
coach | coach: n. 1 carriage, bus, omnibus, motor coach: The sightseeing coach broke down near Exeter. 2 tutor, trainer, instructor, teacher, mentor, Brit crammer: Her voice coach says she''s not yet ready for grand opera. --v. 3 tutor, train, instruct, guide, direct, drill, prepare, prompt, school, exercise, Brit cram: Her lawyers have coached her in what to say in court.
coagulate | coagulate: v. congeal, gel, jell, clot, curdle, set: The white of the egg had coagulated, but the yolk was still runny.
coarse | coarse: adj. 1 rough, uneven, scratchy, prickly, bristly; crude, rough-hewn, unfinished, unrefined: He has a three-day coarse growth of beard. The surface on the furniture is still too coarse. 2 rude, boorish, loutish, crude, ill-mannered, unpolished, rough, uncouth, impolite, uncivil, unrefined: Nigel''s behaviour is coarse, and he spits when he talks. 3 rude, indecent, improper, indelicate, obscene, lewd, vulgar, gross, smutty, dirty, filthy, foul, offensive, lascivious, ribald, bawdy; foul-mouthed: Don''t use that kind of coarse language with me. 4 inferior, low-quality, second-rate, shoddy, tawdry, trashy; kitschy: That shop stocks only the coarsest merchandise.
coast | coast: n. 1 seaside, seashore, shore, sea-coast, strand, beach, littoral, coastline, seaboard: Be careful of rocks if you sail near the coast. --v. 2 glide, skim, slide, sail: The children coasted down the hill on the toboggan.
coat | coat: n. 1 overcoat, greatcoat; jacket, anorak, parka, Brit cagoule, Colloq Brit cag: Put on your coat, it''s cold out. 2 coating, layer, covering, overlay; film: Two coats of paint ought to be enough. There was a coat of dust on everything. --v. 3 cover, paint, spread: We coated the floor with three layers of varnish.
coax | coax: v. persuade, urge, wheedle, cajole, beguile, charm, inveigle, jolly, manipulate: She coaxed me into spending a weekend with her at Blackpool.
cocky | cocky: adj. overconfident, arrogant, haughty, conceited, self-important, egotistical, proud, vain, prideful, cocksure, saucy, cheeky, brash: Since she won the beauty contest, Claire has been entirely too cocky.
coddle | coddle: v. pamper, baby, cosset, mollycoddle, indulge, humour, spoil, Brit cocker: Give him a cold bath and don''t coddle him so much.
code | code: n. 1 law(s), regulation(s), rule(s), jurisprudence, jus canonicum ''canon law'', jus civile ''civil law'', jus divinum ''divine law'', jus gentium ''universal law'', jus naturale ''natural law'', corpus juris, pandect, lex non scripta ''common law, unwritten law'', lex scripta ''statute law'': In the present code there is no statute that forbids keeping a pet gnu. 2 cipher or cypher, cryptogram: Our agents send all their messages in code. 3 system, practice(s), convention(s), standard(s), criterion (criteria), principle(s), rule(s), maxim(s), custom(s), pattern(s), structure, tradition(s), organization, protocol, orthodoxy: Our code of behaviour is completely foreign to the islanders. --v. 4 encode, encipher or encypher, encrypt: It took an hour to code the information.
coffin | coffin: n. casket, pall, (pine) box; sarcophagus: The coffin was slowly lowered into the grave.
cog | cog: n. 1 tooth, gear-tooth, sprocket, ratchet: Stripping the gears means breaking the cogs off them. 2 underling, pawn, subordinate, nonentity, zero, cipher or cypher, nothing, nobody, small fry: He''s only a small cog in the organization - we''re after the big wheel himself.
cognizance | cognizance: n. knowledge, awareness, knowledge, perception, notice, consciousness, mindfulness: They ran the gambling den with the full cognizance of the police.
coherent | coherent: adj. 1 consistent, orderly, organized, well-organized, logical, rational, reasonable, well-ordered: The MP set forth a coherent argument against an excise tax. 2 understandable, sensible, comprehensible, intelligible, articulate, lucid, clear: He was so frightened and hysterical that he was unable to tell a coherent story.
