
cab | cab: n. taxi, taxi-cub, Obsolete (horse-drawn) hackney, hansom (cab); Old-fashioned US hack: A cab picked me up and dropped me at the hotel.
cabal | cabal: n. 1 intrigue, plot, conspiracy, scheme: The cabal against Washington found supporters exclusively in the north. 2 junta or junto, clique, set, coterie, faction, band, league; unit, party, caucus, club; ring, gang: A cabal of artists was formed. --v. 3 intrigue, plot, conspire, connive, machinate: The barons began to sow dissension and to cabal against his succession.
cabaret | cabaret: n. 1 nightclub, club, nightspot: The ever-popular entertainer Mimi opened at the Golden Palm cabaret last night. 2 floor show, show, entertainment, amusement: The dinner was poor, but the cabaret was marvellous.
cabin | cabin: n. 1 hut, shack, cottage, cot, shanty; bungalow, lodge, chalet; Scots bothy: The old trapper lives in a cabin in the forest. You are welcome to come skiing with us and stay in our cabin. 2 stateroom, compartment, berth: We had a cabin on the starboard side.
cabinet | cabinet: n. 1 cupboard, bureau, chifferobe, commode, chiffonier, chest (of drawers), chest-on-chest, tallboy, US highboy, lowboy: The aspirin is in the medicine cabinet. Our china cabinet is, unfortunately, not a genuine Chippendale. 2 council, ministry, committee, advisors, senate: At the age of thirty, he became the youngest member of the cabinet.
cable | cable: n. 1 wire, line, rope, hawser, chain, mooring, strand, guy: The cable broke and we were set adrift. 2 telegram, wire, cablegram, radiogram, US Mailgram: Send a cable to Jones about the meeting. --v. 3 telegraph, wire; radio: Cable Jones to come at once.
cache | cache: n. 1 hiding-place, hole, vault, repository: There was a small cache concealed by the panelling in the library. 2 store, hoard, supply, reserve, nest egg, stockpile, Colloq US and Canadian stash: The wise hunter keeps a cache of supplies buried along his route. --v. 3 hide, store, conceal, squirrel away, secrete, bury, Colloq stash (away): I cached the money in a biscuit tin.
cachet | cachet: n. 1 stamp, feature, distinguishing mark, identification: The cachet of good taste is simplicity of design. 2 distinction, prominence, importance, prestige, dignity: Her new job doesn''t pay much, but it has a certain cachet.
cadaver | cadaver: n. corpse, (dead) body, remains, Slang stiff: The medical students and doctors once paid to have cadavers exhumed for anatomical study.
cadence | cadence: n. measure, beat, rhythm, tempo, accent, pulse, metre, lilt, swing: The snare drum marked the cadence for the marching band.
caf� | caf�: n. coffee-house, coffee bar, coffee-shop, bistro, snack bar, brasserie; tearoom, lunch-room, restaurant, eating-house, canteen; cafeteria, US diner, Colloq eatery; Slang Brit caff, US greasy spoon: We stopped at a caf� for refreshment.
cage | cage: n. 1 crate, enclosure, pen, pound, coop, hutch: He keeps rooks in a cage. --v. 2 Also, cage up or in. confine, enclose, pen, impound, shut up, or in, coop (up), imprison; restrict, restrain, hem in: They keep the kitten caged like a wild animal. I don''t like to stay caged up in my office all day.
cajole | cajole: v. wheedle, coax, beguile, jolly (along), cosy along, seduce, inveigle, persuade, Colloq soft-soap, butter (up), stroke, sweet-talk: Robert''s wife always has to cajole him to go and visit her mother.
cajolery | cajolery: n. wheedling, coaxing, blandishment, beguilement, jollying, persuasion, seduction, inveigling, inveiglement, Colloq soft soap, buttering-up, sweet talk: She uses cajolery rather than threats to get what she wants.
cake | cake: n. 1 pastry, bun, Brit gateau: Right now, I should like to have a glass of milk and a piece of chocolate cake. 2 piece, chunk, bar, block, cube, lump, loaf, slab: Barbara gave me a cake of fancy perfumed soap for my birthday. --v. 3 harden, solidify, thicken, congeal, dry, coagulate, encrust, consolidate: You can see where the paint has caked.
calamitous | calamitous: adj. distressful, dire, tragic, disastrous, destructive, awful, devastating, fatal, deadly, pernicious, cataclysmic, catastrophic, ruinous, dreadful, terrible: They seemed unaware of the calamitous consequences of what they were doing to the environment.
calamity | calamity: n. 1 disaster, destruction, ruin, catastrophe, cataclysm, devastation, tragedy, misadventure, mischance, mishap: Calamity befell the town when it was engulfed in a landslide. 2 distress, affliction, trouble, hardship, misery, tragedy, misfortune, adversity, reverse, ruin, ruination, desolation, wretchedness: So full is the world of calamity that every source of pleasure is polluted.
calculate | calculate: v. compute, reckon, add up, assess, evaluate, count, figure (out), estimate, gauge, determine, ascertain, work out: Bradley was able to calculate the velocity of light. They calculated where the sun would come up at the equinox and built their temple accordingly.
calculated | calculated: adj. 1 arranged, designed, planned, prepared, adjusted, adapted, fit, fitted, intended, suited: The coach was calculated to carry six regular passengers. 2 deliberate, purposeful, intentional, premeditated, planned: The so-called accident was really a calculated attempt to kill me.
calculating | calculating: adj. shrewd, conniving, crafty, sly, scheming, designing, Machiavellian, manipulative, canny, contriving: She is a calculating woman, who knows what she wants and manoeuvres people to help her get it.
