Collins Primary Illustrated Dictionary

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

3 the place where a king or queen lives and works

courteous

ADJECTIVE Courteous behaviour is polite and considerate.

courteously ADVERB

courtyard courtyards

NOUN a flat area of ground surrounded by buildings or walls

cousin cousins

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

cove coves

NOUN a small bay on the coast

cover covers, covering, covered

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

coverage

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

cow cows

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

coward cowards

NOUN a person who is easily frightened and avoids dangerous situations

cowardly ADJECTIVE cowardice NOUN

cowboy cowboys

NOUN a man employed to look after cattle in America

coy coyer, coyest

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

crab crabs

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

crack cracks, cracking, cracked

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

2 If you crack a joke, you tell it.

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

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

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

cracker crackers

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

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

crackle crackles, crackling, crackled

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

NOUN 2 a short sharp sound

cradle cradles, cradling, cradled

NOUN 1 a box-shaped bed for a baby

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

craft crafts

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

2 a boat, plane or spacecraft

craftsman or craftswoman craftsmen or craftswomen

NOUN a person who makes things skilfully with their hands

craftsmanship NOUN

crafty craftier, craftiest

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

SYNONYMS: cunning, wily

crag crags

NOUN a steep, rugged rock or peak

cram crams, cramming, crammed

VERB If you cram people or things into a place, you put more in than there is room for. • I crammed my dirty washing into the washing machine.

cramp cramps

NOUN pain caused when muscles contract

cramped

ADJECTIVE If a room or a building is cramped, it is not big enough for the people or things in it.

crane cranes, craning, craned

NOUN 1 a machine that moves heavy things by lifting them in the air

2 a large bird with a long neck and long legs

VERB 3 If you crane your neck, you extend your head in a particular direction to see or hear something better.

crash crashes, crashing, crashed

NOUN 1 an accident in which a moving vehicle hits something and is damaged

2 a sudden, loud noise

VERB 3 If a vehicle crashes, it hits something and is badly damaged.

crate crates

NOUN a large box used for transporting or storing things

crater craters

NOUN a wide hole in the ground caused by something hitting it or by an explosion • The surface of the moon has many craters.

[from Greek krater meaning mixing-bowl]

crave craves, craving, craved

VERB If you crave something, you want it very much. • I craved a bar of chocolate.

craving NOUN

crawl crawls, crawling, crawled

VERB 1 When you crawl, you move forward on your hands and knees.

2 When an insect or vehicle crawls somewhere, it moves there very slowly.

crayon crayons

NOUN a coloured pencil or a stick of coloured wax

craze crazes

NOUN something that is very popular for a short time

crazy crazier, craziest

ADJECTIVE INFORMAL 1 very strange or foolish

2 If you are crazy about something or someone, you like them very much.

creak creaks, creaking, creaked

VERB 1 If something creaks, it makes a harsh sound when it moves or when you stand on it.

NOUN 2 a harsh, squeaking noise

creaky ADJECTIVE

cream creams

NOUN 1 a thick, yellowish-white liquid taken from the top of milk

2 a substance that you can rub into your skin to make it soft or protect it

ADJECTIVE 3 a yellowish-white colour

crease creases, creasing, creased

NOUN 1 an irregular line that appears on cloth or paper when it is crumpled

2 a straight line on something that has been pressed or folded neatly • Dad ironed a sharp crease in his best trousers.

VERB 3 If you crease something, you make lines appear on it.

create creates, creating, created

VERB If someone creates something, they cause it to happen or exist.

creation NOUN

creative

ADJECTIVE Creative people are good at inventing and developing new ideas.

creature creatures

NOUN any living thing that is not a plant

crèche crèches

NOUN a place where small children are looked after while their parents are working

[from old French crèche meaning crib or manger]

credit credits

NOUN 1 a system where you pay for something in small amounts, regularly over a period of time

2 praise given to you for good work

PLURAL NOUN 3 Credits are the list of people who helped make a film, record or television programme.

PHRASE 4 If your bank account is in credit, you have money in it.

credit card credit cards

NOUN a plastic card that allows someone to buy goods on credit rather than paying with cash

creek creeks

NOUN a narrow inlet where the sea comes a long way into the land

creep creeps, creeping, crept

VERB If you creep somewhere, you move there quietly and slowly.

creepy creepier, creepiest

ADJECTIVE strange and frightening • The film was creepy.

