colanders
NOUN a bowl-shaped container with holes in it, used for washing or draining food
cold colder, coldest; colds
ADJECTIVE 1 If something is cold, it has a very low temperature.
2 If the weather is cold, the air temperature is very low.
NOUN 3 a minor illness that makes you sneeze and cough, and sometimes gives you a sore throat
cold-blooded
ADJECTIVE 1 A cold-blooded animal has a body temperature that changes according to the surrounding temperature.
2 Someone who is cold-blooded does not show any pity.
cold-bloodedly ADVERB
coleslaw
NOUN a salad of chopped cabbage and other vegetables in mayonnaise
collaborate collaborates, collaborating, collaborated
VERB When people collaborate, they work together to produce something. • The two schools collaborated to produce a play.
collaboration NOUN collaborator NOUN
collage collages
NOUN a picture made by sticking pieces of paper or cloth on to a surface
collapse collapses, collapsing, collapsed
VERB 1 If something such as a building collapses, it falls down suddenly.
2 If a person collapses, they fall down suddenly because they are ill.
collapsible
ADJECTIVE A collapsible object can be folded flat when it is not in use. • collapsible chairs
collar collars
NOUN 1 the part around the neck of something, such as a coat or shirt
2 a leather band round the neck of a dog or cat
colleague colleagues
NOUN A person’s colleagues are the people they work with.
collect collects, collecting, collected
VERB 1 If you collect things, you gather them together for a special purpose or as a hobby.
2 If you collect someone or something from a place, you call there and take them away. • We collected Ali from school.
3 When things collect in a place, they gather there over a period of time. • Dust collects in corners.
collection collections
NOUN 1 a group of things you have gathered over a period of time • a stamp collection
2 the organized collecting of money, for example for charity, or the money collected
collective noun collective nouns
NOUN a noun that refers to a group of people or things. For example, a flock, a herd, and a shoal are all collective nouns.
college colleges
NOUN a place where students study after they have left school
collide collides, colliding, collided
VERB If a moving object collides with something, it hits it. • They collided with each other as they rushed through the door.
collision collisions
NOUN A collision is when a moving object hits something.
SYNONYM: crash
colon colons
NOUN 1 the punctuation mark (:). It is used to introduce a list, a quotation or an explanation of a statement. • We need to buy several things: bread, milk, fruit and toothpaste.
2 part of your intestine
colonel colonels
NOUN an army officer with a fairly high rank
colony colonies
NOUN 1 a country that is controlled by another country
2 a group of people or animals living together
colossal
ADJECTIVE very large indeed
[from Greek kolossos meaning huge statue]
colour colours
NOUN the appearance something has as a result of reflecting light • Red, blue and yellow are the primary colours.
colour blind
ADJECTIVE Someone who is colour blind is not able to see the difference between certain colours.
colourful
ADJECTIVE 1 Something that is colourful has a lot of different colours or bright colours.
ANTONYMS: dull, colourless
2 A colourful story is very exciting and interesting.
ANTONYMS: dull, boring
colourless
ADJECTIVE 1 without colour
2 dull and uninteresting
colt colts
NOUN a young male horse
column columns
NOUN 1 a tall, solid, upright cylinder, especially one supporting part of a building
2 In a newspaper or magazine, a column is a vertical section of writing.
3 a group of people or vehicles moving in a long line
coma comas
NOUN a state of deep unconsciousness
comb combs, combing, combed
NOUN 1 a flat object with long, thin, pointed parts, which you use for tidying your hair
VERB 2 When you comb your hair, you tidy it with a comb.
combat combats, combating, combated
NOUN 1 fighting • In the Falklands War many soldiers had to take part in armed combat.
VERB 2 If someone combats something, they try to stop it happening. • We need new ways to combat crime.
combination combinations
NOUN 1 a mixture of things • Fatima won the competition through a combination of skill and determination.
2 a series of numbers or letters used to open a special lock
combine combines, combining, combined
VERB If you combine things, you mix them together. • Combine the butter and sugar, then add the eggs. • The book combines adventure and mystery.
combine harvester combine harvesters
NOUN a large machine used on farms to cut, sort and clean grain
combustion
NOUN the process of burning
come comes, coming, came
VERB 1 If you come to a place, you move or arrive there.
2 If something comes to a particular point, it reaches that point. • The water came up to her waist.
3 When a particular time comes, it happens. • Spring came early this year.
comedian comedians
NOUN an entertainer whose job is to make people laugh
comedy comedies
NOUN a play, film, or television programme that is intended to make people laugh
comet comets
NOUN an object that travels around