cohort | cohort: n. 1 troop, squad, squadron, platoon, brigade, unit, cadre, wing, legion, detachment, contingent: Ten select Roman cohorts were sent against the Mitanni. 2 company, band, group, faction, set, body, corps: She was a member of a small cohort of suffragettes. 3 companion, confederate, accomplice, associate, fellow, comrade, friend, confr�re: Gerald then arrived with a few of his cohorts.
coil | coil: v. 1 wind, twist, coil, snake, wrap, enwrap, spiral, Nautical fake or flake (down): The rope is coiled round a capstan. --n. 2 winding(s), circle(s), loop, whorl, spiral, helix, twist: His foot caught in the coil of rope and he was carried overboard.
coin | coin: n. 1 specie, money, currency; change, cash, silver: I have only a few coins in my pocket. As he had no notes he had to pay in coin. --v. 2 mint, stamp: The US government has stopped coining silver dollars. 3 invent, create, conceive, originate, start, make up, fabricate, frame, concoct, think or dream up: James Joyce coined the word ''quark''. 4 coin it in or US only coin money. earn or make money, become wealthy, enrich oneself, Colloq rake it in: Those rock stars really coin it in from their record sales.
coincide | coincide: v. fall or come or go together, line up, co-occur, correspond, synchronize, match, tally, agree, (be in) accord, equal, jibe: This year, Easter and Passover coincide. The southern boundary coincides with the Thames.
coincidence | coincidence: n. 1 co-occurrence, simultaneity, correspondence, concurrence, consistency, contemporaneity, synchronism, synchrony, coextension, coevality, coinstantaneity: The coincidence of twelve by the clock with noon by the sundial is exact only four times in the year. 2 congruence, matching, jibing, agreement, concord, accord, harmony, accordance, conformity, congruity, consonance, concomitance: Fortunately there was a coincidence of views on the main issues. 3 chance occurrence, fluke, chance, accident, luck, fortuity, fortuitousness, US and Canadian happenstance: By sheer coincidence, I met my next-door neighbour on the train from Glasgow.
coincidental | coincidental: adj. chance, lucky or unlucky, fortuitous, accidental, unexpected, unpredicted, unpredictable, unforeseen: It was entirely coincidental that we were on the same train.
cold | cold: adj. 1 chill, chilly, frosty, icy, keen, nippy, freezing, frigid, ice-cold, stone-cold, bitter, bitter-cold, raw, biting, biting-cold, numbing, gelid; wintry, hibernal, brumal; arctic, glacial, polar, hyperborean or hyperboreal, Siberian: It was so cold that the canal had completely frozen over. 2 chilly, chilled; unheated, heatless: The room is cold; we''d better put the heating on. 3 indifferent, apathetic, chilly, chilling, cool, icy, dispassionate, unsympathetic, aloof, unresponsive, spiritless, frigid, unfriendly, uncordial, lukewarm, frigid; cold-blooded, insensitive, uncaring, unemotional, undemonstrative, reserved, unmoved, spiritless, callous, remote, distant, standoffish, unapproachable, stony-hearted, emotionless, unfeeling, cold-hearted: My ideas received rather a cold reception. Because she had offended him, he was quite cold to her. 4 depressing, cheerless, chilling, gloomy, dispiriting, deadening, disheartening, bleak, dismal, discouraging: The sweat stood out on his brow in cold apprehension. 5 unmoving, stale, trite, stereotyped; dead: The coldest word was once a glowing new metaphor. 6 weak, faint, stale, old, dead: The trail of the tiger had grown cold. 7 unprepared, unready: She hadn''t studied and went into the exam cold. 8 Often, getting cold. far, distant, remote, off the track: As I searched for the weapon, I felt I was getting cold the further I went from the kitchen. --n. 9 coldness, frigidity, iciness: Last winter, the cold killed off many of our shrubs. 10 head or chest or common cold, influenza, ague, (la or the) grippe, Technical coryza, gravedo, Colloq sniffles, the flu, bug, sneezles and wheezles: I caught a cold waiting for you in the rain. --adv. 11 completely, thoroughly, entirely, absolutely, unhesitatingly, promptly, immediately, unreservedly, abruptly: His application to join the police was turned down cold.
