood. □ …childhood illnesses.

child|ish /tʃa I ld I ʃ/

1 ADJ [usu ADJ n] Childish means relating to or typical of a child. □ …childish enthusiasm.

2 ADJ If you describe someone, especially an adult, as childish , you disapprove of them because they behave in an immature way. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ …Penny's selfish and childish behaviour. □ Don't be so childish.

child|less /tʃa I ldləs/ ADJ Someone who is childless has no children. □ …childless couples.

child|like /tʃa I ldla I k/ ADJ You describe someone as childlike when they seem like a child in their character, appearance, or behaviour. □ His most enduring quality is his childlike innocence.

child|minder /tʃa I ldma I ndə ^r / (childminders ) N‑COUNT A childminder is someone whose job it is to look after children when the children's parents are away or are at work. Childminders usually work in their own homes. [BRIT ]

child|minding /tʃa I ldma I nd I ŋ/ also child-minding N‑UNCOUNT Childminding is looking after children when it is done by someone such as a childminder. [BRIT ]

chi ld pro di|gy (child prodigies ) N‑COUNT A child prodigy is a child with a very great talent. □ She was a child prodigy, giving concerts before she was a teenager.

child|proof /tʃa I ldpruːf/ also child proof ADJ Something that is childproof is designed in a way which ensures that children cannot harm it or be harmed by it. □ The rear doors include childproof locks.

chil|dren /tʃ I ldrən/ Children is the plural of child .

chili /tʃ I li/ (chilies or chilis ) → see chilli

chill /tʃ I l/ (chills , chilling , chilled )

1 VERB When you chill something or when it chills , you lower its temperature so that it becomes colder but does not freeze. □ [V n] Chill the fruit salad until serving time. □ [V ] These doughs can be rolled out while you wait for the pastry to chill. □ [V -ed] …a glass of chilled champagne.

2 VERB When cold weather or something cold chills a person or a place, it makes that person or that place feel very cold. □ [be V -ed] An exposed garden may be chilled by cold winds. □ [V -ed] Wade placed his chilled hands on the radiator. □ [V -ing] The boulder sheltered them from the chilling wind.

3 N‑COUNT If something sends a chill through you, it gives you a sudden feeling of fear or anxiety. □ The violence used against the students sent a chill through Indonesia. □ He smiled, an odd, dreamy smile that sent chills up my back.

4 N‑COUNT A chill is a mild illness which can give you a slight fever and headache. □ He caught a chill while performing at a rain-soaked open-air venue.

5 ADJ [ADJ n] Chill weather is cold and unpleasant. □ …chill winds, rain and choppy seas. ● N‑SING Chill is also a noun. □ [+ of ] …the cold chill of the night.

▸ chill out PHRASAL VERB To chill out means to relax after you have done something tiring or stressful. [INFORMAL ] □ [V P ] After raves, we used to chill out in each other's bedrooms.

chil|lax /tʃ I læ ks/ (chillaxes , chillaxing , chillaxed ) VERB If you chillax , you relax and stop being angry or anxious. [INFORMAL ] □ He spent the weekend chillaxing at his beach house.

chill|er /tʃ I lə ^r / (chillers ) N‑COUNT A chiller is a very frightening film or novel.

chil|li /tʃ I li/ (chillies or chillis ) also chili N‑VAR Chillies are small red or green peppers. They have a very hot taste and are used in cooking.

chil|li con car|ne /tʃ I li kɒn kɑː ^r ni/ N‑UNCOUNT Chilli con carne is a dish made from minced meat, vegetables, and powdered or fresh chillies.

chill|ing /tʃ I l I ŋ/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] If you describe something as chilling , you mean it is frightening. □ He described in chilling detail how he attacked her. ● chill|ing|ly ADV [usu ADV adj] □ The film chillingly shows the ways that the love of money alters us.

chi l|li pow|der also chili powder N‑UNCOUNT Chilli powder is a very hot-tasting powder made mainly from dried chillies. It is used in cooking.

chi ll-out ADJ [ADJ n] Chill-out places or things are intended to help you relax. [BRIT , INFORMAL ] □ …some summer chill-out music.

chil|ly /tʃ I li/ (chillier , chilliest )

1 ADJ Something that is chilly is unpleasantly cold. □ It was a chilly afternoon. □ The rooms had grown chilly.

2 ADJ [v-link ADJ ] If you feel chilly , you feel rather cold. □ I'm a bit chilly.

3 ADJ You say that relations between people are chilly or that a person's response is chilly when they are not friendly, welcoming, or enthusiastic. □ I was slightly afraid of their chilly distant politeness.

chime /tʃa I m/ (chimes , chiming , chimed )

1 VERB When a bell or a clock chimes , it makes ringing sounds. □ [V ] He heard the front doorbell chime. □ [V n] …as the Guildhall clock chimed three o'clock. □ [V -ing] …a mahogany chiming clock.

2 N‑COUNT A chime is a ringing sound made by a bell, especially when it is part of a clock. □ [+ of ] The ceremony started as the chimes of midnight struck.

3 N‑PLURAL Chimes are a set of small objects which make a ringing sound when they are blown by the wind. □ …the haunting sound of the wind chimes.

▸ chime in PHRASAL VERB If you chime in , you say something just after someone else has spoken. □ [V P with quote] 'Why?' Pete asked impatiently.—'Yes, why?' Bob chimed in. 'It seems like a good idea to me.' □ [V P + with ] At this, some of the others chime in with memories of prewar deprivations. [Also V P ]

▸ chime in with or chime with PHRASAL VERB If one thing chimes in with another thing or chimes with it, the two things are similar or consistent with each other. □ [V P P n] He has managed to find a response to each new political development that chimes in with most Germans' instinct. □ [V P n] The president's remarks do not entirely chime with those coming from American and British politicians.

chi|mera /ka I m I ə rə/ (chimeras )

1 N‑COUNT A chimera is an unrealistic idea that you have about something or a hope that you have that is unlikely to be fulfilled. [FORMAL ] □ Religious unity remained as much a chimera as ever.

2 N‑COUNT In Greek mythology, a chimera is a creature with the head of a lion, the body of a goat, and the tail of a snake.

chim|ney /tʃ I mni/ (chimneys ) N‑COUNT A chimney is a pipe through which smoke goes up into the air, usually through the roof of a building. □ This gas fire doesn't need a chimney.

chi m|ney breast (chimney breasts ) also chimney-breast N‑COUNT A chimney breast is the part of a wall in a room which is built out round a chimney. [BRIT ]

chimney|piece /tʃ I mnipiːs/ (chimneypieces ) also chimney-piece N‑COUNT A chimneypiece is the same as a mantelpiece . [BRIT ]

chi m|ney pot (chimney pots ) also chimney-pot N‑COUNT A chimney pot is a short pipe which is fixed on top of a chimney.

chi m|ney stack (chimney stacks ) also chimney-stack N‑COUNT A chimney stack is the brick or stone part of a chimney that is above the roof of a building. [BRIT ]

chi m|ney sweep (chimney sweeps ) also chimney-sweep N‑COUNT A chimney sweep is a person whose job is to clean the soot out of chimneys.

chimp /tʃ I mp/ (chimps ) N‑COUNT A chimp is the same as a chimpanzee . [INFORMAL ]

chim|pan|zee /tʃ I mpænziː / (chimpanzees ) N‑COUNT A chimpanzee is a kind of small African ape.

chin /tʃ I n/ (chins ) N‑COUNT Your chin is the part of your face that is below your mouth and above your neck. □ …a double chin. □ He rubbed the gray stubble on his chin.

chi|na /tʃa I nə/

1 N‑UNCOUNT [oft N n] China is a hard white substance made from clay. It is used to make things such as cups, bowls, plates, and ornaments. □ …a small boat made of china. □ …china cups.

2 → see also bone china

3 N‑UNCOUNT Cups, bowls, plates, and ornaments made of china are referred to as china . □ Judy collects blue and white china.

Chi |na tea N‑UNCOUNT China tea is tea made from large dark-green or reddish-brown tea leaves. It is usually drunk without milk or sugar.

China|town /tʃa I nətaʊn/ N‑UNCOUNT Chinatown is the name given to the area in a city where there are many Chinese shops and restaurants, and which is a social centre for the Chinese community in the city.

Chi|nese /tʃa I niː z/ (Chinese )

1 ADJ Chinese means relating to or belonging to China, or its people, languages, or culture.

2 N‑COUNT [usu pl] The Chinese are the people who come from China.

3 N‑UNCOUNT The languages that are spoken in China, especially Mandarin, are often referred to as Chinese .

chink /tʃ I ŋk/ (chinks )

1 N‑COUNT A chink in a surface is a very narrow crack or opening in it. □ [+ in ] …a chink in the wall. □ [+ in ] He peered through a chink in the curtains.

2 N‑COUNT A chink of light is a small patch of light that shines through a small opening in something. □ [+ of ] I noticed a chink of light at the end of the corridor.

chi|nos /tʃiː noʊz/ N‑PLURAL [oft a pair of N ] Chinos are casual, loose trousers made from cotton.

chintz /tʃ I nts/ (chintzes ) N‑VAR Chintz is a cotton fabric decorated with flowery patterns. □ …chintz curtains.

chintzy /tʃ I ntsi/

1 ADJ Something that is chintzy is decorated or covered with chintz. [BRIT ] □ …chintzy armchairs.

2 ADJ If you describe something as chintzy , you mean that it is showy and looks cheap. [mainly AM , DISAPPROVAL ] □ …a chintzy table lamp.

3 ADJ You can describe someone as chintzy if they are mean and seem to spend very little money compared with other people. [AM , INFORMAL , DISAPPROVAL ] □ …disadvantages such as depending on chintzy and humiliating public dole for income.

chip ◆◇◇ /tʃ I p/ (chips , chipping , chipped )

1 N‑COUNT [usu pl] Chips are long, thin pieces of potato fried in oil or fat and eaten hot, usually with a meal. [BRIT ] □ I had fish and chips in a cafe. in AM, use French fries 2 N‑COUNT [usu pl] Chips or potato chips are very thin slices of fried potato that are eaten cold as a snack. [AM ] □ …a package of onion-flavored potato chips. in BRIT, use crisps 3 N‑COUNT A silicon chip is a very small piece of silicon with electronic circuits on it which is part of a computer or other piece of machinery.

4 N‑COUNT A chip is a small piece of something or a small piece which has been broken off something. □ It contains real chocolate chips. □ [+ of ] Teichler's eyes gleamed like chips of blue glass.

5 N‑COUNT A chip in something such as a piece of china or furniture is where a small piece has been broken off it. □ The washbasin had a small chip.

6 VERB If you chip something or if it chips , a small piece is broken off it. □ [V n] The blow chipped the woman's tooth. □ [V ] Steel baths are lighter but chip easily. ● chipped ADJ □ They drank out of chipped mugs.

7 N‑COUNT [usu pl] Chips are plastic counters used in gambling to represent money. □ He put the pile of chips in the centre of the table and drew a card.

8 N‑COUNT In discussions between people or governments, a chip or a bargaining chip is something of value which one side holds, which can be exchanged for something they want from the other side. □ The information could be used as a bargaining chip to extract some parallel information from Britain.

9 → see also blue chip

10 PHRASE If you describe someone as a chip off the old block , you mean that they are just like one of their parents in character or behaviour. □ My father was a comedian and I am a chip off the old block.

11 PHRASE If you say that something happens when the chips are down , you mean it happens when a situation gets very difficult. [INFORMAL ] □ When the chips are down, she's very tough.

12 PHRASE If you say that someone has a chip on their shoulder , you think that they feel inferior or that they believe they have been treated unfairly. [INFORMAL ] □ He had this chip on his shoulder about my mum and dad thinking that they're better than him.

▸ chip away at

1 PHRASAL VERB If you chip away at something such as an idea, a feeling, or a system, you gradually make it weaker or less likely to succeed by repeated efforts. □ [V P P n] Instead of an outright coup attempt, the rebels want to chip away at her authority.