calculation | calculation: n. 1 computation, reckoning, counting, estimation, figuring, determining: We needn''t number them one by one, for the total can be arrived at by calculation. 2 answer, product, result, figure, count, estimate, amount: This calculation is wrong, so please do it again. 3 estimate, forecast, expectation, prediction, deliberation; circumspection, cautiousness, wariness, caution, prudence, forethought, discretion: His attack was not the inspiration of courage but the result of calculation.
calculator | calculator: n. computer, adding machine; abacus: According to my calculator, the answer should be 7.1592.
calendar | calendar: n. 1 appointment book, schedule, slate, Brit diary, US date-book, US law docket: I have next week''s lunch date in my calendar. 2 almanac, chronology, chronicle, annal(s): The ecclesiastical calendar lists today as St David''s Day.
calibrate | calibrate: v. adjust, graduate; standardize: This balance has been dropped on the floor, and you''ll have to calibrate it again.
calibre | calibre: n. 1 diameter, size, bore, gauge: You need a .38 calibre bullet to fit a .38 calibre pistol. 2 merit, ability, talent, capability, competence, capacity, quality, strength, stature: They should be playing against a team of their own calibre. 3 degree, measure, stamp, quality: I doubt that you will find anyone of equal calibre to Julia in artistic sensibility.
call | call: v. 1 shout, cry (out), hail, yell, roar, bellow, call out, Colloq holler: I heard someone calling my name. 2 name, designate, denote, denominate, term, style, nickname, label, title, entitle, tag, identify, dub, christen, baptize: My real name is Angus, but they call me Scotty. A person from Glasgow is called a Glaswegian. 3 call up, telephone, phone, ring (up), dial, Colloq buzz: As it''s her birthday, I must call my mother in Australia. Don''t call us, we''ll call you. 4 summon, invite, assemble, convoke, convene, bid, gather, collect, muster, rally: From the minaret, the muezzin was calling the faithful to prayer. Many are called but few are chosen. 5 visit, attend; call in; call on: My great aunt Frederica came to call last Sunday. 6 awake, awaken, wake up, rouse, Colloq Brit knock up: Please call me at six. 7 call down. a appeal to, invoke, petition, request, entreat, supplicate: He called down the wrath of God on the Philistines. b reprimand, chastise, castigate, upbraid, scold, reprove, rebuke: He was called down for having left the house after curfew. 8 call for. a demand, request, ask for, order, require, claim: The people in room 429 have called for clean towels. The problem calls for your urgent attention. b pick up, fetch, come for, get, accompany, Colloq collect: I''ll call for you at seven o''clock. 9 call forth. summon, invoke, draw on or upon, evoke; elicit, inspire: Susan called forth all her courage and faced her accusers. He failed to call forth much enthusiasm in his listeners. 10 call on or upon. a request of, entreat, ask, address; apostrophize: The teacher called on me today to recite Hamlet''s soliloquy. b supplicate, apostrophize, appeal to: He called on �olus, god of the winds, for a fair breeze to carry his ship home. c visit: The vicar called on us when we first moved in. 11 call off. cancel; discontinue; postpone: The picnic has been called off because of rain. 12 call up. a summon, enlist, recruit, conscript, US draft: Father was called up as soon as war was declared. b call, telephone, phone, ring (up): Call me up sometime. --n. 13 shout, cry, yell, whoop, Colloq holler: I''ll be out in the garden, so give me a call if you want me. 14 summons, invitation, bidding, notice, notification, order, request, demand, command; telephone call, phone call, Brit ring; Colloq tinkle: She received a call to report at once for duty. 15 reason, justification, cause, need, occasion, right, excuse; requirement: You have no call to be abusive, regardless of what you think about him. 16 on call. ready, on duty, standing by, on stand-by, awaiting orders: They had to remain on call from midnight till eight o''clock. 17 within call. within earshot or hearing or (easy) reach: Please stay within call in case I need you.
calling | calling: n. vocation, occupation, profession, business, trade, employment, work, line, job, m�tier, pursuit, career, area, province, (area of) expertise, Brit speciality or US specialty, Colloq racket: He found his calling as a veterinary surgeon very satisfying.
callous | callous: adj. hardened, thick-skinned, unfeeling, uncaring, insensible, insensitive, hard, hard-hearted, tough, hardbitten, cold, cold-hearted, heartless, indifferent, unsympathetic, apathetic, Colloq hard-boiled, hard-nosed: It was callous of Gerry to go off to the snooker club right after the funeral.
callow | callow: adj. inexperienced, immature, juvenile, na�ve, green, guileless, unsophisticated, innocent, raw, unfledged, untried, Colloq (still) wet behind the ears: It was a mistake to let a callow youth take out the boat alone.
calm | calm: n. 1 quiet, stillness, tranquillity, serenity, hush, peace, peacefulness: A storm raged outside, but in the harbour was a breathless calm. 2 calmness, composure, placidity, placidness, peace, repose, sang-froid, coolness, self-control, equanimity, self-possession: The calm exhibited by the passengers during the hijacking was admirable. --adj. 3 quiet, still, tranquil, serene, peaceful, balmy, halcyon, mild, undisturbed, unagitated, placid, pacific; motionless, smooth, even; windless: The sea is never calm in the same sense as a mountain lake. 4 composed, cool, cool-headed, self-controlled, impassive, dispassionate, unmoved, unruffled, serene, tranquil, sedate, staid, stoical, Colloq together: She remained calm while the others panicked. --v. 5 Also, calm down. quiet, quieten, still, soothe, hush, lull, pacify; mollify, appease, placate, become or make quiet or pacified or less agitated, Colloq cool off or down: The arbitrator did his best to calm the two litigants by suggesting a compromise. After everyone had calmed down, the speaker continued.