cold-blooded | cold-blooded: adj. 1 Technical poikilothermic or poikilothermal: Reptiles are cold-blooded. 2 unexcited, unemotional, cool, unimpassioned, unfeeling, callous, thick-skinned, insensitive, heartless, uncaring, stony, steely, stony-hearted, cold-hearted, imperturbable, unmoved, indifferent, unresponsive, unsympathetic, apathetic, dispassionate: The murder appeared to be the act of a cold-blooded killer. 3 cruel, brutal, savage, inhuman, barbarous, vicious, barbaric, merciless, pitiless, ruthless: They were victims of a cold-blooded policy of repatriation.
cold-hearted | cold-hearted: adj. insensitive, unsympathetic, apathetic, indifferent, unfeeling, uncaring, callous, thick-skinned, cold, cool, frigid, hard-hearted, heartless, unkind, thoughtless, unthoughtful, uncharitable, ruthless, pitiless, unmerciful, cruel, merciless, mean: Putting that kitten out on a snowy night is the most cold-hearted thing you ever did.
collaborate | collaborate: v. cooperate, join (forces), work together, team up: We collaborated in writing both the lyrics and music.
collapse | collapse: v. 1 fall (down or in or apart), crumple, cave in, deflate, crumble, tumble down, break down, go: When he opened the valve, the balloon collapsed. Hundreds of buildings collapsed in the earthquake. 2 fail, (come to an) end, fall through, peter out, disintegrate, dissolve, fall flat, founder, come to naught or nought, break up or down; decline, diminish; disappear, evaporate, go up in smoke, go bankrupt, go under, Brit go to the wall, Colloq fizzle out: After the imprisonment of their leader, the entire movement collapsed. Owing to the recession, many businesses collapsed. 3 pass out, faint, drop, Colloq keel over; Old-fashioned or literary swoon: He collapsed on-stage and they took him to his dressing-room. 4 break down (mentally), have a (nervous) breakdown, go to pieces, come or fall apart , Colloq crack up, US also crack: She finally collapsed from overwork and is now in a sanatorium. --n. 5 cave-in, breakdown: The collapse of the house was attributed to termites. 6 failure, downfall, ruin; disappearance, disintegration, dissolution, bankruptcy: Will he be able to survive the collapse of his financial empire? 7 (mental) breakdown, prostration, Colloq crack-up: He suffered a mental collapse when his family was killed in a car crash.
colleague | colleague: n. team-mate, fellow-worker, co-worker; associate, comrade, ally, confr�re, mate, consociate, Chiefly Brit and Australian mate, US buddy: I have asked some of my colleagues from the office to join us for dinner.
collect | collect: v. 1 gather (together), get or bring or come or together, amass, accumulate, assemble, compile, pile up, heap up, rack up; convene, congregate, converge, rally, meet: A crowd had collected outside the mayor''s home. They were collecting evidence for their case. 2 summon (up), draw (up), muster, gather (up), concentrate: She collected all her courage to ask for an increase in salary.
collected | collected: adj. calm, serene, controlled, cool, sedate, composed, nonchalant, poised, unruffled, unperturbed, at ease, comfortable, tranquil, unexcited; imperturbable; confident: Considering what she''s just gone through, Tanya seems quite collected.
collection | collection: n. 1 collecting, gathering, solicitation, garnering, gleaning, accumulation, amassment, aggregation, Colloq Brit whip-round: The collection of donations in this neighbourhood is going well. 2 accumulation, hoard, store, assemblage, omnium gatherum; anthology, chrestomathy: Would you like to come up to see my collection of etchings? They have published some very interesting collections.
collector | collector: n. gatherer, accumulator; connoisseur, art-lover: The rent collector is coming tomorrow. We are collectors of paintings by unknown artists.
collide | collide: v. 1 crash, strike or dash together: The cars collided at the bridge. 2 collide with. crash into, smash into, run into, bump into, smack into: The car collided with the bus at the crossing.
collision | collision: n. smash-up, smash, crash, wreck, pile-up, Colloq Brit prang; US crack-up: There has been a major collision on the Tring road.