2 PHRASAL VERB If you chip away at a debt or an amount of money, you gradually reduce it. □ [V P P n] The group had hoped to chip away at its debts by selling assets.

▸ chip in

1 PHRASAL VERB When a number of people chip in , each person gives some money so that they can pay for something together. [INFORMAL ] □ [V P ] They chip in for the petrol and food. □ [V P n] The brothers chip in a certain amount of money each month to hire a home health aide. [Also V P + with ]

2 PHRASAL VERB If someone chips in during a conversation, they interrupt it in order to say something. [INFORMAL ] □ [V P with quote] 'That's true,' chipped in Quaver. □ [V P ] He chipped in before Clements could answer.

chi p and PI N N‑UNCOUNT [oft N n] Chip and PIN is a method of paying for goods you have bought by using both a bank card and a PIN number. □ IT engineers traced the problem to a chip and pin system that was not properly connected.

chip|board /tʃ I pbɔː ^r d/ N‑UNCOUNT Chipboard is a hard material made out of very small pieces of wood which have been pressed together. It is often used for making doors and furniture.

chip|munk /tʃ I pmʌŋk/ (chipmunks ) N‑COUNT A chipmunk is a small animal with a large furry tail and a striped back.

Chippendale /tʃ I pənde I l/ ADJ [ADJ n] Chippendale is a style of furniture from the eighteenth century. □ …a pair of Chippendale chairs.

chip|per /tʃ I pə ^r / ADJ Chipper means cheerful and lively. [OLD-FASHIONED ]

chip|pings /tʃ I p I ŋz/ N‑PLURAL [usu n N ] Wood chippings or stone chippings are small pieces of wood or stone which are used, for example, to cover surfaces such as paths or roads.

chip|py /tʃ I pi/ (chippies ) also chippie N‑COUNT A chippy is the same as a chip shop . [BRIT , INFORMAL ] □ I go to the chippy at least once a week.

chi p shop (chip shops ) N‑COUNT A chip shop is a shop which sells hot food such as fish and chips, fried chicken, sausages, and meat pies. The food is cooked in the shop and people take it away to eat at home or in the street. [BRIT ]

chi|ropo|dist /k I rɒ pəd I st/ (chiropodists ) N‑COUNT A chiropodist is a person whose job is to treat and care for people's feet.

chi|ropo|dy /k I rɒ pədi/ N‑UNCOUNT Chiropody is the professional treatment and care of people's feet.

chi|ro|prac|tic /ka I ə rəprækt I k/ N‑UNCOUNT Chiropractic is the treatment of injuries by pressing and moving people's joints, especially the spine.

chi|ro|prac|tor /ka I ə rəpræktə ^r / (chiropractors ) N‑COUNT A chiropractor is a person who treats injuries by chiropractic.

chirp /tʃɜː ^r p/ (chirps , chirping , chirped ) VERB When a bird or an insect such as a cricket or grasshopper chirps , it makes short high-pitched sounds. □ [V ] The crickets chirped faster and louder. ● N‑COUNT Chirp is also a noun. □ [+ of ] The chirps of the small garden birds sounded distant. ● chirp|ing N‑UNCOUNT □ [+ of ] …the chirping of birds.

chirpy /tʃɜː ^r pi/ (chirpier , chirpiest ) ADJ If you describe a person or their behaviour as chirpy , you mean they are very cheerful and lively. [INFORMAL ] □ Hutson is a small, chirpy bloke. □ She sounded quite chirpy; all she needs is rest.

chir|rup /tʃ I rəp, [AM ] tʃɜː rəp/ (chirrups , chirruping , chirruped ) VERB If a person or bird chirrups , they make short high-pitched sounds. □ [V with quote] 'My gosh,' she chirruped. □ [V ] I woke up to the sound of larks chirruping. [Also V n]

chis|el /tʃ I z ^ə l/ (chisels , chiselling , chiselled ) in AM, use chiseling , chiseled 1 N‑COUNT A chisel is a tool that has a long metal blade with a sharp edge at the end. It is used for cutting and shaping wood and stone.

2 VERB If you chisel wood or stone, you cut and shape it using a chisel. □ [V n] They sit and chisel the stone to size.

chis|elled /tʃ I z ^ə ld/ in AM, use chiseled ADJ [usu ADJ n] If you say that someone, usually a man, has chiselled features, you mean that their face has a strong, clear bone structure. □ Women find his chiselled features irresistible. □ …a chiselled jaw.

chit /tʃ I t/ (chits ) N‑COUNT A chit is a short official note, such as a receipt, an order, or a memo, usually signed by someone in authority. [BRIT , also AM , MILITARY ] □ Schrader initialled the chit for the barman.

chi t-chat also chitchat N‑UNCOUNT Chit-chat is informal talk about things that are not very important. □ Not being a mother, I found the chit-chat exceedingly dull.

chiv|al|ric /ʃ I væ lr I k/ ADJ [ADJ n] Chivalric means relating to or connected with the system of chivalry that was believed in and followed by medieval knights. □ …chivalric ideals.

chiv|al|rous /ʃ I vəlrəs/ ADJ A chivalrous man is polite, kind, and unselfish, especially towards women. [APPROVAL ] □ He was handsome, upright and chivalrous.

chiv|al|ry /ʃ I vəlri/

1 N‑UNCOUNT Chivalry is polite, kind, and unselfish behaviour, especially by men towards women. □ Marie seemed to revel in his old-fashioned chivalry.

2 N‑UNCOUNT In the Middle Ages, chivalry was the set of rules and way of behaving which knights were expected to follow. □ …the age of chivalry.

chives /tʃa I vz/ N‑PLURAL Chives are the long thin hollow green leaves of a herb with purple flowers. Chives are cut into small pieces and added to food to give it a flavour similar to onions.

chiv|vy /tʃ I vi/ (chivvies , chivvying , chivvied ) VERB If you chivvy someone, you keep telling them to do something that they do not want to do. [BRIT ] □ [V n + into ] Jovial ladies chivvy you into ordering more than you can eat! □ [V n with adv] He chivvies the troops along with a few well-directed words. [Also V n to-inf, V n, V n prep]

chla|myd|ia /kləm I diə/ N‑UNCOUNT Chlamydia is a sexually-transmitted disease.

chlo|ride /klɔː ra I d/ (chlorides ) N‑VAR [oft n N ] Chloride is a chemical compound of chlorine and another substance. □ The scientific name for common salt is sodium chloride.

chlo|rin|at|ed /klɔː r I ne I t I d/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] Chlorinated water, for example drinking water or water in a swimming pool, has been cleaned by adding chlorine to it. □ …swimming in chlorinated pools.

chlo|rine /klɔː riːn/ N‑UNCOUNT Chlorine is a strong-smelling gas that is used to clean water and to make cleaning products.

chloro|fluoro|car|bon /klɔː roʊflʊə roʊkɑː ^r bən/ (chlorofluorocarbons ) N‑COUNT Chlorofluorocarbons are the same as CFCs .

chlo|ro|form /klɒ rəfɔː ^r m, [AM ] klɔː r-/ N‑UNCOUNT Chloroform is a colourless liquid with a strong sweet smell, which makes you unconscious if you breathe its vapour.

chlo|ro|phyll /klɒ rəf I l, [AM ] klɔː r-/ N‑UNCOUNT Chlorophyll is a green substance in plants which enables them to use the energy from sunlight in order to grow.

choc-ice /tʃɒ k a I s, [AM ] tʃɔː k -/ (choc-ices ) also choc ice N‑COUNT A choc-ice is a small block of ice cream covered in chocolate. [BRIT ]

chock-a-block /tʃɒ k ə blɒ k/ ADJ [v-link ADJ ] A place that is chock-a-block is very full of people, things, or vehicles. [INFORMAL ] □ [+ with ] The small roads are chock-a-block with traffic.

chock-full /tʃɒ k fʊ l/ ADJ [v-link ADJ ] Something that is chock-full is completely full. [INFORMAL ] □ [+ of ] The 32-page catalog is chock-full of things that add fun to festive occasions.

cho|co|hol|ic /tʃɒ kəhɒ l I k, [AM ] tʃɔː kəhɔː l I k/ (chocoholics ) N‑COUNT A chocoholic is someone who eats a great deal of chocolate and finds it hard to stop themselves eating it. [INFORMAL ] □ The Confectionery Warehouse is a chocoholic's dream.

choco|late ◆◇◇ /tʃɒ kl I t, [AM ] tʃɔː k-/ (chocolates )

1 N‑VAR Chocolate is a sweet hard food made from cocoa beans. It is usually brown in colour and is eaten as a sweet. □ …a bar of chocolate. □ Do you want some chocolate? □ …rich chocolate cake.

2 → see also milk chocolate , plain chocolate

3 N‑UNCOUNT Chocolate or hot chocolate is a drink made from a powder containing chocolate. It is usually made with hot milk. □ …a small cafeteria where the visitors can buy tea, coffee and chocolate. □ I sipped the hot chocolate she had made. ● N‑COUNT A cup of chocolate can be referred to as a chocolate or a hot chocolate . □ I'll have a hot chocolate please.

4 N‑COUNT Chocolates are small sweets or nuts covered with a layer of chocolate. They are usually sold in a box. □ …a box of chocolates. □ Here, have a chocolate.

5 COLOUR Chocolate is used to describe things that are dark brown in colour. □ The curtains and the coverlet of the bed were chocolate velvet. □ She placed the chocolate-coloured coat beside the case. WORD HISTORY chocolate

Europeans were first introduced to chocolate at the court of the Aztec king Montezuma in the 16th century. Chocolate or xocolatl was a bitter Aztec drink made from cocoa beans. The name xocolatl means 'bitter water', from Aztec xococ , meaning 'bitter', and atl , meaning 'water'.

cho colate-box also chocolate box ADJ [ADJ n] Chocolate-box places or images are very pretty but in a boring or conventional way. [BRIT ] □ …a village of chocolate-box timbered houses.

choice ◆◆◇ /tʃɔ I s/ (choices , choicer , choicest )

1 N‑COUNT If there is a choice of things, there are several of them and you can choose the one you want. □ [+ of ] It's available in a choice of colours. □ [+ between ] At lunchtime, there's a choice between the buffet or the set menu. □ [+ of ] Club Sportif offer a wide choice of holidays.

2 N‑COUNT [usu poss N ] Your choice is someone or something that you choose from a range of things. □ [+ of ] Although he was only joking, his choice of words made Rodney angry.

3 ADJ [ADJ n] Choice means of very high quality. [FORMAL ] □ …Fortnum and Mason's choicest chocolates.

4 PHRASE If you have no choice but to do something or have little choice but to do it, you cannot avoid doing it. □ They had little choice but to agree to what he suggested.

5 PHRASE The thing or person of your choice is the one that you choose. □ …tickets to see the football team of your choice. □ In many societies children still marry someone of their parents' choice.

6 PHRASE The item of choice is the one that most people prefer. □ The drug is set to become the treatment of choice for asthma worldwide. COLLOCATIONS choice NOUN

1

adjective + choice : wide

verb + choice : offer, provide; limit, restrict

2

noun + choice : career, film, lifestyle

adjective + choice : informed, obvious, popular, rational

verb + choice : affect, determine, govern, influence; make

choir /kwa I ə ^r / (choirs ) N‑COUNT A choir is a group of people who sing together, for example in a church or school. □ He has been singing in his church choir since he was six.

choir|boy /kwa I ə ^r bɔ I / (choirboys ) N‑COUNT A choirboy is a boy who sings in a church choir.

choir|master /kwa I ə ^r mɑːstə ^r , -mæst-/ (choirmasters ) N‑COUNT A choirmaster is a person whose job is to train a choir.

choke /tʃoʊ k/ (chokes , choking , choked )

1 VERB When you choke or when something chokes you, you cannot breathe properly or get enough air into your lungs. □ [V ] The coffee was almost too hot to swallow and made him choke for a moment. □ [V + on ] A small child could choke on the doll's hair. □ [V n] Dense smoke swirled and billowed, its rank fumes choking her. □ [V + to ] The girl choked to death after breathing in smoke. □ [V -ing] Within minutes the hall was full of choking smoke.