camouflage | camouflage: n. 1 disguise, concealment, cover-up, cover, guise, cloak, mask, screen, blind, (false) front, show, fa�ade, pretence, trickery, deception; protective colouring or coloration, Technical apatetic or aposematic or cryptic colouring or coloration: Camouflage prevented the enemy from seeing our tanks. --v. 2 disguise, cloak, mask, cover (up), hide, conceal, screen, veil; misrepresent, falsify: We camouflaged our movements by fastening twigs and leaves to our helmets.
camp� | camp�: n. 1 camping-ground, camp-ground, bivouac, encampment, camp-site; settlement; camping-site, Brit caravan site: The name ''Chester'' derives from Latin castrum, meaning ''camp'', for the city was originally the site of a Roman camp. Is there a camp where we can stay overnight? 2 faction, set, coterie, clique, group, party, body: On this issue, the politicians are divided into two camps. --v. 3 encamp, pitch camp, tent: Our family likes to go camping in the mountains during the summer. 4 lodge, bivouac, settle: The platoon camped by the river. 5 camp out. Slang crash: Mind if I camp out in your pad tonight?
camp� | camp�: adj. 1 outr�, outrageous, exaggerated, artless, affected, inartistic, extravagant, artificial, Dadaistic, theatrical, mannered, flamboyant, showy, ostentatious, effeminate, Colloq campy: Some of the kitsch produced in the 1930s was the epitome of camp. His manner is a bit too camp for my taste. --v. 2 exaggerate, show off, strut, flaunt, flounce, prance, posture, Colloq ham: Clarence just loves to camp it up whenever there are women around.
campaign | campaign: n. 1 operation(s), manoeuvre(s), crusade, action; drive, offensive, push, effort; struggle: Napoleon''s Russian campaign ended in disaster. Our next sales campaign will be aimed at teenagers. 2 competition, contest, rivalry, race: Presidential campaigns last for more than a year. --v. 3 run, electioneer, compete, Brit stand; US and Canadian stump; Colloq throw or toss one''s hat in the ring: Next week the Labour candidate will campaign in Yorkshire.
cancel | cancel: v. 1 void, annul, invalidate, nullify, quash; revoke, rescind, redeem, repeal, abolish, retract, withdraw, recall, repudiate, abrogate, countermand, deny: The bonds have been cancelled and are worthless. She cancelled the incorrect cheque. 2 delete, obliterate, cross or strike or blot out, dele, rub out, erase, expunge, efface, eradicate, quash, deracinate; eliminate, do away with: I was forced to cancel the chapter of my book that dealt with M.I.5 activities. 3 Sometimes, cancel out. neutralize, nullify, counterbalance, countervail, compensate (for), make up for, offset, counteract: His later kindnesses cancel his previous injustices.
cancellation | cancellation: n. 1 cancelling, annulment, nullification, rescinding, voiding, rescission, revocation, abolition, abandonment, withdrawal, abrogation; repeal: We found a hotel room in the end because of a late cancellation. 2 invalidation, revocation, abolition, discontinuance, termination, suppression: If you fail to pay the premium, the policy is subject to cancellation. 3 elimination, abolition; stoppage, cessation: Owing to the storm, some trains are subject to cancellation.
candid | candid: adj. 1 frank, open, plain, sincere, ingenuous, straight, straightforward, truthful, forthright, direct, unequivocal, plain-spoken, plain-speaking, outspoken, honest, artless, blunt, guileless, open-hearted, above-board, undeceitful, undeceiving, undeliberative, uncalculating, uncalculated, unpremeditated, uncontrived , Colloq upfront: Henry offered a very candid account of his feelings. Let us be candid and speak our minds. 2 just, impartial, objective, fair, equitable, unbiased, unprejudiced, even-handed; unbigoted: The speaker expressed a candid view of all of the proposals. 3 unposed, informal, impromptu: Here is a candid photo of the two of us in Rome.
candidate | candidate: n. aspirant, seeker, office-seeker, runner, nominee; applicant, entrant; prospect, possibility: There are quite a few candidates for the post.
candour | candour: n. 1 openness, frankness, ingenuousness, simplicity, na�vety, outspokenness, unreservedness, forthrightness, honesty, sincerity, directness, straightforwardness, unequivocalness: I admire her candour, but the truth sometimes hurts. 2 impartiality, fairness, justice, objectivity, open-mindedness: In criticism candour is as rare as bigotry is frequent.
candy | candy: n. sweet(s), bon-bon(s), sweetmeat(s), confectionery: Eating candy can be bad for your teeth.
cannibal | cannibal: n. anthropophagite, man-eater: They were said to have been captured by cannibals living in remote regions.
cant | cant: n. 1 hypocrisy, insincerity, sham, pretence, humbug, sanctimony, sanctimoniousness, lip-service, affectedness, pretension: He wasn''t really enthusiastic - all that talk was just cant. 2 jargon, shop, shop-talk, argot, vernacular, slang, dialect, patois, Creole, pidgin, gobbledegook or gobbledygook, Colloq lingo: The criminals use a cant not understood by those outside their fraternity.
cantankerous | cantankerous: adj. ill-natured, quarrelsome, perverse, cross, choleric, cross-grained, crabby, curmudgeonly, crusty, grumpy, surly, irascible, snappish, bad-tempered, ill-tempered, bearish, bilious, peevish, testy, irritable, touchy, disagreeable, tetchy, contrary, Colloq crotchety, grouchy, US cranky: Simon used to be so friendly, but he''s become a cantankerous old codger.
canvass | canvass: v. 1 solicit, electioneer, campaign, poll, US and Canadian stump: The candidates will be canvassing in farming areas next week. 2 survey, poll, study, analyse, examine, investigate, interview, question: The statisticians are not satisfied that enough women were canvassed to provide an accurate sample. --n. 3 solicitation, campaign: The party''s canvass of rural areas for new supporters was not very successful. 4 survey, study, investigation, poll, examination, tally: A canvass of editors shows they have a conservative view of the language.