SYNONYMS: eerie, spooky

cremate cremates, cremating, cremated

VERB If someone is cremated when they die, their body is burned instead of buried.

crematorium crematoriums or crematoria

NOUN a building in which people are cremated

crescent crescents

NOUN a curved shape that is wider in the middle than at the ends, like a new moon

cress

NOUN a plant with small, strong-tasting leaves, used in salads

crest crests

NOUN 1 the highest part of a hill or wave

2 a tuft of feathers on top of a bird’s head

3 a special sign of something, such as a school or other organization

crevice crevices

NOUN a narrow crack or gap in rock

crew crews

NOUN The crew of a ship, aeroplane or spacecraft are the people who operate it.

cricket crickets

NOUN 1 an outdoor game played by two teams, who take turns at scoring runs by hitting a ball with a bat

2 a small, jumping insect that produces sounds by rubbing its wings together

cried

VERB the past tense and past participle of cry

crime crimes

NOUN an action for which you can be punished by law

criminal criminals

NOUN 1 someone who has committed a crime

ADJECTIVE 2 involving or related to crime

crimson

NOUN OR ADJECTIVE dark, purplish-red

crinkle crinkles, crinkling, crinkled

VERB 1 If something crinkles, it becomes slightly creased or folded.

NOUN 2 a small crease or fold

cripple cripples, crippling, crippled

VERB If someone is crippled by something, they are injured so severely that they can never move properly again.

crippling ADJECTIVE

crisis crises

NOUN a serious or dangerous situation • The food crisis was caused by drought.

crisp crisper, crispest; crisps

ADJECTIVE 1 pleasantly fresh and firm • crisp lettuce leaves

NOUN 2 a thin slice of potato that has been fried until it is hard and crunchy

critic critics

NOUN 1 someone who writes reviews of books, films, plays or musical performances for newspapers or magazines

2 a person who criticizes someone or something publicly

critical

ADJECTIVE 1 A critical time or situation is a very important and serious one when things must be done correctly.

2 If the state of a sick or injured person is critical, they are in danger of dying.

3 Someone who is critical judges people and things very severely.

criticism criticisms

NOUN 1 spoken or written disapproval of someone or something

2 A criticism of a book, film or play is an examination of its good and bad points.

criticize criticizes, criticizing, criticized; also spelt criticise

VERB If you criticize someone or something, you say what you think is wrong with them.

croak croaks, croaking, croaked

VERB 1 When animals and birds croak, they make harsh, low sounds.

NOUN 2 a harsh, low sound

croaky ADJECTIVE

crochet crochets, crocheting, crocheted

Said “kroh-shay” NOUN 1 a kind of knitting done with a hooked needle and cotton or wool

VERB 2 If you crochet, you use a hooked needle and wool or cotton to make lacy material for things such as clothes and shawls.

crockery

NOUN things you use for eating and drinking, such as plates, cups, bowls and saucers

crocodile crocodiles

NOUN a large, scaly, meat-eating reptile that lives in tropical rivers

[from Greek krokodeilos meaning lizard]

crocus crocuses

NOUN Crocuses are yellow, purple or white flowers that grow in early spring.

crook crooks

NOUN 1 a criminal

2 The crook of your arm or leg is the soft, inside part of your elbow or your knee.

3 a long stick with a hooked end used by shepherds

crooked

ADJECTIVE 1 bent or twisted

2 dishonest

crop crops, cropping, cropped

NOUN 1 plants such as wheat and potatoes that are grown for food

2 the plants collected at harvest time • They gather two crops of rice a year.

VERB 3 If you crop something such as your hair, you cut it very short.

cross crosses, crossing, crossed; crosser, crossest

VERB 1 If you cross something, such as a room or a road, you go to the other side of it.

2 Lines or roads that cross meet and go across each other.

3 If you cross your arms, legs or fingers, you put one on top of the other.

NOUN 4 a mark or a shape like + or ×

ADJECTIVE 5 Someone who is cross is rather angry.

cross out

VERB If you cross out words on a page, you draw a line through them.

cross-country

NOUN the sport of running across open countryside, rather than on roads or a track

crossing crossings

NOUN 1 a place where you can cross the road, a railway or a river

2 a journey by ship to a place across the sea

crossroads

NOUN a place where two roads meet and cross each other

cross-section cross-sections

NOUN 1 the flat part of something that you see when you cut straight through it to see inside • We looked at cross-sections of kiwi fruit and oranges.