2 VERB To choke someone means to squeeze their neck until they are dead. □ [V n] The men pushed him into the entrance of a nearby building where they choked him with his tie.

3 VERB [usu passive] If a place is choked with things or people, it is full of them and they prevent movement in it. □ [be V -ed + with ] The village's roads are choked with traffic. □ [be V -ed + by ] His pond has been choked by the fast-growing weed.

4 N‑COUNT [usu sing] The choke in a car, truck, or other vehicle is a device that reduces the amount of air going into the engine and makes it easier to start.

▸ choke back PHRASAL VERB If you choke back tears or a strong emotion, you force yourself not to show your emotion. □ [V P n] Choking back tears, he said Mary died in his arms.

▸ choke off PHRASAL VERB To choke off financial growth means to restrict or control the rate at which a country's economy can grow. □ [V P n] They warned the Chancellor that raising taxes in the Budget could choke off the recovery.

choked /tʃoʊ kt/ ADJ [ADJ n, v-link ADJ with n] If you say something in a choked voice or if your voice is choked with emotion, your voice does not have its full sound, because you are upset or frightened. □ 'Why did Ben do that?' she asked, in a choked voice. □ [+ with ] One young conscript rose with a message of thanks, his voice choked with emotion.

chok|er /tʃoʊ kə ^r / (chokers ) N‑COUNT A choker is a necklace or band of material that fits very closely round a woman's neck. □ …a pearl choker.

chol|era /kɒ lərə/ N‑UNCOUNT Cholera is a serious disease that often kills people. It is caused by drinking infected water or by eating infected food. □ …a cholera epidemic.

chol|er|ic /kɒ lər I k/ ADJ A choleric person gets angry very easily. You can also use choleric to describe a person who is very angry. [FORMAL ] □ …his choleric disposition. □ He was affable at one moment, choleric the next.

cho|les|ter|ol /kəle stərɒl, [AM ] -rɔːl/ N‑UNCOUNT Cholesterol is a substance that exists in the fat, tissues, and blood of all animals. Too much cholesterol in a person's blood can cause heart disease. □ …a dangerously high cholesterol level.

chomp /tʃɒ mp/ (chomps , chomping , chomped )

1 VERB If a person or animal chomps their way through food or chomps on food, they chew it noisily. [INFORMAL ] □ [V + way through ] I would chomp my way through breakfast, even though I'm not hungry. □ [V prep/adv] I lost a tooth while chomping on a French baguette! [Also V n]

2 to chomp at the bit → see bit

choose ◆◆◇ /tʃuː z/ (chooses , choosing , chose , chosen )

1 VERB If you choose someone or something from several people or things that are available, you decide which person or thing you want to have. □ [V n] They will be able to choose their own leaders in democratic elections. □ [V n to-inf] …citizens who had chosen that weekend to begin their holiday. □ [V + from/between ] There are several patchwork cushions to choose from. □ [be V -ed + as ] Houston was chosen as the site for the convention. □ [V -ed] He did well in his chosen profession. [Also V n + as , V ]

2 VERB If you choose to do something, you do it because you want to or because you feel that it is right. □ [V to-inf] They knew that discrimination was going on, but chose to ignore it. □ [V ] You can just take out the interest each year, if you choose.

3 PHRASE If there is little to choose between people or things or nothing to choose between them, it is difficult to decide which is better or more suitable. [mainly BRIT ] □ There is very little to choose between the world's top tennis players.

4 PHRASE The chosen few are a small group who are treated better than other people. You sometimes use this expression when you think this is unfair. □ Learning should no longer be an elitist pastime for the chosen few.

5 to pick and choose → see pick

choosy /tʃuː zi/ ADJ [usu v-link ADJ ] Someone who is choosy is difficult to please because they will only accept something if it is exactly what they want or if it is of very high quality. [mainly INFORMAL ] □ [+ about ] Skiers should be particularly choosy about the insurance policy they buy.

chop ◆◇◇ /tʃɒ p/ (chops , chopping , chopped )

1 VERB If you chop something, you cut it into pieces with strong downward movements of a knife or an axe. □ [V n + into ] Chop the butter into small pieces. □ [V n] Visitors were set to work chopping wood. □ [V -ed] …chopped tomatoes.

2 N‑COUNT [usu n N ] A chop is a small piece of meat cut from the ribs of a sheep or pig. □ …grilled lamb chops.

3 PHRASE When people chop and change , they keep changing their minds about what to do or how to act. [BRIT , INFORMAL ] □ Don't ask me why they have chopped and changed so much.

4 PHRASE If something is for the chop or is going to get the chop , it is going to be stopped or closed. If someone is for the chop , they are going to lose their job or position. [BRIT , INFORMAL ] □ He won't say which programmes are for the chop.

▸ chop down PHRASAL VERB If you chop down a tree, you cut through its trunk with an axe so that it falls to the ground. □ [V P n] Sometimes they have to chop down a tree for firewood. [Also V n P ]

▸ chop off PHRASAL VERB To chop off something such as a part of someone's body means to cut it off. □ [V P n] She chopped off her golden, waist-length hair. □ [V n P ] They dragged him to the village square and chopped his head off.

▸ chop up PHRASAL VERB If you chop something up , you chop it into small pieces. □ [V P n] Chop up three firm tomatoes. □ [V -ed P ] …chopped up banana. SYNONYMS chop VERB 1

cut: Cut the tomatoes in half vertically.

fell: Badly infected trees should be felled and burned.

slash: He came within two minutes of bleeding to death after slashing his wrists.

hack: We undertook the task of hacking our way through the jungle.

chop|per /tʃɒ pə ^r / (choppers ) N‑COUNT A chopper is a helicopter. [INFORMAL ] □ Overhead, the chopper roared and the big blades churned the air.

cho p|ping board (chopping boards ) N‑COUNT A chopping board is a wooden or plastic board that you chop meat and vegetables on. [BRIT ] in AM, usually use cutting board

chop|py /tʃɒ pi/ (choppier , choppiest ) ADJ When water is choppy , there are a lot of small waves on it because there is a wind blowing. □ A gale was blowing and the sea was choppy.

chop|stick /tʃɒ pst I k/ (chopsticks ) N‑COUNT [usu pl] Chopsticks are a pair of thin sticks which people in China and the Far East use to eat their food.

chop suey /tʃɒ p suː i/ N‑UNCOUNT Chop suey is a Chinese-style dish that consists of meat and vegetables that have been stewed together.

cho|ral /kɔː rəl/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] Choral music is sung by a choir. □ His collection of choral music from around the world is called 'Voices'.

cho|rale /kɔːrɑː l, -ræ l/ (chorales )

1 N‑COUNT A chorale is a piece of music sung as part of a church service. □ …a Bach chorale.

2 N‑COUNT A chorale is a group of people who sing together. [AM ]

chord /kɔː ^r d/ (chords )

1 N‑COUNT A chord is a number of musical notes played or sung at the same time with a pleasing effect. □ [+ of ] …the opening chords of 'Stairway to Heaven'.

2 → see also vocal cords

3 PHRASE If something strikes a chord with you, it makes you feel sympathy or enthusiasm. □ These words will strike a chord with all parents of teenagers.

chore /tʃɔː ^r / (chores )

1 N‑COUNT [usu sing] A chore is a task that you must do but that you find unpleasant or boring. □ She sees exercise primarily as an unavoidable chore.

2 N‑COUNT [usu pl] Chores are tasks such as cleaning, washing, and ironing that have to be done regularly at home. □ My husband and I both go out to work so we share the household chores.

cho|reo|graph /kɒ riəgrɑːf, [AM ] kɔː riəgræf/ (choreographs , choreographing , choreographed ) VERB When someone choreographs a ballet or other dance, they invent the steps and movements and tell the dancers how to perform them. □ [V n] Achim had choreographed the dance in Act II himself. □ [V ] She has danced, choreographed, lectured and taught all over the world.

cho|reo|graphed /kɒ riəgrɑːft, [AM ] kɔː riəgræft/ ADJ You describe an activity involving several people as choreographed when it is arranged but is intended to appear natural. □ …a carefully-choreographed White House meeting between the two presidents.

cho|reog|ra|pher /kɒ riɒ grəfə ^r , [AM ] kɔː -/ (choreographers ) N‑COUNT A choreographer is someone who invents the movements for a ballet or other dance and tells the dancers how to perform them.

cho|reo|graph|ic /kɒ riəgræ f I k, [AM ] kɔː -/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] Choreographic means relating to or connected with choreography. □ …his choreographic work for The Birmingham Royal Ballet.

cho|reog|ra|phy /kɒ riɒ grəfi, [AM ] kɔː -/ N‑UNCOUNT Choreography is the inventing of steps and movements for ballets and other dances.

chor|is|ter /kɒ r I stə ^r , [AM ] kɔː -/ (choristers ) N‑COUNT A chorister is a singer in a church choir.

chor|tle /tʃɔː ^r t ^ə l/ (chortles , chortling , chortled ) VERB To chortle means to laugh in a way that shows you are very pleased. [WRITTEN ] □ [V ] There was silence for a moment, then Larry began chortling. ● N‑COUNT Chortle is also a noun. □ He gave a chortle.

cho|rus /kɔː rəs/ (choruses , chorusing , chorused )

1 N‑COUNT A chorus is a part of a song which is repeated after each verse. □ [+ of ] Caroline sang two verses and the chorus of her song. □ Everyone joined in the chorus.

2 N‑COUNT A chorus is a large group of people who sing together. □ The chorus was singing 'The Ode to Joy'.

3 N‑COUNT A chorus is a piece of music written to be sung by a large group of people. □ …the Hallelujah Chorus.

4 N‑COUNT A chorus is a group of singers or dancers who perform together in a show, in contrast to the soloists. □ Students played the lesser parts and sang in the chorus.

5 N‑COUNT [usu sing] When there is a chorus of criticism, disapproval, or praise, that attitude is expressed by a lot of people at the same time. □ [+ of ] The government is defending its economic policies against a growing chorus of criticism.

6 VERB When people chorus something, they say it or sing it together. [WRITTEN ] □ [V with quote] 'Hi,' they chorused.

7 → see also dawn chorus

cho |rus girl (chorus girls ) also chorus-girl N‑COUNT A chorus girl is a young woman who sings or dances as part of a group in a show or film.

chose /tʃoʊ z/ Chose is the past tense of choose .

cho|sen /tʃoʊ z ^ə n/ Chosen is the past participle of choose .

chow /tʃaʊ / (chows )

1 N‑UNCOUNT Food can be referred to as chow . [AM , INFORMAL ] □ Help yourself to some chow.

2 N‑COUNT A chow is a kind of dog that has a thick coat and a curled tail. Chows originally came from China.

chow|der /tʃaʊ də ^r / (chowders ) N‑VAR [usu n N ] Chowder is a thick soup containing pieces of fish.

chow mein /tʃaʊ me I n, - miː n/ N‑UNCOUNT Chow mein is a Chinese-style dish that consists of fried noodles, cooked meat, and vegetables. □ …chicken chow mein.

Christ /kra I st/ N‑PROPER Christ is one of the names of Jesus, whom Christians believe to be the son of God and whose teachings are the basis of Christianity. □ …the teachings of Christ.

chris|ten /kr I s ^ə n/ (christens , christening , christened )

1 VERB [usu passive] When a baby is christened , he or she is given a name during the Christian ceremony of baptism. Compare baptize . □ [be V -ed] She was born in March and christened in June. □ [be V -ed] She was christened Susan.

2 VERB You say that you christen a person, place, or object a particular name if you choose a name for them and start calling them by that name. [INFORMAL ] □ [be V -ed] The pair were christened 'The Women in Black' after they both wore black dresses at a party.

3 VERB You say that you christen something new when you use it for the first time, especially if you do something special to mark the occasion. [INFORMAL ] □ [V n] To christen the new hall, a number of great orchestras have been invited to play.