canyon | canyon: n. gorge, ravine, gully or gulley, pass, defile, Brit dialect gill or ghyll, US and Canadian coul�e, gulch; US gap, arroyo: The canyon created by the river is more than a thousand feet deep.
cap | cap: n. 1 hat, head covering: The plumber took off his cap and scratched his head. 2 lid, top, cover: Screw the cap on tight. 3 cap in hand. humbly, meekly, servilely, submissively, subserviently, docilely, respectfully: He went cap in hand to ask for a pay rise. --v. 4 surpass, outdo, outstrip, better, beat, exceed, top, excel: Betty capped her earlier triumphs by winning the semifinals. 5 cover, protect: As it''s begun to rain, you''d best cap the camera lens.
capability | capability: n. ability, power, potential, capacity, means, faculty, wherewithal; talent, proficiency, aptitude, adeptness, skill, competence: Deirdre has the capability to be first in her form.
capable | capable: adj. 1 able, competent, efficient, proficient, qualified, talented, gifted, skilled, skilful, accomplished, apt, adept, clever, effective, effectual; expert, masterly, masterful: Halliwell is quite capable of speaking for himself. He is a capable violinist, but scarcely a virtuoso. 2 capable of. disposed to, inclined to, predisposed to: Though violent, he is not capable of murder.
capacity | capacity: n. 1 volume, content, size, dimensions; room, space: What is the capacity of this bottle in litres? The car is of sufficient capacity to hold only four adults. 2 potential, ability, capability, competence, intelligence, wit, brain(s), talent, aptitude, acumen, understanding, sense, judgement, perspicacity, perceptiveness, perception, mother wit, intellect, genius, skill, gift, faculty, power, potential, Colloq chiefly US right stuff, the goods: They don''t yet have the capacity to absorb advanced theory. 3 position, condition, character, place, post, role, job, office, duty, responsibility, province, sphere, function; Law competency, qualification: She has every right to sign cheques in her capacity as director.
cape� | cape�: n. headland, promontory, peninsula, neck, point, Archaic ness: We sailed round the cape and made for the harbour.
cape� | cape�: n. mantle, shawl, stole, cloak: His black cape reached to the floor.
caper | caper: n. 1 skip, leap, spring, frolic, hop, gambol, frisk, curvet, gambado: He can dance, though he does not cut capers. 2 escapade, stunt, mischief, prank, high jinks, US crime, burglary, robbery, Colloq shenanigan, dido, lark, Slang US and Canadian job: The capers we used to get up to after lights-out in the dormitory! --v. 3 skip, hop, frolic, leap, jump, frisk, romp, gambol, prance, cavort, curvet: She capered about like a lamb in a meadow.
capital | capital: n. 1 head, top, crown, cap: The column was surmounted by a finely carved capital. 2 seat (of government): Winnipeg is the capital of Manitoba. 3 money, assets, funds, finance(s), cash, wherewithal; wealth, means, property, resources, savings, principal: My capital is invested in land at the moment. 4 majuscule, upper case, large letter, initial, Colloq cap: The chapter titles should be set in capitals. --adj. 5 chief, main, major, important, cardinal, central, principal, prime, primary, paramount, pre-eminent, foremost, leading: Our capital responsibility is to ensure the passengers'' safety. 6 first-class, first-rate, excellent, superior, matchless, peerless, choice, select, outstanding, fine, superb, splendid, marvellous, extraordinary, Colloq smashing, great, super, Brit brill, Old-fashioned topping, top-hole, ripping, ripsnorting: Eating out tonight was a capital idea.
capitulate | capitulate: v. 1 surrender, yield, give up, submit, succumb: Want of provisions quickly obliged the fortress to capitulate. 2 acquiesce, concede, relent, give in, yield: He begged so piteously that the king finally capitulated and allowed him to live.
capricious | capricious: adj. whimsical, erratic, flighty, fickle, mercurial, unsteady, variable, unstable, wayward, unpredictable, undependable, changeable, impulsive, crotchety, quirky, unreliable, inconstant, fanciful, wanton: His decisions are capricious and not based on sound judgement. The weather in March is capricious: as Mark Twain said, if you don''t like it, just wait five minutes.
capsize | capsize: v. upset, overturn, turn turtle or upside down, tip (over), keel over, invert: When the wind capsized the boat, we lost all our gear overboard.
captivate | captivate: v. enthral or US enthrall, enslave, fascinate, hypnotize, entrance, beguile, charm, enamour, enchant, bewitch, enrapture, dazzle, infatuate, attract, allure, seduce, win: Her beauty captivated film-goers everywhere.
captive | captive: n. 1 prisoner, convict, hostage, detainee, internee; slave, bondman or bondsman, bondservant: The captives were kept in a wretched hole. --adj. 2 imprisoned, incarcerated, confined, caged, locked up, under lock and key: Captive animals lose their free spirit.
captivity | captivity: n. confinement, imprisonment, internment, detention, custody, incarceration, restraint; bondage, slavery, thraldom or US also thralldom, enslavement, servitude; Archaic durance: Some wild creatures do not survive in captivity. Entire populations of conquered territories were taken into captivity in ancient times.
capture | capture: n. 1 seizure, taking, catching, arrest, apprehension, Slang pinch, collar: They celebrated the capture of the Spanish galleon. The State has offered a reward for the capture of the bank robbers. --v. 2 seize, take, catch, lay or take hold of, grab, apprehend, arrest, Slang pinch, collar, nab, Brit nick: Eventually, they captured the thief on the roof.
car | car: n. 1 (motor) vehicle, motor car, automobile, passenger car, Old-fashioned or slang motor; Chiefly US auto; Colloq jalopy, heap, pile, crate, machine, buggy, transport; Slang wheels: Borrow a car and drive down for the weekend. 2 (railway) carriage: The body was found in a sleeping car of the Orient Express.