colossal | colossal: adj. 1 huge, vast, enormous, gigantic, giant, mammoth, massive, gargantuan, Cyclopean, Brobdingnagian, immense, monumental, titanic, Herculean, elephantine, jumbo: Mystery surrounds the exact methods used in moving the colossal stones used in the pyramids. 2 spectacular, stupendous, wonderful, awe-inspiring, staggering, extraordinary, incredible, overwhelming, unbelievable: The old Hollywood extravaganzas were described by press agents as ''colossal''. I think you have made a colossal mistake in failing to hire Cynthia.
colour | colour: n. 1 hue, tint, tincture, shade, tone, cast, tinge, pigmentation; pigment, dye: The colours of the curtains don''t match the wall. 2 colours. a flag, ensign, standard, pennant, banner, burgee: The sloop hoisted the British colours. b device, badge, emblem, insigne or pl insignia, symbol(s), identification; identity, appearance, face; loyalties: The investigators found he''d been operating under false colours. She has shown her true colours at last. --v. 3 tint, dye, stain, paint, crayon, tincture, tinge; pigment: These sections will stand out better if you colour them red. 4 influence, affect, distort, falsify, taint, warp, twist, slant, pervert, bias: Jealousy colours his opinion of his supervisor. 5 blush, redden, flush: After their affair, she visibly coloured whenever they met. 6 falsify, distort, misrepresent, disguise, mask, conceal: He feigns confusion when he wishes to colour his true feelings.
colourless | colourless: adj. 1 pale, pallid, blanched, white; wan, ashen, sallow, waxen, sickly, washed out: You could see from his colourless complexion that he had not been outside for months. 2 dull, drab, uninteresting, vacuous, vapid, lifeless, boring, tedious, spiritless, dry, dry-as-dust, dreary, characterless, insipid, bland, namby-pamby, lacklustre, uninspiring, uninspired: She has led a colourless life. Few people have so colourless a personality as he.
combat | combat: n. 1 fight, encounter, engagement, duel, battle, conflict, war, warfare; skirmish: The two men were locked in single combat. 2 struggle, contest, strife, controversy, dispute, quarrel, disagreement, altercation, vendetta, feud: There was endless combat between father and son. 3 opposition, difference, confrontation: The combat between good and evil can never end. 4 action, fighting, battle, war: He was in combat on three occasions. Have you seen any combat? --v. 5 fight, (do) battle, war, clash, contend, duel, joust, wrestle, come to blows, spar, grapple (with): The soldiers are combating hand to hand in the trenches. 6 fight, struggle or strive against, contest, oppose, defy, enter the lists against, withstand: There was broad support for measures to combat crime and pollution.
combination | combination: n. 1 union, conjunction, mixture, mix, grouping, set, array: They always serve the same combination of foods. 2 association, alliance, coalition, union, federation, confederation, combine, syndication, syndicate, consortium, trust, bloc, cartel, party, society, organization, league, cabal, conspiracy, clique; claque: When they get together they form an unbeatable combination. 3 mixture, amalgam, compound, compounding, mix, alloy, conglomerate, conglomeration, aggregate, aggregation, amalgamation, blend, emulsion, suspension, colloid, solution, composition, Technical parasynthesis, parathesis; mosaic, patchwork: From a combination of ingredients the witch made a slimy love potion. A combination of every colour of the rainbow covered the walls.
combine | combine: v. 1 unite, unify, join, connect, relate, link, conjoin, band, ally, associate, integrate, merge, pool: Combine forces, and we''ll win. 2 blend, mix, amalgamate, mingle, consolidate, compound, incorporate, put together: Combine the water, butter, and salt in a saucepan. 3 blend, fuse, synthesize, bind, bond, compound, unite, coalesce, come together, commingle, mingle: When heated, the silver combines with the chlorine.