Chris|ten|dom /kr I s ^ə ndəm/ N‑PROPER All the Christian people and countries in the world can be referred to as Christendom . [OLD-FASHIONED ]

chris|ten|ing /kr I s ^ə n I ŋ/ (christenings ) N‑COUNT A christening is a Christian ceremony in which a baby is made a member of the Christian Church and is officially given his or her name. Compare baptism . □ …my granddaughter's christening. □ …a christening robe.

Christian ◆◆◇ /kr I stʃən/ (Christians )

1 N‑COUNT A Christian is someone who follows the teachings of Jesus Christ. □ He was a devout Christian.

2 ADJ [usu ADJ n] Christian means relating to Christianity or Christians. □ …the Christian Church. □ …the Christian faith. □ Most of my friends are Christian.

Chris|ti|an|ity /kr I stiæ n I ti/ N‑UNCOUNT Christianity is a religion that is based on the teachings of Jesus Christ and the belief that he was the son of God. □ He converted to Christianity that day.

Chri stian name (Christian names ) N‑COUNT Some people refer to their first names as their Christian names . □ Despite my attempts to get him to call me by my Christian name he insisted on addressing me as 'Mr Kennedy'.

Chri stian Sci |ence N‑UNCOUNT [oft N n] Christian Science is a type of Christianity which emphasizes the use of prayer to cure illness. □ …members of the Christian Science Church.

Christ|mas /kr I sməs/ (Christmases )

1 N‑VAR [oft N n] Christmas is a Christian festival when the birth of Jesus Christ is celebrated. Christmas is celebrated on the 25th of December. □ The day after Christmas is generally a busy one for retailers. □ Merry Christmas, Mom.

2 N‑VAR [oft N n] Christmas is the period of several days around and including Christmas Day. □ He'll be in the hospital over Christmas, so we'll be spending our Christmas Day there.

Chri st|mas cake (Christmas cakes ) N‑VAR A Christmas cake is a special cake that is eaten at Christmas in Britain and some other countries.

Chri st|mas card (Christmas cards ) N‑COUNT Christmas cards are cards with greetings, which people send to their friends and family at Christmas.

Chri st|mas Da y N‑UNCOUNT Christmas Day is the 25th of December, when Christmas is celebrated.

Chri st|mas E ve N‑UNCOUNT Christmas Eve is the 24th of December, the day before Christmas Day.

Chri st|mas pu d|ding (Christmas puddings ) N‑VAR Christmas pudding is a special pudding that is eaten at Christmas. [mainly BRIT ]

Chri st|mas sto ck|ing (Christmas stockings ) N‑COUNT A Christmas stocking is a long sock which children hang up on Christmas Eve. During the night, parents fill the stocking with small presents.

Christ|massy /kr I sməsi/ in AM, also use Christmasy ADJ Something that is Christmassy is typical of or suitable for Christmas. [INFORMAL ] □ Choose Christmassy colours such as red and green.

Chri st|mas tree (Christmas trees ) N‑COUNT A Christmas tree is a fir tree, or an artificial tree that looks like a fir tree, which people put in their houses at Christmas and decorate with coloured lights and ornaments.

chro|mat|ic /krəmæ t I k/

1 ADJ In music, chromatic means related to the scale that consists only of semitones. □ …the notes of the chromatic scale.

2 ADJ [usu ADJ n] Chromatic means related to colours.

chrome /kroʊ m/ N‑UNCOUNT [oft N n] Chrome is metal plated with chromium. □ …old-fashioned chrome taps.

chro|mium /kroʊ miəm/ N‑UNCOUNT Chromium is a hard, shiny metallic element, used to make steel alloys and to coat other metals. □ …chromium-plated fire accessories.

chro|mo|so|mal /kroʊ məsoʊ m ^ə l/ ADJ [ADJ n] Chromosomal means relating to or connected with chromosomes. □ …chromosomal abnormalities.

chro|mo|some /kroʊ məsoʊm/ (chromosomes ) N‑COUNT A chromosome is a part of a cell in an animal or plant. It contains genes which determine what characteristics the animal or plant will have. □ Each cell of our bodies contains 46 chromosomes.

chron|ic /krɒ n I k/

1 ADJ [usu ADJ n] A chronic illness or disability lasts for a very long time. Compare acute . □ …chronic back pain. ● chroni|cal|ly /krɒ n I kli/ ADV [ADV adj/-ed] □ Most of them were chronically ill.

2 ADJ [ADJ n] You can describe someone's bad habits or behaviour as chronic when they have behaved like that for a long time and do not seem to be able to stop themselves. □ …a chronic worrier.

3 ADJ [usu ADJ n] A chronic situation or problem is very severe and unpleasant. □ One cause of the artist's suicide seems to have been chronic poverty. ● chroni|cal|ly ADV [ADV adj/-ed] □ Research and technology are said to be chronically underfunded.

chro n|ic fa|ti gue sy n|drome N‑UNCOUNT Chronic fatigue syndrome is an illness that is thought to be caused by a virus, and which affects people for a long period of time. Its symptoms include tiredness and aching muscles. The abbreviation CFS is often used.

chroni|cle /krɒ n I k ^ə l/ (chronicles , chronicling , chronicled )

1 VERB To chronicle a series of events means to write about them or show them in broadcasts in the order in which they happened. □ [V n] The series chronicles the everyday adventures of two eternal bachelors. [Also V wh] ● chroni|cler (chroniclers ) N‑COUNT □ [+ of ] …the chronicler of the English civil war.

2 N‑COUNT A chronicle is an account or record of a series of events. □ [+ of ] …this vast chronicle of Napoleonic times.

3 N‑COUNT Chronicle is sometimes used as part of the name of a newspaper. □ …the San Francisco Chronicle.

chrono|logi|cal /krɒ nəlɒ dʒ I k ^ə l/

1 ADJ [usu ADJ n] If things are described or shown in chronological order, they are described or shown in the order in which they happened. □ I have arranged these stories in chronological order. ● chrono|logi|cal|ly ADV [ADV after v, ADV -ed/adj] □ The exhibition is organised chronologically.

2 ADJ [ADJ n] If you refer to someone's chronological age, you are referring to the number of years they have lived, in contrast to their mental age or the stage they have reached in their physical or emotional development. [FORMAL ]

chro|nol|ogy /krənɒ lədʒi/ (chronologies )

1 N‑UNCOUNT The chronology of a series of past events is the times at which they happened in the order in which they happened. □ [+ of ] She gave him a factual account of the chronology of her brief liaison.

2 N‑COUNT A chronology is an account or record of the times and the order in which a series of past events took place. □ [+ of ] The second part of Duffy's book is a detailed chronology of the Reformation.

chro|nom|eter /krɒnɒ m I tə ^r / (chronometers ) N‑COUNT A chronometer is an extremely accurate clock that is used especially by sailors at sea.

chrysa|lis /kr I səl I s/ (chrysalises )

1 N‑COUNT A chrysalis is a butterfly or moth in the stage between being a larva and an adult.

2 N‑COUNT A chrysalis is the hard, protective covering that a chrysalis has. □ …a butterfly emerging from its chrysalis.

chry|san|themum /kr I zæ nθəməm/ (chrysanthemums ) N‑COUNT A chrysanthemum is a large garden flower with many long, thin petals.

chub|by /tʃʌ bi/ (chubbier , chubbiest ) ADJ A chubby person is rather fat. □ Do you think I'm too chubby? □ …his chubby hands.

chuck /tʃʌ k/ (chucks , chucking , chucked )

1 VERB When you chuck something somewhere, you throw it there in a casual or careless way. [INFORMAL ] □ [V n prep/adv] I took a great dislike to the clock, so I chucked it in the dustbin. [Also V n, V n n]

2 VERB If you chuck your job or some other activity, you stop doing it. [INFORMAL ] □ [V n] Last summer, he chucked his 10-year career as a London stockbroker and headed for the mountains. ● PHRASAL VERB In British English chuck in and chuck up mean the same as chuck . □ [V P n] Almost half the British public think about chucking in their jobs and doing their own thing at least once a month.

3 VERB If your girlfriend or boyfriend chucks you, they end the relationship. [INFORMAL ] □ [V n] There wasn't a great fuss when I chucked her.

4 N‑COUNT A chuck is a device for holding a tool in a machine such as a drill.

▸ chuck away PHRASAL VERB If you chuck something away , you throw it away or waste it. [INFORMAL ] □ [V n P ] You cannot chuck money away on little luxuries like that.

▸ chuck in → see chuck 2

▸ chuck out

1 PHRASAL VERB If you chuck something out , you throw it away, because you do not need it or cannot use it. [INFORMAL ] □ [V P n] Many companies have struggled valiantly to use less energy and chuck out less rubbish. [Also V n P ]

2 PHRASAL VERB If a person is chucked out of a job, a place, or their home, they are forced by other people to leave. [INFORMAL ] □ [be V -ed P ] Any head teacher who made errors like this would be chucked out. □ [be V -ed P + of ] I was chucked out of my London flat. □ [V n P ] Her parents are going to chuck her out on the street.

▸ chuck up → see chuck 2

chuck|le /tʃʌ k ^ə l/ (chuckles , chuckling , chuckled ) VERB When you chuckle , you laugh quietly. □ [V ] The banker chuckled and said, 'Of course not.'. □ [V + at/over ] He chuckled at her forthrightness. [Also V with quote] ● N‑COUNT Chuckle is also a noun. □ He gave a little chuckle.

chuffed /tʃʌ ft/ ADJ [v-link ADJ , ADJ to-inf, ADJ that] If you are chuffed about something, you are very pleased about it. [BRIT , INFORMAL ] □ [+ about ] She had just moved into a new house and was pretty chuffed about that. [Also + with ]

chug /tʃʌ g/ (chugs , chugging , chugged ) VERB When a vehicle chugs somewhere, it goes there slowly, noisily and with difficulty. □ [V prep/adv] The train chugs down the track.

chum /tʃʌ m/ (chums ) N‑COUNT [usu with poss] Your chum is your friend. [INFORMAL , OLD-FASHIONED ] □ …his old chum Anthony.

chum|my /tʃʌ mi/ (chummier , chummiest ) ADJ If people or social events are chummy , they are pleasant and friendly. [INFORMAL , OLD-FASHIONED ]

chump /tʃʌ mp/ (chumps ) N‑COUNT If you call someone who you like a chump , you are telling them that they have done something rather stupid or foolish, or that they are always doing stupid things. [INFORMAL , DISAPPROVAL ] □ The guy's a chump. I could do a better job myself.

chunk /tʃʌ ŋk/ (chunks )

1 N‑COUNT Chunks of something are thick solid pieces of it. □ [+ of ] …a chunk of meat. □ Cut the melon into chunks.

2 N‑COUNT A chunk of something is a large amount or large part of it. [INFORMAL ] □ [+ of ] The company owns a chunk of farmland near Gatwick Airport.

chunky /tʃʌ ŋki/ (chunkier , chunkiest )

1 ADJ [usu ADJ n] A chunky person is broad and heavy. □ The soprano was a chunky girl from California.

2 ADJ [usu ADJ n] A chunky object is large and thick. □ …a chunky sweater. □ …chunky jewellery.

church ◆◆◇ /tʃɜː ^r tʃ/ (churches )

1 N‑VAR A church is a building in which Christians worship. You usually refer to this place as church when you are talking about the time that people spend there. □ …one of Britain's most historic churches. □ …St Helen's Church. □ I didn't see you in church on Sunday.