2 a typical sample of people or things • We interviewed a cross-section of teenagers.

crossword crosswords

NOUN a word puzzle in which you work out answers to clues and write them in a grid

crouch crouches, crouching, crouched

VERB If you crouch, you lower your body with your knees bent.

crow crows, crowing, crowed

NOUN 1 a large black bird that makes a loud, harsh sound

VERB 2 When a cock crows, it makes a series of loud sounds, usually early in the morning.

crowbar crowbars

NOUN a heavy, iron bar used as a lever or for forcing things open

crowd crowds, crowding, crowded

NOUN 1 a large group of people gathered together

VERB 2 When people crowd around someone or something, they gather closely together around them.

crown crowns, crowning, crowned

NOUN 1 a circular ornament made of gold or jewels, which a king or queen wears on their head

VERB 2 When a king or queen is crowned, a crown is put on their head and they are officially made king or queen.

crucial

ADJECTIVE Something that is crucial is very important.

crucify crucifies, crucifying, crucified

VERB When a person is crucified they are tied or nailed to a cross and left there to die.

crucifixion NOUN

crude cruder, crudest

ADJECTIVE 1 rough and simple • a crude shelter made of old boxes

2 rude and vulgar

cruel crueller, cruellest

ADJECTIVE Cruel people deliberately cause pain or distress to other people or to animals.

SYNONYMS: brutal, unkind

cruelly ADVERB cruelty NOUN

cruise cruises, cruising, cruised

NOUN 1 a holiday in which you travel on a ship and visit places

VERB 2 When a vehicle cruises, it moves at a constant, moderate speed.

crumb crumbs

NOUN a very small piece of bread or cake

crumble crumbles, crumbling, crumbled

VERB When something crumbles, or when you crumble it, it breaks into small pieces.

crumple crumples, crumpling, crumpled

VERB If you crumple paper or cloth, you squash it so that it is full of creases and folds.

crunch crunches, crunching, crunched

VERB If you crunch something, you crush it noisily, for example between your teeth or under your feet.

crusade crusades

NOUN 1 In the Middle Ages, the Crusades were a number of expeditions to Palestine by Christians who were attempting to recapture the Holy Land from the Muslims.

2 a long and determined attempt to achieve something

[from Spanish cruzar meaning to take up the cross]

crusader NOUN

crush crushes, crushing, crushed

VERB 1 If you crush something, you squeeze it hard until its shape is destroyed. • He crushed the empty can.

2 If you crush against someone or something, you press hard against them. • We crushed against each other in the crowded bus.

crust crusts

NOUN 1 the hard outside part of a loaf

2 a hard layer on top of something • the earth’s crust

crustacean crustaceans

Said “krus-tay-shun” NOUN an animal with a hard outer shell and several pairs of legs, which usually lives in water • Crabs, lobsters and shrimps are crustaceans.

crutch crutches

NOUN a support like a long stick that you lean on if you have injured your leg or foot • I was on crutches while my ankle healed.

cry cries, crying, cried

VERB 1 When you cry, tears come from your eyes because you are unhappy or hurt.

2 If you cry something, you shout it or say it loudly.

NOUN 3 a shout or other loud sound made with your voice

crypt crypts

NOUN an underground room beneath a church, usually used as a burial place

crystal crystals

NOUN 1 a piece of a mineral that has formed naturally into a regular shape

2 a type of transparent rock, used in jewellery

3 a type of very high quality glass

crystalline ADJECTIVE

cub cubs

NOUN 1 the young of some wild animals • a fox cub • a lion cub

2 The Cubs is an organization for young boys before they join the Scouts.

cube cubes

NOUN a solid shape with six square faces that are all the same size

cubic

ADJECTIVE 1 shaped like a cube

2 used to describe volume when you measure height, width and depth • a cubic metre

cubicle cubicles

NOUN a small enclosed area in a place such as a sports centre or a shop, where you can dress and undress

cuboid cuboids

NOUN a rectangular, three-dimensional box shape. A cuboid has six faces, all of which are rectangles.

cuckoo cuckoos

NOUN a grey bird with a two-note call. Cuckoos lay their eggs in other birds’ nests.

cucumber cucumbers

NOUN a long, thin, green vegetable that is eaten raw

cud

NOUN food that has been chewed and digested more than once by cows, sheep or other animals that have more than one stomach

cuddle cuddles, cuddling, cuddled

VERB 1 If you cuddle someone, you hold them closely in your arms as a way of showing your affection.