card | card: n. 1 playing-card, Slang pasteboard: The winning card was the ten of diamonds. 2 calling-card, visiting-card, carte de visite, business card: Visitors used to leave their cards on the silver tray at the front door. 3 greetings card, Christmas card, birthday card, anniversary card, condolence card, Easter card, New Year card: I sent Jacquelyn a card for her birthday last year. 4 postcard, US postal card: Drop me a card when you get there, just so I''ll know you''re all right. 5 index card, file card: The names and addresses of our members, formerly held on cards, are now stored in the computer. 6 membership card; press card; union card: I showed my card at the door and they let me in without any problem. 7 dance-card: She told me that her dance-card was full - and was likely to be for the next ten years. 8 US car-card, window-card, show-card: At the cost of a card on the New York buses, we''d never get our money back. 9 credit card; bank card: You may pay by card or cheque. They won''t accept your cheque without a card. 10 identity or identification card, I.D. (card): The police asked to see my card. 11 joker, prankster, practical joker, wag, humorist, comedian, funny man: That Oscar - he''s quite a card, isn''t he? 12 on or esp. US in the cards. destined, fated, slated, in the offing; likely, probable, possible, liable: I doubt that a change of government is on the cards for some time to come. 13 play one''s cards right, well, badly, etc. act, behave, take action; plan, use strategy: If Francis plays his cards right, he may be made head of department when Mark leaves. 14 put or lay one''s cards on the table or show one''s cards. act openly, reveal all, be forthright, be direct, be open, be honest, be unsecretive, Colloq come clean: I''m going to put my cards on the table, and let you know all my plans.
cardinal | cardinal: adj. important, chief, key, special, main, central, principal, prime, primary, essential, necessary, fundamental; supreme, paramount, highest, first, foremost, leading, pre-eminent: The cardinal virtues are justice, prudence, temperance, and fortitude, to which some writers add faith, hope, and charity.
care | care: n. 1 anxiety, worry, trouble, anguish, disquiet, distress, grief, sorrow, dolour, sadness, suffering, misery, woe, tribulation: His haggard look reflected a life of care. 2 concern, regard, vigilance, mindfulness, heed, solicitude; heedfulness, attention, pains, carefulness, meticulousness, punctiliousness; caution, circumspection: The essence of public-spiritedness is care for the common good. He looks after his moustache and beard with great care. Open with care. 3 responsibility, charge, protection, guardianship, custody, keeping, safe keeping; control, direction, supervision: The child has been released into our care. 4 take care of. look after, attend to, be responsible for, take charge of, take responsibility for; tend, nurse: You should take care of your money. Does she have enough experience to take care of someone who is ill? --v. 5 be concerned, trouble oneself, feel interest, worry, fret, trouble, Brit mind: Do you care whether Arnold gets the job he wants? I don''t care who you are, you can''t come in here! 6 care for. a look after, tend, attend (to), watch over, protect, take care of, provide for; nurse: He cared for his ailing parents for about twenty years. b like, fancy, be attracted to, be fond of, love, be keen on, be enamoured of: Jennifer admitted last night how much she cares for David.
careen | careen: v. heel over, keel over; US loosely career, sway, tip, pitch, veer, swerve, lurch: We hauled out the boat, careened her, and proceeded to caulk her seams.
career | career: n. 1 employment, occupation, calling, vocation, pursuit, (life''s) work, job, business, livelihood; profession, trade, craft, m�tier: She has made a career out of helping others. He is undecided whether to pursue a career in accountancy. --v. 2 speed, race, rush, dash, fly, tear, hurtle, bolt, shoot, Colloq zoom: A bicycle came careering around the corner and knocked him down.
carefree | carefree: adj. nonchalant, easy, easygoing, insouciant, light-hearted, blithe, happy-go-lucky, breezy, airy; blas�, indifferent, unconcerned, unworried, trouble-free, worry-free, contented, happy: Till he graduated from university, he had lived an entirely carefree life.
careful | careful: adj. 1 cautious, wary, circumspect, chary, prudent, watchful, aware, alert, vigilant: These days one cannot be too careful about walking in the city at night. 2 meticulous, painstaking, attentive, punctilious, (well-)organized, systematic, precise, fastidious, thorough, scrupulous, conscientious, particular, finicky, finical, fussy: The police conducted a careful search for weapons.
careless | careless: adj. 1 unconcerned, untroubled, unworried, casual, indifferent, heedless, thoughtless, inconsiderate, uncaring, devil-may-care, irresponsible, cursory, lackadaisical, perfunctory: No one could approve of the careless way he treats his family. 2 inattentive, negligent, thoughtless, absent-minded, neglectful, remiss; unobservant, unthinking, imprudent, unmindful, incautious, unwary, reckless, slapdash, rash: Many of the errors come from being careless. 3 inaccurate, imprecise, inexact, incorrect, wrong, error-ridden, erroneous, Colloq sloppy: You won''t get a good mark for such a careless paper. 4 unstudied, ingenuous, artless, casual, nonchalant: I dislike his careless way of dressing, but it does show some style.
caress | caress: n. 1 pat, stroke, fondling, blandishment; cuddle, embrace, hug; nuzzle, kiss: He submitted willingly to her caresses. --v. 2 touch, pat, pet, fondle, stroke; cuddle, embrace, hug; nuzzle, kiss: The kitten approached warily and Isabella caressed it.
cargo | cargo: n. shipment, consignment, shipload, truckload, wagon-load, load, trainload, US carload; freight, goods, merchandise: The cargo of rifles was delivered to the warehouse. The ship was lost with all its cargo.