2 N‑COUNT [oft adj N ] A Church is one of the groups of people within the Christian religion, for example Catholics or Methodists, that have their own beliefs, clergy, and forms of worship. □ [+ of ] …co-operation with the Church of Scotland. □ Church leaders said he was welcome to return.

church|goer /tʃɜː ^r tʃgoʊə ^r / (churchgoers ) also church-goer N‑COUNT A churchgoer is a person who goes to church regularly.

church|man /tʃɜː ^r tʃmən/ (churchmen ) N‑COUNT A churchman is the same as a clergyman. [FORMAL ]

Chu rch of E ng|land N‑PROPER The Church of England is the main church in England. It has the Queen as its head and it does not recognize the authority of the Pope.

chu rch school (church schools ) N‑COUNT A church school is a school which has a special relationship with a particular branch of the Christian Church, and where there is strong emphasis on worship and the teaching of religion.

church|warden /tʃɜː ^r tʃwɔː ^r d ^ə n/ (churchwardens ) N‑COUNT In the Anglican Church, a churchwarden is the person who has been chosen by a congregation to help the vicar of a parish with administration and other duties.

church|yard /tʃɜː ^r tʃjɑː ^r d/ (churchyards ) N‑COUNT A churchyard is an area of land around a church where dead people are buried.

churl|ish /tʃɜː ^r l I ʃ/ ADJ Someone who is churlish is unfriendly, bad-tempered, or impolite. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ She would think him churlish if he refused. □ The room was so lovely it seemed churlish to argue.

churn /tʃɜː ^r n/ (churns , churning , churned )

1 N‑COUNT [oft n N ] A churn is a container which is used for making butter.

2 VERB If something churns water, mud, or dust, it moves it about violently. □ [V n] The propeller churned the water and the ship was away. □ [V -ed] …unsurfaced roads now churned into mud by the annual rains. ● PHRASAL VERB Churn up means the same as churn . □ [V P n] The recent rain had churned up the waterfall into a muddy whirlpool. □ [V n P ] Occasionally they slap the water with their tails or churn it up in play. □ [V -ed P ] …muddy, churned-up ground.

3 VERB If you say that your stomach is churning , you mean that you feel sick. You can also say that something churns your stomach. □ [V ] My stomach churned as I stood up. [Also V n]

▸ churn out PHRASAL VERB To churn out something means to produce large quantities of it very quickly. [INFORMAL ] □ [V P n] He began to churn out literary compositions in English. [Also V n P ]

▸ churn up → see churn 2

churn|ing /tʃɜː ^r n I ŋ/ ADJ [ADJ n] Churning water is moving about violently. [LITERARY ] □ …anything to take our minds off that gap and the brown, churning water below.

chute /ʃuː t/ (chutes )

1 N‑COUNT [oft n N ] A chute is a steep, narrow slope down which people or things can slide. □ Passengers escaped from the plane's front four exits by sliding down emergency chutes.

2 N‑COUNT A chute is a parachute. [INFORMAL ] □ You can release the chute with either hand, but it is easier to do it with the left.

chut|ney /tʃʌ tni/ (chutneys ) N‑VAR Chutney is a cold sauce made from fruit, vinegar, sugar, and spices. It is sold in jars and you eat it with meat or cheese. □ …mango chutney.

chutz|pah /hʊ tspə/ in AM, also use chutzpa N‑UNCOUNT If you say that someone has chutzpah , you mean that you admire the fact that they are not afraid or embarrassed to do or say things that shock, surprise, or annoy other people. [APPROVAL ] □ Einstein had the chutzpah to discard common sense and long-established theory.

CIA /siː a I e I / N‑PROPER The CIA is the government organization in the United States that collects secret information about other countries. CIA is an abbreviation for 'Central Intelligence Agency'.

cia|bat|ta /tʃəbæ tə/ N‑UNCOUNT Ciabatta or ciabatta bread is a type of white Italian bread that is made with olive oil.

ciao /tʃaʊ / CONVENTION Some people say ' Ciao ' as an informal way of saying goodbye to someone who they expect to see again soon. [FORMULAE ]

ci|ca|da /s I kɑː də, [AM ] -ke I də/ (cicadas ) N‑COUNT A cicada is a large insect that lives in hot countries and makes a loud high-pitched noise.

CID /siː a I diː / N‑PROPER The CID is the branch of the police force in Britain concerned with finding out who has committed crimes. CID is an abbreviation for 'Criminal Investigation Department'.

ci|der /sa I də ^r / (ciders ) N‑VAR Cider is a drink made from apples which in Britain usually contains alcohol. In the United States, cider does not usually contain alcohol, and if it does contain alcohol, it is usually called hard cider . ● N‑COUNT A glass of cider can be referred to as a cider . □ He ordered a cider.

ci|gar /s I gɑː ^r / (cigars ) N‑COUNT Cigars are rolls of dried tobacco leaves which people smoke. □ He was sitting alone smoking a big cigar.

ciga|rette ◆◇◇ /s I gəre t/ (cigarettes ) N‑COUNT Cigarettes are small tubes of paper containing tobacco which people smoke. □ He went out to buy a packet of cigarettes.

ciga|re tte butt (cigarette butts ) in BRIT, also use cigarette end N‑COUNT A cigarette butt or a cigarette end is the part of a cigarette that you throw away when you have finished smoking it.

ciga|re tte hold|er (cigarette holders ) also cigarette-holder N‑COUNT A cigarette holder is a narrow tube that you can put a cigarette into in order to hold it while you smoke it.

ciga|re tte light|er (cigarette lighters ) N‑COUNT A cigarette lighter is a device which produces a small flame when you press a switch and which you use to light a cigarette or cigar.

cig|gy /s I gi/ (ciggies ) also ciggie N‑COUNT A ciggy is a cigarette. [BRIT , INFORMAL ]

C -in-C N‑SING A C-in-C is the same as a commander-in-chief .

cinch /s I ntʃ/ N‑SING If you say that something is a cinch , you mean that you think it is very easy to do. [INFORMAL ] □ It sounds difficult, but compared to full-time work it was a cinch.

cin|der block /s I ndə ^r blɒk/ (cinder blocks ) also cinderblock N‑COUNT [oft N n] A cinder block is a large grey brick made from coal cinders and cement which is used for building. [AM ] in BRIT, use breeze-block

Cinderella /s I ndəre lə/ (Cinderellas ) N‑COUNT [usu sing, oft N n] If you describe a person or organization as a Cinderella , you mean that they receive very little attention and that they deserve to receive more. □ [+ of ] It is a Cinderella of charities, and needs more help.

cin|ders /s I ndə ^r z/ N‑PLURAL Cinders are the black pieces that are left after something such as wood or coal has burned away. □ The wind sent sparks and cinders flying.

cine /s I ni/ ADJ [ADJ n] Cine is used to refer to things that are used in or connected with the making or showing of films. □ …a cine camera. □ …a cine projector.

cin|ema ◆◇◇ /s I n I mə/ (cinemas )

1 N‑COUNT A cinema is a place where people go to watch films for entertainment. [mainly BRIT ] □ The country has relatively few cinemas. in AM, usually use movie theater , movie house 2 N‑SING You can talk about the cinema when you are talking about seeing a film in a cinema. [mainly BRIT ] □ I can't remember the last time we went to the cinema. in AM, usually use the movies 3 N‑UNCOUNT Cinema is the business and art of making films. □ Contemporary African cinema has much to offer in its vitality and freshness.

cin|emat|ic /s I n I mæ t I k/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] Cinematic means relating to films made for the cinema. □ …a genuine cinematic masterpiece.

cin|ema|tog|ra|pher /s I n I mətɒ grəfə ^r / (cinematographers ) N‑COUNT A cinematographer is a person who decides what filming techniques should be used during the shooting of a film.

cin|ema|tog|ra|phy /s I n I mətɒ grəfi/ N‑UNCOUNT Cinematography is the technique of making films for the cinema. □ …an admirer of Arthur Jafa's breathtaking cinematography.

cin|na|mon /s I nəmən/ N‑UNCOUNT Cinnamon is a sweet spice used for flavouring food.

ci|pher /sa I fə ^r / (ciphers ) also cypher N‑COUNT A cipher is a secret system of writing that you use to send messages. □ …converting their messages into ciphers. □ During World War II he worked as a cipher clerk.

cir|ca /sɜː ^r kə/ PREP Circa is used in front of a particular year to say that this is the approximate date when something happened or was made. [FORMAL ] □ The story tells of a runaway slave girl in Louisiana, circa 1850.

cir|cle ◆◆◇ /sɜː ^r k ^ə l/ (circles , circling , circled )

1 N‑COUNT A circle is a shape consisting of a curved line completely surrounding an area. Every part of the line is the same distance from the centre of the area. □ The flag was red, with a large white circle in the centre. □ I wrote down the number 46 and drew a circle around it.

2 N‑COUNT A circle of something is a round flat piece or area of it. □ [+ of ] Cut out 4 circles of pastry. □ [+ of ] …a circle of yellow light.

3 N‑COUNT A circle of objects or people is a group of them arranged in the shape of a circle. □ [+ of ] The monument consists of a circle of gigantic stones. □ We stood in a circle holding hands.

4 VERB If something circles an object or a place, or circles around it, it forms a circle around it. □ [V n] This is the ring road that circles the city. □ [V + around/round ] …the long curving driveway that circled around the vast clipped lawn.

5 VERB If an aircraft or a bird circles or circles something, it moves round in a circle in the air. □ [V ] The plane circled, awaiting permission to land. □ [V adv/prep] There were two helicopters circling around. □ [V n] …like a hawk circling prey.

6 VERB To circle around someone or something, or to circle them, means to move around them. □ [V + around/round ] Emily kept circling around her mother. □ [V n] The silent wolves would track and circle them.

7 VERB If you circle something on a piece of paper, you draw a circle around it. □ [V n] Circle the correct answers on the coupon below.

8 N‑COUNT You can refer to a group of people as a circle when they meet each other regularly because they are friends or because they belong to the same profession or share the same interests. □ [+ of ] He has a small circle of friends. □ Alton has made himself fiercely unpopular in certain circles.

9 N‑SING In a theatre or cinema, the circle is an area of seats on the upper floor.

10 → see also Arctic Circle , dress circle , inner circle , vicious circle , virtuous circle

11 PHRASE If you say that you have come full circle or have turned full circle , you mean that after a long series of events or changes the same situation that you started with still exists. □ We've come full circle and dark-blue jeans are once again the height of style. SYNONYMS circle NOUN 1

ring: …a ring of blue smoke.

disc: Most shredding machines are based on a revolving disc with replaceable blades.

round: …small fresh rounds of goats' cheese.

cir|cuit ◆◇◇ /sɜː ^r k I t/ (circuits )

1 N‑COUNT An electrical circuit is a complete route which an electric current can flow around. □ Any attempts to cut through the cabling will break the electrical circuit.

2 → see also closed-circuit , short-circuit

3 N‑COUNT A circuit is a series of places that are visited regularly by a person or group, especially as a part of their job. □ It's a common problem, the one I'm asked about most when I'm on the lecture circuit.

4 N‑COUNT A racing circuit is a track on which cars, motorbikes, or cycles race. [mainly BRIT ]

5 N‑COUNT A circuit of a place or area is a journey all the way round it. [FORMAL ] □ [+ of ] She made a slow circuit of the room.

ci r|cuit board (circuit boards ) N‑COUNT A circuit board is the same as a printed circuit board .

ci r|cuit break|er (circuit breakers ) also circuit-breaker N‑COUNT A circuit breaker is a device which can stop the flow of electricity around a circuit by switching itself off if anything goes wrong. □ There is an internal circuit breaker to protect the instrument from overload.

cir|cui|tous /sə ^r kjuː I təs/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] A circuitous route is long and complicated rather than simple and direct. [FORMAL ] □ The cabdriver took them on a circuitous route to the police station.

cir|cuit|ry /sɜː ^r k I tri/ N‑UNCOUNT Circuitry is a system of electric circuits. □ The computer's entire circuitry was on a single board.

ci r|cuit train|ing N‑UNCOUNT Circuit training is a type of physical training in which you do a series of different exercises, each for a few minutes.

cir|cu|lar /sɜː ^r kjʊlə ^r / (circulars )

1 ADJ [usu ADJ n] Something that is circular is shaped like a circle. □ …a circular hole twelve feet wide and two feet deep. □ Using a circular motion, massage gently.

2 → see also semi-circular

3 ADJ [usu ADJ n] A circular journey or route is one in which you go to a place and return by a different route. □ Both sides of the river can be explored on this circular walk.

4 ADJ A circular argument or theory is not valid because it uses a statement to prove something which is then used to prove the statement.