come | come: v. 1 approach, advance, (draw) near, move, Archaic or literary draw nigh: The car came towards us. She has come to me for comforting words. Winter is coming. 2 arrive, appear, make or put in an appearance, Colloq blow in, report (in), turn or show up, check in, sign in, clock on or in, roll in: Winter has come. When Cora comes, we''ll ask her. 3 enter: Come into the light, where I can see you. 4 come about. a occur, happen, take place, come up; befall, Loosely transpire: I cannot imagine how this state of affairs came about. b Nautical tack, go about: After the marker, come about and hoist the spinnaker. 5 come across. a find, discover, encounter, meet (up or up with), run across or into, happen or chance upon or on, hit or light on or upon, stumble upon or on, Colloq bump into: I came across some information about Charles. b pay (up), settle; yield, give up, submit: Frank owes me money but refuses to come across. c be communicated or understandable, penetrate, sink in: I am not sure that my points came across. 6 come along. fare, do, progress, move along: How is William coming along at his new school? 7 come apart. disintegrate, crumble, fall or fly to pieces, separate, break (apart or up or down): The carburettor came apart in my hands. 8 come at. attack, assault, charge, rush (at), fly at, descend upon or on, Colloq go or make for: She came at me waving her umbrella. 9 come by. a acquire, obtain, get, procure, secure, find, take or get possession of, get or lay hold of, get or lay or put (one''s) hands or US also fingers on; be given: The tax inspector wondered how she came by such valuable property. b win, earn, attain; be awarded: I came by that trophy fair and square. 10 come clean. See clean, 8, above. 11 come down on or upon. pounce on or upon, rebuke, criticize, revile, reprimand, bear down on, blame: Mother really came down on us when she discovered who had taken the pie. 12 come down with. succumb to, contract, catch, be stricken or afflicted with, acquire: He''s come down with pneumonia. 13 come in. a win, succeed; Colloq finish (in the money): My horse came in. b be, prove, turn out or prove to be: Knowing someone on the council can come in handy. c finish, end up, arrive: Donald came in first in the backstroke. d enter: Don''t come in, I''m dressing. 14 come off. a occur, happen, come to pass, take place , Loosely transpire: I doubt that the performance will ever come off. b emerge, result as: We came off the winners in Saturday''s game. 15 come out. a be revealed, become public or known or common knowledge, get about or around, get or leak out, emerge: The story has come out that he tried to bribe the inspector. b be published or issued or produced or distributed, be shown, be in print, premi�re: The new edition of the dictionary has just come out. c end, conclude, turn out, terminate, finish: How did the chess match come out? 16 come over. a go over, communicate, come across, be communicated, succeed, be received: How did my speech come over? b affect, influence, possess: I can''t imagine what''s come over Louis. c visit, drop or stop by or in: Quentin and his wife came over for dinner last night. 17 come through. a recover (from), recuperate (from), get well or better: He came through his operation with flying colours. b conclude or end (up) or finish or wind up successfully or satisfactorily, succeed, arrive, not fail or disappoint: I knew he''d come through. 18 come to. a amount to, add up to, total, aggregate: My bill came to more than I had with me. b regain or recover consciousness, awake(n), revive, wake up, come (a)round: When I came to, I was on the floor with a terrific headache. c regard, concern, relate to, be a question of, involve, be relevant to, be involved: When it comes to real ale, Mario is the expert. 19 come up. a arise, surface, present itself, be brought up, be broached, come about, turn up, rise, Colloq crop up: The question of religion never came up. b grow, thrive, appear: None of my tulips came up this year. c rise, arise: The moon came up just as the sun was setting.
comedian | comedian: n. humorist, comic, wit, wag, jokesmith; clown, buffoon, funny man, funster, jester, fool, zany, merry andrew: The new comedian at the variety show is very funny.
comely | comely: adj. good-looking, pretty, bonny, lovely, fair, beautiful, handsome, attractive, appealing, wholesome, winsome, buxom: She is a comely woman who has had no shortage of suitors.
come-on | come-on: n. lure, attraction, enticement, inducement, temptation, bait; loss-leader: The free glassware is a come-on to buy a tankful of petrol.
comfort | comfort: v. 1 console, solace, soothe, assuage, reassure, relieve, hearten, cheer, gladden: It might comfort you to know that Roderick has recovered completely. He comforted her when the pain became unbearable. --n. 2 consolation, solace, relief, cheer: I derived some comfort from knowing that my attacker had been caught. 3 ease, luxury, security, abundance, plenty, opulence: Cordelia lived out her days in comfort after inheriting a fortune from her aunt.