caricature | caricature: n. 1 cartoon, parody, burlesque, lampoon, satire, pasquinade, Colloq take-off, spoof, Brit send-up: The cartoon in the newspaper showed a caricature of the Prime Minister. --v. 2 parody, satirize, lampoon, burlesque, ridicule, mock, distort, Colloq take off, Brit send up: Hogarth caricatured Churchill in the form of a bear.
carnage | carnage: n. slaughter, butchery, massacre, blood bath, holocaust, killing, Shoah, Churban or Hurban: The battle was fought with much carnage on both sides.
carnal | carnal: adj. fleshly, sensual, animal, bodily, lustful, voluptuous, libidinous, lecherous, concupiscent, sexual, erotic, lascivious, licentious, lewd, prurient: She is intent on satisfying her carnal desires.
carouse | carouse: v. 1 make merry, revel, Colloq party, pub-crawl, make whoopee, go on a bender or tear or binge or toot, paint the town red, binge, booze: After the cup final, we all caroused till the wee hours. --n. 2 revel, spree, fling, wassail, carousal, drunk, bacchanal, Colloq binge, bender, booze, boozer, Brit knees-up, US tear, toot: They go on a carouse on Burns Night every year, then need a day to sleep it off.
carp | carp: v. find fault, criticize, cavil, complain, nag, pick at, pick on, bully, bullyrag or ballyrag, Colloq knock, pick holes (in), gripe, Brit whinge: She said that she would leave him if he kept on carping at her about her cooking.
carriage | carriage: n. 1 (railway) coach, US car: We moved our belongings into the next carriage. 2 bearing, mien, air, manner, deportment, conduct, demeanour, attitude, posture, stance, presence, behaviour, comportment: His upright carriage immediately identified him as a military man. 3 freight, freightage, transportation, cartage, shipping; postage: Carriage is free within mainland Britain.
carrier | carrier: n. 1 bearer, porter; transporter, drayman, shipper, haulier or US hauler; carter: The company we use as a carrier is expensive. 2 transmitter, Immunology vector, US Typhoid Mary: She couldn''t have caught the disease directly, only through some carrier.
carry | carry: v. 1 transport, convey, bear, lug, drag, cart, move, Colloq tote, Slang US schlep: He shouldn''t carry such heavy packages at his age. 2 conduct, convey, lead, take, transport, transfer, transmit: This cable carries the power to the town. 3 drive, impel, conduct, convey, take, move: He travelled aimlessly, wherever the wind carried his ship. 4 support, maintain, finance: I had a wife and four children and was unable to carry my brother''s family as well. 5 bear, hold up, uphold, maintain: Despite her troubles, she carried her head high. 6 win, take, sweep, capture, gain, secure: She carried the election easily. 7 stock, sell, offer; display: We don''t carry purple shoes in this shop, Madam. 8 broadcast, disseminate, offer, release; communicate, present, read, report, announce; give: The news is carried on this station every night at nine. 9 carry away. transport, excite, enrapture, delight: He was quite carried away by her attentions. 10 carry off. a win, gain, capture, secure: She managed to carry off the first prize for the third year running. b abscond with, kidnap, take, purloin, Colloq Brit pinch, nick: I''m afraid that some of your chickens have been carried off by a fox. c accomplish, perform, effect, do, succeed, handle or manage successfully, bring off, carry out: We carried off the raid without loss of a single man. d kill, be or cause the death of, cause to die: He was carried off by yellow fever in his eightieth year. 11 carry on. a continue, proceed, go on, persist, keep on or at, persevere: Don''t stop - just carry on with what you were doing. b manage, conduct, operate: Despite the fire, we are carrying on our business as usual. c misbehave, Colloq act up, fool around, Brit play up: The children are carrying on so, I can''t get any work done. 12 carry out or through. perform, effect, implement, complete, execute, accomplish, continue, conclude: Henry is carrying out his father''s wishes according to the terms of his will.
cart | cart: n. 1 handcart, pushcart, trolley, barrow, wagon or Brit also waggon: You''ll need a cart to carry all these things to the car. --v. 2 carry, convey, move, lug, drag, tote, transport, bring, haul, Colloq US schlep: Why do you cart that heavy bag everywhere you go?
carte blanche | carte blanche: n. licence, permission, sanction, free rein, authority, discretion: She was given carte blanche to spend the money any way she wished.
carve | carve: v. 1 hew, cut, sculpt, sculpture, shape, chisel, model, fashion, engrave, incise, grave, whittle, chip: The bust is carved out of solid marble. 2 Often, carve up or out. divide (up), cut (up), subdivide, apportion, parcel out, allot, partition: The gang-leaders carved up the territory, and the killings stopped for a while.
case� | case�: n. 1 instance, example, event, occurrence; happening, occasion, circumstance, state, situation: In a recent case a farmer was attacked by a man-eating tiger. Holmes is investigating a case of a missing necklace. 2 action, suit, lawsuit, dispute; cause: I lost my case. 3 patient, invalid, victim: Four new cases were admitted to the hospital yesterday. 4 specimen, instance, example: Howard is an odd case, isn''t he? 5 in any case. in any event, come what may, at all events, anyhow, anyway: In any case, your decision won''t affect me. 6 in case. a lest, for fear that: He was worried in case his wife found out where he had been. b if, in the event that, if it happens or proves or turns out that, if it should happen or prove or turn out that: In case you were thinking of leaving, remember that we have your car keys. 7 in case of. in the event of; for fear of: In case of fire, you must use the staircase. We insured the house in case of fire. 8 the case. the fact, the actuality, the truth, the reality, what really happened or took place: She said he was drunk, but that''s not the case.
case� | case�: n. 1 box, container, carton, crate; chest, holder, receptacle; trunk, suitcase, casket: Please order two cases of paper for the copying machine. The cosmetics came in a fitted case lined in velvet. 2 covering, cover, protection, casing, envelope, wrapper: The engraving was on the inside of the watch-case. The book came in a case of fine calfskin. --v. 3 encase, box, crate, pack, package, containerize: The computer arrived, completely cased in rigid foam.