5 N‑COUNT A circular is an official letter or advertisement that is sent to a large number of people at the same time. □ The proposal has been widely publicised in information circulars sent to newspapers.

ci r|cu|lar sa w (circular saws ) N‑COUNT A circular saw is a round metal disc with a sharp edge which is used for cutting wood and other materials. [BRIT ] in AM, use buzzsaw

cir|cu|late /sɜː ^r kjʊle I t/ (circulates , circulating , circulated )

1 VERB If a piece of writing circulates or is circulated , copies of it are passed round among a group of people. □ [be V -ed] The document was previously circulated in New York at the United Nations. □ [V n] Public employees, teachers and liberals are circulating a petition for his recall. □ [V ] This year anonymous leaflets have been circulating in Beijing. ● cir|cu|la|tion /sɜː ^r kjʊle I ʃ ^ə n/ N‑UNCOUNT □ [+ of ] …an inquiry into the circulation of 'unacceptable literature'.

2 VERB If something such as a rumour circulates or is circulated , the people in a place tell it to each other. □ [V ] Rumours were already beginning to circulate that the project might have to be abandoned. □ [be V -ed] I deeply resented those sort of rumours being circulated at a time of deeply personal grief. [Also V n]

3 VERB When something circulates , it moves easily and freely within a closed place or system. □ [V ] …a virus which circulates via the bloodstream and causes ill health in a variety of organs. □ [V ] Cooking odours can circulate throughout the entire house. [Also V prep] ● cir|cu|la|tion N‑UNCOUNT □ [+ of ] Use a fan to aid the circulation of air in the room. □ [+ of ] …the principle of free circulation of goods.

4 VERB If you circulate at a party, you move among the guests and talk to different people. □ [V ] Let me get you something to drink, then I must circulate.

cir|cu|la|tion /sɜː ^r kjʊle I ʃ ^ə n/ (circulations )

1 N‑COUNT The circulation of a newspaper or magazine is the number of copies that are sold each time it is produced. □ The Daily News once had the highest circulation of any daily in the country. □ The paper has proved unable to maintain its circulation figures.

2 N‑UNCOUNT Your circulation is the movement of blood through your body. □ Anyone with heart, lung or circulation problems should seek medical advice before flying. □ …cold spots in the fingers caused by poor circulation.

3 → see also circulate

4 PHRASE If something such as money is in circulation , it is being used by the public. If something is out of circulation or has been withdrawn from circulation , it is no longer available for use by the public. □ …a society like America, with perhaps 180 million guns in circulation. □ …the decision to take 50 and 100 ruble bills out of circulation.

cir|cu|la|tory /sɜː ^r kjʊle I təri, [AM ] -lətɔːri/ ADJ [ADJ n] Circulatory means relating to the circulation of blood in the body. [MEDICAL ] □ …the human circulatory system.

cir|cum|cise /sɜː ^r kəmsa I z/ (circumcises , circumcising , circumcised )

1 VERB [usu passive] If a boy or man is circumcised , the loose skin at the end of his penis is cut off. □ [be V -ed] He had been circumcised within eight days of birth as required by Jewish law. ● cir|cum|ci|sion /sɜː ^r kəms I ʒ ^ə n/ N‑UNCOUNT [oft a N ] □ Jews and Moslems practise circumcision for religious reasons.

2 VERB [usu passive] In some cultures, if a girl or woman is circumcised , her clitoris is cut or cut off. □ [be V -ed] An estimated 90 million women around the world have been circumcised. ● cir|cum|ci|sion N‑UNCOUNT □ …a campaigner against female circumcision.

cir|cum|fer|ence /sə ^r kʌ mfrəns/

1 N‑UNCOUNT The circumference of a circle, place, or round object is the distance around its edge. □ …a scientist calculating the Earth's circumference. □ The island is 3.5 km in circumference.

2 N‑UNCOUNT The circumference of a circle, place, or round object is its edge. □ [+ of ] Cut the salmon into long strips and wrap it round the circumference of the bread.

cir|cum|flex /sɜː ^r kəmfleks/ (circumflexes ) N‑COUNT A circumflex or a circumflex accent is a symbol written over a vowel in French and other languages, usually to indicate that it should be pronounced longer than usual. It is used for example in the word 'rôle'.

cir|cum|lo|cu|tion /sɜː ^r kəmloʊkjuː ʃ ^ə n/ (circumlocutions ) N‑VAR A circumlocution is a way of saying or writing something using more words than are necessary instead of being clear and direct. [FORMAL ]

cir|cum|navi|gate /sɜː ^r kəmnæ v I ge I t/ (circumnavigates , circumnavigating , circumnavigated ) VERB If someone circumnavigates the world or an island, they sail all the way around it. [FORMAL ] □ [V n] For this year at least, our race to circumnavigate the globe in less than 80 days is over.

cir|cum|scribe /sɜː ^r kəmskra I b/ (circumscribes , circumscribing , circumscribed ) VERB If someone's power or freedom is circumscribed , it is limited or restricted. [FORMAL ] □ [be V -ed] The army evidently fears that, under him, its activities would be severely circumscribed. □ [V n] There are laws circumscribing the right of individual citizens to cause bodily harm to others.

cir|cum|spect /sɜː ^r kəmspekt/ ADJ If you are circumspect , you are cautious in what you do and say and do not take risks. [FORMAL ] □ [+ in ] The banks should have been more circumspect in their dealings. ● cir|cum|spect|ly ADV [ADV after v] □ You should behave as circumspectly as possible in political matters.

cir|cum|spec|tion /sɜː ^r kəmspe kʃ ^ə n/ N‑UNCOUNT [oft with N ] Circumspection is cautious behaviour and a refusal to take risks. [FORMAL ] □ This is a region to be treated with circumspection.

cir|cum|stance ◆◇◇ /sɜː ^r kəmstæns/ (circumstances )

1 N‑COUNT [usu pl] The circumstances of a particular situation are the conditions which affect what happens. □ Recent opinion polls show that 60 percent favor abortion under certain circumstances. □ I wish we could have met under happier circumstances.

2 N‑PLURAL The circumstances of an event are the way it happened or the causes of it. □ [+ of ] I'm making inquiries about the circumstances of Mary Dean's murder. □ Hundreds of people had died there in terrible circumstances during and after the revolution.

3 N‑PLURAL [usu with poss] Your circumstances are the conditions of your life, especially the amount of money that you have. □ …help and support for the single mother, whatever her circumstances. □ I wouldn't have expected to find you in such comfortable circumstances.

4 N‑UNCOUNT Events and situations which cannot be controlled are sometimes referred to as circumstance . □ There are those, you know, who, by circumstance, end up homeless. □ You might say that we've been victims of circumstance.

5 PHRASE You can emphasize that something must not or will not happen by saying that it must not or will not happen under any circumstances . [EMPHASIS ] □ She made it clear that under no circumstances would she cancel the trip.

6 PHRASE You can use in the circumstances or under the circumstances before or after a statement to indicate that you have considered the conditions affecting the situation before making the statement. □ Under the circumstances, a crash was unavoidable. SYNONYMS circumstance NOUN 1

conditions: The conditions are ripe for the spread of disease.

situation: She's in a hopeless situation.

scenario: In the worst-case scenario, you could become a homeless person.

cir|cum|stan|tial /sɜː ^r kəmstæ nʃ ^ə l/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] Circumstantial evidence is evidence that makes it seem likely that something happened, but does not prove it. [FORMAL ] □ There is no conclusive proof, but there is a lot of circumstantial evidence.

cir|cum|vent /sɜː ^r kəmve nt/ (circumvents , circumventing , circumvented ) VERB If someone circumvents a rule or restriction, they avoid having to obey the rule or restriction, in a clever and perhaps dishonest way. [FORMAL ] □ [V n] Military planners tried to circumvent the treaty.

cir|cus /sɜː ^r kəs/ (circuses )

1 N‑COUNT A circus is a group that consists of clowns, acrobats, and animals which travels around to different places and performs shows. □ My real ambition was to work in a circus. □ …circus performers. ● N‑SING The circus is the show performed by these people. □ My dad took me to the circus.

2 N‑SING If you describe a group of people or an event as a circus , you disapprove of them because they attract a lot of attention but do not achieve anything useful. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ It could well turn into some kind of a media circus.

cir|rho|sis /s I roʊ s I s/ N‑UNCOUNT Cirrhosis or cirrhosis of the liver is a disease which destroys a person's liver and which can kill them. It is often caused by drinking too much alcohol.

cis|sy /s I si/ → see sissy

cis|tern /s I stə ^r n/ (cisterns )

1 N‑COUNT A cistern is a container which stores the water supply for a building, or that holds the water for flushing a toilet. [mainly BRIT ] in AM, usually use tank 2 N‑COUNT A cistern is a container for storing rain water. [mainly AM ] in BRIT, usually use water butt

cita|del /s I təd ^ə l/ (citadels )

1 N‑COUNT In the past, a citadel was a strong building in or near a city, where people could shelter for safety. □ The citadel at Besançon towered above the river.

2 N‑COUNT If you describe a system or organization as a citadel of a particular way of life, usually one you disapprove of, you mean that it is powerful and effective in defending that way of life. [FORMAL , DISAPPROVAL ] □ [+ of ] The business is no longer regarded as a citadel of commerce.

ci|ta|tion /sa I te I ʃ ^ə n/ (citations )

1 N‑COUNT A citation is an official document or speech which praises a person for something brave or special that they have done. □ His citation says he showed outstanding and exemplary courage.

2 N‑COUNT A citation from a book or other piece of writing is a passage or phrase from it. [FORMAL ]

3 N‑COUNT A citation is the same as a summons . [AM ] □ The court could issue a citation and fine Ms. Robbins.

cite ◆◇◇ /sa I t/ (cites , citing , cited )

1 VERB If you cite something, you quote it or mention it, especially as an example or proof of what you are saying. [FORMAL ] □ [V n] She cites a favourite poem by George Herbert. □ [V n + as ] I am merely citing his reaction as typical of British industry. □ [be V -ed + as ] Spain was cited as the most popular holiday destination.

2 VERB To cite a person means to officially name them in a legal case. To cite a reason or cause means to state it as the official reason for your case. □ [V n] They cited Alex's refusal to return to the marital home. □ [be V -ed for v-ing] Three admirals and a top Navy civilian will be cited for failing to act on reports of sexual assaults.

3 VERB If someone is cited , they are officially ordered to appear before a court. [AM , LEGAL ] □ [V n] The judge ruled a mistrial and cited the prosecutors for outrageous misconduct. in BRIT, use be summonsed SYNONYMS cite VERB 1

quote: He quoted statistics saying that the standard of living had fallen.

name: She was jailed for refusing to name a source.

mention: Ferguson was mentioned in the report as being directly responsible.

specify: He has not specified what action he would like them to take.

citi|zen ◆◆◇ /s I t I z ^ə n/ (citizens )

1 N‑COUNT Someone who is a citizen of a particular country is legally accepted as belonging to that country. □ …American citizens. □ The life of ordinary citizens began to change.

2 N‑COUNT The citizens of a town or city are the people who live there. □ [+ of ] …the citizens of Buenos Aires.

3 → see also senior citizen

4 ADJ You describe someone as a citizen journalist or a citizen scientist, for example, when they are an ordinary person with no special training who does something that is usually done by professionals. □ Several reports are coming from citizen journalists in the area.

citi|zen|ry /s I t I z ^ə nri/ N‑SING [with sing or pl verb] The people living in a country, state, or city can be referred to as the citizenry . [AM , also BRIT , FORMAL ] □ He used the medium of radio when he wanted to reassure the citizenry.

Ci ti|zens' Band N‑PROPER [oft N n] Citizens' Band is a range of radio frequencies which the general public is allowed to use to send messages to each other and is used especially by truck drivers in their vehicles. The abbreviation CB is often used. □ …Citizens' Band radios.

citi|zen|ship /s I t I z ^ə nʃ I p/

1 N‑UNCOUNT [oft adj N ] If you have citizenship of a country, you are legally accepted as belonging to it. □ After 15 years in the U.S.A., he has finally decided to apply for American citizenship.