comfortable | comfortable: adj. 1 at ease, easy, tranquil, serene, relaxed, contented, untroubled, undisturbed: After the operation, the nurses did everything they could to make me comfortable. 2 well off, carefree, insouciant, contented, satisfied; self-satisfied, complacent, smug: They don''t have a lot of money, but they''re comfortable enough. 3 likeable, easy, congenial, amiable, cordial, warm, pleasant, agreeable, enjoyable, relaxing: Daphne is a very comfortable sort of person to be with. 4 suitable, acceptable, adequate, satisfactory, reasonable: The radio was on very loud, so I turned down the volume to a more comfortable level.
comic | comic: adj. 1 funny, droll, comical, humorous, hilarious, side-splitting, mirthful, jocose, jocular, witty, waggish, clever, facetious, amusing: Barry''s comic routines have made him a popular performer for years. --n. 2 See comedian.
command | command: v. 1 order, direct, bid, enjoin, charge, request, require, demand, instruct; say, prescribe, decree: What the Queen commands must be done. 2 control, dominate, have or maintain or wield authority or control or sway or influence over, hold sway over; lead, rule, govern, have under one''s thumb, call the tune; head (up): Whoever commands the sea commands the town. He commanded a battalion during the war. 3 master, draw upon or on, control, summon: The work required all the skill the sculptor could command. 4 attract, earn; exact, compel, demand: Gunga Din''s bravery commanded the respect of the entire regiment. 5 dominate, control, overlook, look down on; have, enjoy, possess: The tower commands a view of the entire valley. --n. 6 order, direction, behest, mandate, charge, bidding, instruction: Your wish is my command. 7 control, authority, power, sovereignty, dominion, regulation, direction, management, government, oversight, leadership, charge, sway, stewardship, jurisdiction: The unit is under the command of the colonel. 8 mastery, control, (thorough) grasp or knowledge: He has a good command of three languages.
commemorate | commemorate: v. memorialize, remember, celebrate, observe, dedicate, consecrate, solemnize, sanctify, hallow, reverence, revere, honour, venerate, pay tribute or homage to, salute; immortalize: We are here to commemorate deeds of valour and the men who performed them.
commence | commence: v. 1 begin, enter upon, start, initiate, launch, embark on or upon: Tomorrow morning, we commence the ascent of Mont Blanc. 2 begin, start, open: The ceremonies are about to commence. 3 begin, start, initiate, launch, inaugurate, establish: We commenced operations at this plant last year.
comment | comment: n. 1 remark, reference, animadversion, note, annotation, criticism, exposition, explanation, expansion, elucidation, clarification, footnote: The author''s comments on his sources appear in the appendix. 2 commentary, opinion, remark, view, observation, reaction: The judge''s comments are not for publication. --v. 3 remark, observe, opine, say: He commented that he knew nothing about the minister''s private life. 4 comment on or about. discuss, talk about, remark on; reveal, expose: She declined to comment on what had happened the previous night.
commerce | commerce: n. trade, business, mercantilism, marketing, merchandising, traffic, trafficking: All commerce consists in the exchange of commodities of equal value. My husband is in commerce.
commit | commit: v. 1 entrust, consign, transfer, assign, delegate, hand over, deliver, give; allot, pledge, allocate: They committed the goods to traders with strong distribution facilities. 2 sentence, send (away), confine, shut up, intern, put away, imprison, incarcerate: The judge committed her to prison. You can be committed for such behaviour. 3 perpetrate, do, perform, carry out: They committed murder for money. 4 commit oneself. pledge, promise, covenant, agree, assure, swear, give one''s word, vow, vouchsafe, engage, undertake, guarantee, bind oneself: He committed himself to buying the company after seeing the books.
committee | committee: n. council, board, cabinet, panel, body, commission: They have set up a committee to oversee park planning.