cash | cash: n. 1 money, currency, bills, notes, banknotes, change, hard cash or money, specie, coin of the realm, legal tender, Slang moolah, dough, bread, loot, spondulicks or spondulix, Brit lolly, ready, readies, US scratch, gelt, mazuma: The shop accepts only cash, no charge cards. --v. 2 Also, cash in. change, sell, liquidate, exchange; realize: She cashed some bonds to pay off the overdraft.
casket | casket: n. 1 chest, box, container, case, coffer, receptacle: She keeps her jewels in a leather casket on the dressing-table. 2 coffin; sarcophagus: After the funeral, the pallbearers carried the casket from the church.
cast | cast: n. 1 throw, toss, pitch, shy, lob, thrust, chuck: In his next cast, the bowler lightly struck the jack. 2 dramatis personae, actors and actresses, players, performers, troupe, company: We invited the cast to a party after the show. 3 form, shape, mould; formation, formulation, arrangement: She can appreciate the turn of the phrase, the happy cast and flow of the sentence. 4 model, casting, mould; stamp, type: The Ming vase was copied from a cast. There are not many men of the cast of Crocker. 5 twist, turn, irregularity, warp; squint: The mare had a cast in her gallop. The pirate had a cast in his left eye. 6 turn, inclination, bent, hint, touch; tinge, tint, colouring: He has a melancholy cast of mind. --v. 7 throw, toss, pitch, fling, sling, hurl, dash, send, Colloq chuck, shy: She tore off the gold necklace and cast it into the lake. 8 assign, delegate, appoint, designate, name, nominate, choose, pick, select: He has cast me as the villain in his little drama. 9 form, mould, found: The king''s death-mask, cast in plaster, was on the floor of the tomb. 10 cast about for. search for, look for, seek: He was casting about for an excuse to avoid going to the Fordyces'' for dinner. 11 cast aside. reject, discard, cast or throw away or out, get rid of: The expensive toys had been cast aside and the children were playing with the boxes and wrappings. 12 cast away. maroon, shipwreck: Jim O''Shea was cast away upon an Indian isle. 13 cast off. throw off, shed, doff: One''s upbringing cannot be cast off like an old overcoat. 14 cast out. expel, drive out, throw out, evict, eject, oust, exile, remove, cast aside: She was cast out of the house by her mother, who had married a biker.
castaway | castaway: n. reject, cast-off, outcast, pariah, exile: She always looked after the moral well-being of the castaways of society.
caste | caste: n. (social) class, rank, order, level, stratum, standing, position, station, status, estate: The women of her caste practised suttee.
castigate | castigate: v. chastise, punish, correct, penalize, discipline, rebuke, reprimand, read (someone) the riot act, keelhaul, chasten, criticize, Colloq tell off, dress down, Chiefly Brit tick off, Brit carpet, haul over the coals, US and Canadian chew out, rake over the coals, put or call on or on to the carpet: They were castigated in the press for their extravagant lifestyle.
castle | castle: n. 1 fortress, stronghold, citadel: The king moved to Windsor Castle during the winter. 2 mansion, palace, manor-house, hall, ch�teau: Mr Mooney lives alone in his castle and has nothing to do with his neighbours.
casual | casual: adj. 1 accidental, chance, random, fortuitous, unexpected, unforeseen, unpremeditated, unplanned, unforeseeable, unpredictable, serendipitous: It was only a casual remark, but it was taken very seriously. We interviewed casual passers-by. 2 uncertain, unsure, haphazard, occasional, random, irregular, unsystematic, sporadic, erratic: The budget includes provision for both certain and casual revenues. 3 indifferent, nonchalant, offhand, insouciant, apathetic, cool, unconcerned, uninterested, pococurante, dispassionate, blas�, relaxed, lackadaisical: He may seem casual, but he is genuinely concerned about the patients. 4 informal; lounge: Dinner dress is not required: you may come in casual clothes. 5 offhand, happy-go-lucky, natural, easy, easygoing, devil-may-care, unconcerned, relaxed, d�gag�, unconstrained: Phil is quite casual about losing money at roulette.
casualty | casualty: n. 1 disaster, catastrophe, calamity, accident, mischance, misadventure, mishap: The company insures against casualties at sea. 2 a victim, fatality, Colloq statistic: I''m afraid that Jeff was a casualty of last year''s cut in personnel. She was only one of thousands of casualties of the earthquake. b Usually, casualties. Chiefly military wounded, injured, missing, missing in action, dead, fatalities, US MIA(s), body count: The casualties were mounting.
catastrophe | catastrophe: n. 1 disaster, calamity, cataclysm: The eruption of Vesuvius was one of the major catastrophes in recorded history. 2 misfortune, bad luck, shock, blow, tragedy, disaster; mishap, mischance, misadventure, accident, fiasco, failure: Cook reported a catastrophe with the layer cake.