2 N‑UNCOUNT Citizenship is the fact of belonging to a community because you live in it, and the duties and responsibilities that this brings. □ Their German peers had a more developed sense of citizenship.

cit|ric acid /s I tr I k æ s I d/ N‑UNCOUNT Citric acid is a weak acid found in many kinds of fruit, especially citrus fruit such as oranges and lemons.

cit|rus /s I trəs/ ADJ [ADJ n] A citrus fruit is a juicy fruit with a sharp taste such as an orange, lemon, or grapefruit. □ …citrus groves.

city ◆◆◆ /s I ti/ (cities ) N‑COUNT A city is a large town. □ …the city of Bologna. □ …a busy city centre.

City N‑PROPER The City is the part of London where many important financial institutions have their main offices. People often refer to these financial institutions as the City . □ …a foreign bank in the City. □ The City fears that profits could fall.

ci ty ce n|tre (city centres ) N‑COUNT The city centre is the busiest part of a city, where most of the shops and businesses are. [mainly BRIT ] □ There is high demand for city centre offices.

ci ty fa |thers also City Fathers N‑PLURAL You can refer to the members of a city council or city's government as the city fathers . □ The city fathers have just given final approval to a new stadium.

ci ty ha ll (city halls ) also City Hall N‑COUNT ; N‑PROPER The city hall is the building which a city council uses as its main offices. □ They massed in front of the city hall. □ …at Sheffield City Hall.

ci ty sli ck|er (city slickers ) N‑COUNT If you refer to someone as a city slicker , you mean that they live and work in a city and are used to city life. [INFORMAL ] □ …the city slickers in the capital.

civ|ic /s I v I k/

1 ADJ [ADJ n] You use civic to describe people or things that have an official status in a town or city. □ …the businessmen and civic leaders of Manchester.

2 ADJ [ADJ n] You use civic to describe the duties or feelings that people have because they belong to a particular community. □ …a sense of civic pride.

civ|ics /s I v I ks/ N‑UNCOUNT [oft N n] Civics is the study of the rights and duties of the citizens of a society. [mainly AM ] □ …my high-school civics class.

civ|il ◆◆◇ /s I v ^ə l/

1 ADJ [ADJ n] You use civil to describe events that happen within a country and that involve the different groups of people in it. □ …civil unrest.

2 ADJ [usu ADJ n] You use civil to describe people or things in a country that are not connected with its armed forces. □ …the U.S. civil aviation industry.

3 ADJ [ADJ n] You use civil to describe things that are connected with the state rather than with a religion. □ They were married on August 9 in a civil ceremony in Venice. □ …Jewish civil and religious law.

4 ADJ [ADJ n] You use civil to describe the rights that people have within a society. □ …a United Nations covenant on civil and political rights.

5 ADJ Someone who is civil is polite in a formal way, but not particularly friendly. [FORMAL ] □ [+ to ] As visitors, the least we can do is be civil to the people in their own land. ● civ|il|ly ADV □ The man nodded civilly to Sharpe, then consulted a notebook. ● ci|vil|ity /s I v I l I ti/ N‑UNCOUNT □ [+ to ] …civility to underlings.

ci v|il de|fe nce in AM, use civil defense N‑UNCOUNT [oft N n] Civil defence is the organization and training of the ordinary people in a country so that they can help the armed forces, medical services, or police force, for example if the country is attacked by an enemy. □ …a civil defence exercise.

ci v|il dis|obe di|ence N‑UNCOUNT Civil disobedience is the refusal by ordinary people in a country to obey laws or pay taxes, usually as a protest. □ The opposition threatened a campaign of civil disobedience.

ci v|il en|gi|nee r (civil engineers ) N‑COUNT A civil engineer is a person who plans, designs, and constructs roads, bridges, harbours, and public buildings.

ci v|il en|gi|nee r|ing N‑UNCOUNT Civil engineering is the planning, design, and building of roads, bridges, harbours, and public buildings. □ London's sewerage network was the biggest civil engineering project in the world at the time.

ci|vil|ian ◆◇◇ /s I v I liən/ (civilians )

1 N‑COUNT In a military situation, a civilian is anyone who is not a member of the armed forces. □ The safety of civilians caught up in the fighting must be guaranteed.

2 ADJ [usu ADJ n] In a military situation, civilian is used to describe people or things that are not military. □ …the country's civilian population. □ …civilian casualties. □ …a soldier in civilian clothes.

civi|li|sa|tion /s I v I la I ze I ʃ ^ə n/ → see civilization

civi|lise /s I v I la I z/ → see civilize

civi|lised /s I v I la I zd/ → see civilized

ci|vil|ity /s I v I l I ti/ → see civil

civi|li|za|tion /s I v I la I ze I ʃ ^ə n/ (civilizations ) in BRIT, also use civilisation 1 N‑VAR A civilization is a human society with its own social organization and culture. □ The ancient civilizations of Central and Latin America were founded upon corn.

2 N‑UNCOUNT Civilization is the state of having an advanced level of social organization and a comfortable way of life. □ …our advanced state of civilisation.

civi|lize /s I v I la I z/ (civilizes , civilizing , civilized ) in BRIT, also use civilise VERB To civilize a person or society means to educate them and improve their way of life. □ [V n] …a comedy about a man who tries to civilise a woman–but she ends up civilising him. □ [V -ing] It exerts a civilizing influence on mankind.

civi|lized /s I v I la I zd/ in BRIT, also use civilised 1 ADJ If you describe a society as civilized , you mean that it is advanced and has sensible laws and customs. [APPROVAL ] □ I believed that in civilized countries, torture had ended long ago.

2 ADJ If you describe a person or their behaviour as civilized , you mean that they are polite and reasonable. □ I wrote to my ex-wife. She was very civilised about it.

ci v|il la w N‑UNCOUNT Civil law is the part of a country's set of laws which is concerned with the private affairs of citizens, for example marriage and property ownership, rather than with crime.

ci v|il li b|er|ties The form civil liberty is used as a modifier. N‑PLURAL A person's civil liberties are the rights they have to say, think, and do what they want as long as they respect other people's rights. □ …his commitment to human rights and civil liberties. □ …civil liberty campaigners.

Ci v|il List N‑PROPER The Civil List is money paid by the state every year to members of the British Royal Family to cover their living expenses.

ci vi|l pa rt|ner|ship (civil partnerships ) N‑VAR A civil partnership is a legal relationship between two people of the same sex that is similar to marriage. □ The two men entered into a civil partnership last year.

ci v|il ri ghts N‑PLURAL [oft N n] Civil rights are the rights that people have in a society to equal treatment and equal opportunities, whatever their race, sex, or religion. □ …the civil rights movement. □ …violations of civil rights.

ci v|il se rv|ant (civil servants ) N‑COUNT A civil servant is a person who works in the Civil Service in Britain and some other countries, or for the local, state, or federal government in the United States.

Ci v|il Se r|vice also civil service N‑SING The Civil Service of a country consists of its government departments and all the people who work in them. In many countries, the departments concerned with military and legal affairs are not part of the Civil Service. □ …a job in the Civil Service.

ci v|il wa r ◆◇◇ (civil wars ) N‑COUNT A civil war is a war which is fought between different groups of people who live in the same country. □ …the Spanish Civil War.

civ|vies /s I viz/ N‑PLURAL [oft in N ] People in the armed forces use civvies to refer to ordinary clothes that are not part of a uniform. [INFORMAL ] □ They might have been soldiers in civvies.

civ|vy street /s I vi striːt/ N‑UNCOUNT People in the armed forces use civvy street to refer to life and work which is not connected with the armed forces. [BRIT , INFORMAL ]

CJD /siː dʒe I diː / N‑UNCOUNT CJD is an incurable brain disease that affects human beings and is believed to be caused by eating beef from cows with BSE. CJD is an abbreviation for 'Creutzfeldt Jakob disease'.

cl cl is a written abbreviation for centilitre . □ …two 75cl bottles of quality wine.

clack /klæ k/ (clacks , clacking , clacked ) VERB If things clack or if you clack them, they make a short loud noise, especially when they hit each other. □ [V ] The windshield wipers clacked back and forth. □ [V n] I clacked one ski against the other and almost tripped. ● N‑SING ; N‑COUNT Clack is also a noun. □ [+ of ] …listening to the clack of her shoes on the stairs. □ Her bracelets were going clack-clack-clack, she was shaking so hard.

clad /klæ d/

1 ADJ [adv ADJ ] If you are clad in particular clothes, you are wearing them. [LITERARY ] □ [+ in ] …the figure of a woman, clad in black. □ …posters of scantily-clad women. ● COMB Clad is also a combining form. □ …the leather-clad biker.

2 ADJ A building, part of a building, or mountain that is clad with something is covered by that thing. [LITERARY ] □ [+ in/with ] The walls and floors are clad with ceramic tiles. ● COMB Clad is also a combining form. □ …the distant shapes of snow-clad mountains.

clad|ding /klæ d I ŋ/

1 N‑UNCOUNT [oft n N ] Cladding is a covering of tiles, wooden boards, or other material that is fixed to the outside of a building to protect it against bad weather or to make it look more attractive. □ …stone cladding.

2 N‑UNCOUNT Cladding is a layer of metal which is put round fuel rods in a nuclear reactor.

claim ◆◆◆ /kle I m/ (claims , claiming , claimed )

1 VERB If you say that someone claims that something is true, you mean they say that it is true but you are not sure whether or not they are telling the truth. □ [V that] He claimed that it was all a conspiracy against him. □ [V to-inf] A man claiming to be a journalist threatened to reveal details about her private life. □ [V with quote] 'I had never received one single complaint against me,' claimed the humiliated doctor. □ [V n] He claims a 70 to 80 per cent success rate.

2 N‑COUNT [oft N that] A claim is something which someone says which they cannot prove and which may be false. □ He repeated his claim that the people backed his action. □ He rejected claims that he had affairs with six women.

3 VERB If you say that someone claims responsibility or credit for something, you mean they say that they are responsible for it, but you are not sure whether or not they are telling the truth. □ [V n] An underground organisation has claimed responsibility for the bomb explosion.

4 VERB If you claim something, you try to get it because you think you have a right to it. □ [V n] Now they are returning to claim what was theirs.

5 N‑COUNT A claim is a demand for something that you think you have a right to. □ [+ to ] Rival claims to Macedonian territory caused conflict in the Balkans.

6 VERB If someone claims a record, title, or prize, they gain or win it. [JOURNALISM ] □ [V n] Zhuang claimed the record in 54.64 seconds.

7 N‑COUNT If you have a claim on someone or their attention, you have the right to demand things from them or to demand their attention. □ [+ on ] She'd no claims on him now. □ [+ on ] He was surrounded by people, all with claims on his attention.

8 VERB If something or someone claims your attention, they need you to spend your time and effort on them. □ [V n] There is already a long list of people claiming her attention.

9 VERB If you claim money from the government, an insurance company, or another organization, you officially apply to them for it, because you think you are entitled to it according to their rules. □ [V n] Some 25 per cent of the people who are entitled to claim State benefits do not do so. □ [V ] John had taken out redundancy insurance but when he tried to claim, he was refused payment. □ [V + for ] They intend to claim for damages against the three doctors. ● N‑COUNT Claim is also a noun. □ [+ for ] …the office which has been dealing with their claim for benefit. □ [+ on ] Last time we made a claim on our insurance they paid up really quickly.

10 VERB If you claim money or other benefits from your employers, you demand them because you think you deserve or need them. □ [V n] The union claimed a pay rise worth four times the rate of inflation. ● N‑COUNT Claim is also a noun. □ [+ for ] They are making substantial claims for improved working conditions. □ Electricity workers have voted for industrial action in pursuit of a pay claim.

11 VERB If you say that a war, disease, or accident claims someone's life, you mean that they are killed in it or by it. [FORMAL ] □ [V n] Heart disease is the biggest killer, claiming 180,000 lives a year.

12 → see also no claims

13 PHRASE Someone's claim to fame is something quite important or interesting that they have done or that is connected with them. □ His greatest claim to fame is that he coached an England side to victory.