NOUN 2 If you give someone a cuddle, you cuddle them.

cuddly ADJECTIVE

cuff cuffs

NOUN the end part of a sleeve, especially a shirt sleeve

cul-de-sac cul-de-sacs

NOUN a road that does not lead to any other roads because one end is blocked off

[from French cul + de + sac meaning bottom of the bag]

culprit culprits

NOUN someone who has done something harmful or wrong

cult cults

NOUN 1 a small religious group, especially one that is considered strange

ADJECTIVE 2 very popular or fashionable among a particular group of people • It became a cult film.

cultivate cultivates, cultivating, cultivated

VERB When someone cultivates land, they grow crops on it.

cultivation NOUN

culture cultures

NOUN the ideas, customs and art of a particular society

cunning

ADJECTIVE A cunning person or plan achieves things in a clever way, often by deceiving people.

SYNONYMS: crafty, sly, wily

cup cups, cupping, cupped

NOUN 1 a small, round container with a handle, which you drink from

2 a large metal container with two handles, which is given as a prize

VERB 3 If you cup your hands, you put them together to make a shape like a cup.

cupboard cupboards

NOUN 1 a piece of furniture with doors and shelves

2 a very small room for storing things in • The broom is in the cupboard under the stairs.

curator curators

NOUN the person in a museum or art gallery in charge of its contents

curb curbs, curbing, curbed

VERB If you curb something, you keep it within limits. • You must curb your spending on comics.

curdle curdles, curdling, curdled

VERB When milk curdles, it turns sour.

cure cures, curing, cured

VERB 1 If a doctor cures someone of an illness, they help them get better.

NOUN 2 something that heals or helps someone to get better

VERB 3 If someone cures meat or fish, they smoke it to give it flavour and preserve it.

curfew curfews

NOUN a rule or a law stating that people must stay indoors between particular times at night

curiosity curiosities

NOUN 1 the desire to know something or about many things

2 something unusual and interesting

curious

ADJECTIVE 1 Someone who is curious wants to know more about something.

SYNONYMS: inquisitive, nosy

2 Something that is curious is unusual or difficult to understand.

SYNONYMS: strange, peculiar

curl curls, curling, curled

NOUN 1 Curls are lengths of hair shaped in tight curves and circles.

2 a curved or spiral shape • A curl of smoke rose from the chimney.

VERB 3 If something curls, it moves in a curve or spiral. • Smoke curled up the chimney.

curly ADJECTIVE

currant currants

NOUN a small, dried grape. Currants are often used in cakes and puddings.

currency currencies

NOUN A country’s currency is its coins and banknotes.

current currents

NOUN 1 a steady continuous flowing movement of water or air

NOUN 2 An electric current is a flow of electricity through a wire or circuit.

ADJECTIVE 3 Something that is current is happening now. • current fashion trends

curriculum curriculums or curricula

NOUN the different courses taught at a school or university

curry curries

NOUN an Indian dish made with hot spices

curse curses, cursing, cursed

NOUN 1 an evil spell • She said the old house had a curse on it.

VERB 2 If you curse, you swear because you are angry.

cursor cursors

NOUN a sign on a computer monitor that shows where the next letter or symbol is

curtain curtains

NOUN a hanging piece of material that can be pulled across a window

curtsy curtsies, curtsying, curtsied

NOUN 1 a little bobbing bow to show respect • I made a little curtsy to the Queen.

VERB 2 the action of making a curtsy

curve curves, curving, curved

NOUN 1 a smooth, gradually bending line

VERB 2 When something curves, it moves in a curve or has the shape of a curve. • The lane curved to the right.

curved ADJECTIVE

cushion cushions, cushioning, cushioned

NOUN 1 a soft object that you put on a seat to make it more comfortable

VERB 2 When something cushions something else, it reduces its effect. • The pile of leaves cushioned his fall.

custard

NOUN a sweet, yellow sauce made from milk and eggs

custody

NOUN 1 If someone has custody of a child, they have the legal right to keep it and look after it.

PHRASE 2 Someone who is in custody is being kept in prison until they can be tried in a court.

[from Latin custos meaning a guard]

custodial ADJECTIVE

custom customs

NOUN something that people usually do • the custom of decorating the house for Christmas

customary

ADJECTIVE usual

customer customers

NOUN a person who buys things from a shop or firm

customs

NOUN the place at a border, airport or harbour where you declare any goods that you are bringing into the country

cut cuts, cutting, cut

VERB 1 If you cut something, you use a pair of scissors, a knife or another sharp tool to mark it or remove parts of it.

2 If you cut yourself, you injure yourself with a sharp object.

NOUN 3 a mark made with a knife or a sharp tool

4 a reduction in something • There were lots of price cuts during the sales.

cutlery