catch | catch: v. 1 capture, seize, apprehend, take or get (hold of), grab, grip, grasp, take captive, hold, arrest, take prisoner, Colloq nab, pinch, collar, Brit nick: The police caught him when he returned to the scene of the crime. 2 trap, ensnare, entrap, snare, net, bag, hook, round up, corral: We caught three trout this morning. I caught all the horses that had broken through the fence. 3 take, get on or on to, board: You can catch the London train at Aylesbury. 4 surprise, discover, find: They fired him after catching him with his hand in the till. 5 be seized or taken hold of by or with, come down with, be afflicted by or with, contract, get, suffer from: You''ll catch a cold if you don''t wear a hat. 6 strike, hit, deliver, fetch, box: She caught him a great blow on the ear and he went down. 7 tangle, become entangled or stuck or trapped or hooked: His foot caught in the stirrup when he fell, and he was dragged along. 8 restrain, stop, check, curb: She caught herself before telling the police where the thief was hiding. 9 intercept, grab, seize, snatch: He caught the ball before it touched the ground. 10 understand, see, comprehend, grasp, apprehend, fathom, perceive, discern, follow, take in, gather, Colloq figure out, get, catch on (to), get the drift (of), Brit twig: I didn''t quite catch what you said - please can you repeat it? 11 captivate, charm, bewitch, enchant, fascinate, seduce, attract, entice, allure: She knows how to use her charms to catch a man. 12 attract, draw: A very slight movement caught my eye. 13 catch on. a understand, grasp, see (through), comprehend, get (it), Brit twig: I didn''t catch on to what she planned to do it till it was too late. The joke''s on you and you still don''t catch on, do you? b take hold, succeed, become popular or fashionable: Do you think the hula hoop will catch on again? 14 catch up. a absorb, involve, enthrall, immerse: He was completely caught up in the plot of the new novel. b reach, overtake, overhaul: I finally caught up with her as she neared the house. --n. 15 capture, take, bag, prize, trophy: The catch of the day was a 20-pound pike. 16 acquisition; conquest: She was considered quite a catch. 17 clasp, hook, pin, clip, fastening, fastener: The catch on the necklace opened and pearls spilt all over the floor. 18 trick, disadvantage, hitch, snag, fly in the ointment, catch-22, trap, problem, drawback , Colloq US hooker: The first book is free, but the catch is that you have to buy four more at the regular price.
catching | catching: adj. 1 contagious, infectious, transmissible, transmittable, communicable: The doctor said that what I have is not catching. 2 attractive, captivating, fascinating, enchanting, bewitching, entrancing, winning, enticing, alluring, fetching: The strange object in the shop window was most catching to the eye of a passer-by.
categorical | categorical: adj. direct, explicit, express, unconditional, firm, positive, unreserved, unrestricted, absolute, outright, downright, unequivocal, unambiguous, specific; emphatic, unqualified, authoritative, dogmatic, Technical apodeictic or apodictic: His denial was clear and categorical.
categorize | categorize: v. classify, class, sort, organize, assort, rank, order, section, departmentalize, group, arrange: Should plankton be categorized under zoology or botany?
category | category: n. class, classification, type, sort, kind, variety, group, grouping, listing, rank, ranking, list, grade, department, division, section, sector, area, sphere; head, heading: Into which category would you put the partially disabled?
cater | cater: v. 1 provision, victual; purvey, provide: We cater exclusively for housebound gourmets. 2 cater for or to. indulge, humour, serve, dance attendance on, pamper, baby, coddle, minister to, spoil, mollycoddle, cosset, pander to: She caters for him night and day. Our music group caters for all levels of ability.
catholic | catholic: adj. universal, general, inclusive, all-inclusive, broad, wide, comprehensive, widespread, all-embracing, eclectic, liberal: Her musical tastes are catholic - they range from Bach to Berry (Chuck, that is).
cattle | cattle: n. livestock, stock, beef; cows, bulls, bullocks, steers, bovines, oxen: He spent 20 years as a cowboy, herding cattle in Texas.
cause | cause: n. 1 origin, occasion, source, root, genesis, agent, prime mover, well-spring: The cause of the train crash is not yet known. 2 originator, creator, producer, agent, agency: His indecision was the cause of many of our problems. 3 ground or grounds, justification, reason, basis, call, motive: You have no cause to be dissatisfied. 4 case, matter, issue, concern; movement, undertaking; ideal, belief: We appealed the miners'' cause to the high court. --v. 5 make, induce: What causes hot air to rise? 6 effect, bring on or about, give rise to, result in, produce, create, precipitate, occasion, lead to, induce, generate, provoke, promote; engender; motivate, compel: Overeating causes indigestion.
caustic | caustic: adj. 1 burning, corrosive, destructive, mordant, astringent: Sulphuric acid is the caustic agent that eats away the metal. 2 sarcastic, biting, acrimonious, sharp, bitter, biting, sardonic, cutting, trenchant, critical, scathing, acid, harsh, pungent, virulent: His caustic remarks do not earn him many friends.
caution | caution: n. 1 warning, admonition, admonishment, caveat, monition, advice, counsel, injunction: A word of caution is needed before you go ahead. 2 wariness, prudence, care, vigilance, forethought, heed, watchfulness, alertness, circumspection, discretion: Drivers should exercise extra caution in bad weather. --v. 3 warn, admonish, forewarn, tip (off); advise, counsel: Some employees had to be cautioned about arriving on time.
cautious | cautious: adj. wary, heedful, careful, prudent, circumspect, watchful, vigilant, alert, circumspect, discreet, guarded: They were very cautious about letting their children go out on their own.
cave | cave: n. 1 cavern, grotto, hollow, hole, cavity, den: In the cave were prehistoric wall paintings. --v. 2 cave in. a collapse, break down, give way, subside, fall in or inwards: The earthquake caused the walls of the house to cave in. b yield, submit, give way; surrender; Colloq buckle, knuckle under: After eight hours of questioning, he caved in and told them everything.
cavil | cavil: n. 1 quibble, complaint: There is a minor cavil at the wording of the statutes. --v. 2 carp, quibble, split hairs, complain, find fault, censure, criticize, dispute, object, demur, Colloq nit-pick: They cavilled at a mere misspelling.
cavity | cavity: n. pit, hole, hollow, opening, crater, gap; space: The limestone is marked with a pattern of cavities. Vowel sounds resonate in the oral cavity.
cavort | cavort: v. curvet, prance, caper, frisk, bound, gambol, romp, skip, leap, jump, dance: Stop cavorting about and settle down.