14 PHRASE If you lay claim to something you do not have, you say that it belongs to you. [FORMAL ] □ Five Asian countries lay claim to the islands.

15 to stake a claim → see stake

claim|ant /kle I mənt/ (claimants )

1 N‑COUNT A claimant is someone who is receiving money from the state because they are unemployed or they are unable to work because they are ill. [BRIT ] □ …benefit claimants.

2 N‑COUNT A claimant is someone who asks to be given something which they think they are entitled to. □ The compensation will be split between 140 claimants.

clai ms ad|just|er (claims adjusters ) also claims adjustor N‑COUNT A claims adjuster is someone who is employed by an insurance company to decide how much money a person making a claim should receive. [AM , BUSINESS ] in BRIT, use loss adjuster

clair|voy|ant /kleə ^r vɔ I ənt/ (clairvoyants )

1 ADJ Someone who is believed to be clairvoyant is believed to know about future events or to be able to communicate with dead people. □ …clairvoyant powers.

2 N‑COUNT A clairvoyant is someone who claims to be clairvoyant.

clam /klæ m/ (clams , clamming , clammed ) N‑COUNT Clams are a kind of shellfish which can be eaten.

▸ clam up PHRASAL VERB If someone clams up , they stop talking, often because they are shy or to avoid giving away secrets. [INFORMAL ] □ [V P ] As soon as I told her my name, she clammed up.

clam|ber /klæ mbə ^r / (clambers , clambering , clambered ) VERB If you clamber somewhere, you climb there with difficulty, usually using your hands as well as your feet. □ [V prep/adv] They clambered up the stone walls of a steeply terraced olive grove.

clam|my /klæ mi/ ADJ Something that is clammy is unpleasantly damp or sticky. □ [+ with ] My shirt was clammy with sweat.

clam|or|ous /klæ mərəs/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] If you describe people or their voices as clamorous , you mean they are talking loudly or shouting. [LITERARY ] □ …the crowded, clamorous streets.

clam|our /klæ mə ^r / (clamours , clamouring , clamoured ) in AM, use clamor 1 VERB If people are clamouring for something, they are demanding it in a noisy or angry way. [JOURNALISM ] □ [V + for ] …competing parties clamouring for the attention of the voter. □ [V to-inf] At breakfast next morning my two grandsons were clamouring to go swimming. ● N‑SING Clamour is also a noun. □ [+ for ] …the clamour for his resignation.

2 N‑SING Clamour is used to describe the loud noise of a large group of people talking or shouting together. □ She could hear a clamour in the road outside.

clamp /klæ mp/ (clamps , clamping , clamped )

1 N‑COUNT A clamp is a device that holds two things firmly together.

2 VERB When you clamp one thing to another, you fasten the two things together with a clamp. □ [V n + to ] Somebody forgot to bring along the U-bolts to clamp the microphones to the pole.

3 VERB To clamp something in a particular place means to put it or hold it there firmly and tightly. □ [V n prep] Simon finished dialing and clamped the phone to his ear. □ [V n + together ] He clamped his lips together. □ [V n adj] You beg him to try just one spoonful, and he clamps his mouth shut. □ [V -ed] Peter jumped to his feet with his hand clamped to his neck.

4 N‑COUNT A clamp is a large metal device which is fitted to the wheel of an illegally-parked car or other vehicle in order to prevent it from being driven away. The driver has to pay to have the clamp removed. [BRIT ] in AM, use Denver boot 5 VERB To clamp a car means to fit a clamp to one of its wheels so that it cannot be driven away. [BRIT ] □ [V n] Courts in Scotland have ruled it illegal to clamp a car parked on private ground and then to demand a fine. in AM, use boot ● clamp|ing N‑UNCOUNT □ The AA called for laws to regulate clamping firms.

▸ clamp down PHRASAL VERB To clamp down on people or activities means to take strong official action to stop or control them. [JOURNALISM ] □ [V P + on ] Police are clamping down on drivers who exceed the speed limit. □ [V P ] Banking regulators failed to clamp down until earlier this month.

clamp|down /klæ mpdaʊn/ (clampdowns ) also clamp-down N‑COUNT A clampdown is a sudden restriction on a particular activity by a government or other authority. [JOURNALISM ] □ [+ on ] …a clampdown on the employment of illegal immigrants.

clan /klæ n/ (clans )

1 N‑COUNT A clan is a group which consists of families that are related to each other. □ …rival clans.

2 N‑COUNT You can refer to a group of people with the same interests as a clan . [INFORMAL ] □ [+ of ] …a powerful clan of industrialists from Monterrey.

clan|des|tine /klænde st I n/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] Something that is clandestine is hidden or kept secret, often because it is illegal. [FORMAL ] □ …their clandestine meetings.

clang /klæ ŋ/ (clangs , clanging , clanged ) VERB When a large metal object clangs , it makes a loud noise. □ [V ] The door clanged shut behind them. ● N‑VAR Clang is also a noun. □ He pulled the gates to with a clang.

clang|er /klæ ŋə ^r / (clangers ) N‑COUNT You can refer to something stupid or embarrassing that someone does or says as a clanger . [BRIT , INFORMAL ] ● PHRASE If you say that you have dropped a clanger , you mean that you have done or said something stupid or embarrassing. [BRIT , INFORMAL ]

clank /klæ ŋk/ (clanks , clanking , clanked ) VERB When large metal objects clank , they make a noise because they are hitting together or hitting against something hard. □ [V ] A pan rattled and clanked. □ [V prep] 'Here we are now,' Beth said, as the train clanked into a tiny station. □ [V -ing] …the clanking noise of the ferry.

clan|nish /klæ n I ʃ/ ADJ If you describe a group of people as clannish , you mean that they often spend time together and may seem unfriendly to other people who are not in the group. [INFORMAL ] □ They were a clannish lot, not given to welcoming strangers.

clans|man /klæ nzmən/ (clansmen ) N‑COUNT [usu pl] Clansmen are people who are members of the same clan .

clap /klæ p/ (claps , clapping , clapped )

1 VERB When you clap , you hit your hands together to show appreciation or attract attention. □ [V ] The men danced and the women clapped. □ [V n] Midge clapped her hands, calling them back to order. □ [V n] Londoners came out on to the pavement to wave and clap the marchers. ● N‑SING Clap is also a noun. □ Let's give the children a big clap.

2 VERB If you clap your hand or an object onto something, you put it there quickly and firmly. □ [V n prep] I clapped a hand over her mouth.

3 N‑COUNT A clap of thunder is a sudden and loud noise of thunder.

4 to clap eyes on someone → see eye

clap|board /klæ pbɔː ^r d, klæ bə ^r d/ (clapboards )

1 ADJ [ADJ n] A clapboard building has walls which are covered with long narrow pieces of wood, usually painted white.

2 N‑COUNT A clapboard is the same as a clapperboard . [AM ]

cla pped-ou t also clapped out ADJ [usu ADJ n] If you describe a person or a machine as clapped-out , you mean that they are old and no longer able to work properly. [BRIT , INFORMAL , DISAPPROVAL ] □ …his clapped-out old car. □ …clapped out comedians.

clapper|board /klæ pə ^r bɔː ^r d/ (clapperboards ) also clapper-board N‑COUNT A clapperboard consists of two pieces of wood that are connected by a hinge and hit together before each scene when making a film, to make it easier to match the sound and pictures of different scenes. [BRIT ] in AM, use clapboard

clap|trap /klæ ptræp/ N‑UNCOUNT If you describe something that someone says as claptrap , you mean that it is stupid or foolish although it may sound important. [INFORMAL , DISAPPROVAL ] □ This is the claptrap that politicians have peddled many times before.

clar|et /klæ rət/ (clarets )

1 N‑VAR Claret is a type of French red wine.

2 COLOUR Something that is claret is purplish-red in colour. [LITERARY ]

clari|fied /klæ r I fa I d/ ADJ Clarified butter has been made clear by being heated.

clari|fy /klæ r I fa I / (clarifies , clarifying , clarified ) VERB To clarify something means to make it easier to understand, usually by explaining it in more detail. [FORMAL ] □ [V n] A bank spokesman was unable to clarify the situation. ● clari|fi|ca|tion /klæ r I f I ke I ʃ ^ə n/ (clarifications ) N‑VAR □ [+ of ] The union has written to Zurich asking for clarification of the situation.

clari|net /klæ r I ne t/ (clarinets ) N‑VAR A clarinet is a musical instrument of the woodwind family in the shape of a pipe. You play the clarinet by blowing into it and covering and uncovering the holes with your fingers.

clari|net|tist /klæ r I ne t I st/ (clarinettists ) also clarinetist N‑COUNT A clarinettist is someone who plays the clarinet.

cla ri|on call (clarion calls ) N‑COUNT A clarion call is a strong and emotional appeal to people to do something. [LITERARY ] □ [+ for ] Paine's words are a clarion call for democracy.

clar|ity /klæ r I ti/

1 N‑UNCOUNT The clarity of something such as a book or argument is its quality of being well explained and easy to understand. □ …the clarity with which the author explains technical subjects.

2 N‑UNCOUNT Clarity is the ability to think clearly. □ [+ of ] In business circles he is noted for his flair and clarity of vision.

3 N‑UNCOUNT Clarity is the quality of being clear in outline or sound. □ This remarkable technology provides far greater clarity than conventional x-rays.

clash ◆◇◇ /klæ ʃ/ (clashes , clashing , clashed )

1 VERB When people clash , they fight, argue, or disagree with each other. [JOURNALISM ] □ [V + with ] A group of 400 demonstrators clashed with police. □ [V + with ] Behind the scenes, Parsons clashed with almost everyone on the show. □ [V + over ] The working groups have also clashed over genetically modified crops. ● N‑COUNT Clash is also a noun. □ [+ between ] There have been a number of clashes between police in riot gear and demonstrators. [Also + with ]

2 VERB Beliefs, ideas, or qualities that clash with each other are very different from each other and therefore are opposed. □ [V + with ] Don't make any policy decisions which clash with official company thinking. □ [V ] Here, morality and good sentiments clash headlong. ● N‑COUNT Clash is also a noun. □ [+ of ] Inside government, there was a clash of views.

3 VERB If one event clashes with another, the two events happen at the same time so that you cannot attend both of them. □ [V + with ] I couldn't go on the trip as it clashed with my final exams.

4 VERB If one colour or style clashes with another, the colours or styles look ugly together. You can also say that two colours or styles clash . □ [V + with ] The red door clashed with the soft, natural tones of the stone walls. □ [V ] So what if the colours clashed? SYNONYMS clash VERB 1

fight: As a child she fought with her younger sister.

argue: They were still arguing; I could hear them down the road.

disagree: They can communicate even when they strongly disagree.

quarrel: At one point we quarrelled, over something silly.

feud: He feuded with his ex-wife. COLLOCATIONS clash VERB 1

clash + adverb : repeatedly; angrily, violently NOUN

1

adjective + clash : violent

2

noun + clash : culture, personality

clasp /klɑː sp, klæ sp/ (clasps , clasping , clasped )

1 VERB If you clasp someone or something, you hold them tightly in your hands or arms. □ [V n] She clasped the children to her. □ [V -ed] He paced the corridor, hands clasped behind his back.

2 N‑COUNT A clasp is a small device that fastens something. □ [+ of ] …the clasp of her handbag.

class ◆◆◆ /klɑː s, klæ s/ (classes , classing , classed )

1 N‑COUNT A class is a group of pupils or students who are taught together. □ He had to spend about six months in a class with younger students. □ Reducing class sizes should be a top priority.

2 N‑COUNT [oft n N ] A class is a course of teaching in a particular subject. □ He acquired a law degree by taking classes at night. □ I go to dance classes here in New York.

3 N‑UNCOUNT [in N ] If you do something in class , you do it during a lesson in school. □ There is lots of reading in class.

4 N‑SING The students in a school or university who finish their course in a particular year are often referred to as the class of that year. □ [+ of ] These two members of Yale's Class of 2002 never miss a reunion.