common | common: adj. 1 ordinary, everyday, commonplace, prosaic, usual, familiar, customary, prevalent, frequent, run-of-the-mill, general, normal, standard, conventional, regular, routine, stock, average, proverbial; plain, simple, garden-variety, common or garden, workaday, undistinguished, unexceptional: Intermarriage is a common occurrence among the members of the sect. We planted a common variety of carrot. 2 mutual, reciprocal, joint, shared: Our common heritage must be protected. 3 low-class, ordinary, plain, simple, plebeian, bourgeois, proletarian, run-of-the-mill, vulgar, unrefined: Kings avoid dealing with the common people. 4 inferior, low-grade, mean, cheap, base: He was smoking a cigar of the commonest type. 5 public, general, community, communal, collective, non-private, universal; well-known: The contents of the library are the common property of everyone. Their romance is common knowledge in the village. 6 trite, stale, hackneyed, worn out, banal, tired, overused, stereotyped, clich�d, stereotypical: The term ''yuppie'' has become too common to have much impact any longer.
communicate | communicate: v. 1 make known, impart, confer, transmit, transfer, hand on or down, share, pass on or along, send on, spread; tell, divulge, disclose, reveal, announce, transmit, promulgate, proffer, tender, offer, convey, deliver, present, give, yield, supply: Moral qualities are sometimes thought to be communicated by descent. I communicated to them the information that I had about the missiles. 2 Also, communicate with. be in communication (with), converse (with), talk (with), chat (with); correspond (with); associate (with), be in contact or touch (with), reach: Donald and I haven''t communicated in years. Instead of communicating with him by telephone, she did so via personal notices in the newspaper. 3 get or put across, make understandable; get through to, reach, be of one mind, be in tune, relate, be in or en rapport, make oneself understood , Slang be or vibrate on the same frequency or wavelength: He has difficulty in communicating his ideas to his students. We might talk, but are we communicating?
compact | compact: adj. 1 packed, compacted, closely-knit, condensed, concentrated, consolidated, compressed; dense, solid, firm, thick: The sesame seeds are mixed with honey and pressed into a compact block. 2 tight, small, snug, little: The table folds up into a compact unit for storage. 3 condensed, terse, laconic, close, pithy, succinct, concise, brief, compendious, laconic, epigrammatic, aphoristic: The information is given in a compact form with many abbreviations and symbols.
companion | companion: n. 1 fellow, associate, comrade, colleague, confr�re, Colloq chiefly Brit and Australian mate, US and Canadian buddy: For ten years they had been constant companions. 2 vade-mecum, manual, handbook, guide, reference book, enchiridion: They publish a pocket companion listing the month''s events. 3 escort, chaperon(e), attendant, (in Spain, Portugal) duenna: Aunt Dinah is too old to be alone, so we have engaged a companion for her.
companionship | companionship: n. fellowship, camaraderie, comradeship, company, society, amity, friendship, fraternity: I often enjoy the companionship of an older person.
company | company: n. 1 companionship, society, fellowship; attendance, presence; associates, friends, companions, comrades: It was a stormy night, and I was only too glad to have his company. A man is known by the company he keeps. 2 assemblage, party, band, group, retinue, entourage, suite, train, coterie, ensemble, troop, followers, following, flock; circle, assembly, gathering, convention, body, crowd, throng, Theatre troupe, cast, players, actors, performers: The king arrived with his company at the gate of the city. The speaker addressed the assembled company. The company leaves today for a month on the road. 3 guest(s); visitor(s), caller(s): Are you having company for dinner tonight? 4 firm, business, house, concern, institution, establishment, enterprise; proprietorship, partnership, corporation, Brit public limited company, plc, Australian and New Zealand and South African private limited company, Pty: The company was founded in 1867.
compare | compare: v. 1 liken, associate, make (an) analogy (with), refer, analogize: How can you compare your collection to mine? 2 compare with. resemble, be or look like, be on a par with, be in a class or the same class with, correspond, match, parallel, approach, approximate, bear or merit comparison (with); rival, compete with or against, be a match for: Your paintings compare well with Picasso''s. The new recordings don''t begin to compare with the old ones. 3 contrast, measure against, weigh, juxtapose, set side by side, relate, correlate: We need to compare the results of the two surveys.
comparison | comparison: n. 1 contrasting, contrast, juxtaposing, juxtaposition, balancing, balance, weighing: His comparison of the candidates is prejudiced. 2 match, similarity, resemblance, likeness, comparability, relation, relationship, commensurability, kinship, point of agreement or correspondence: There is no comparison between a racing car and a family car.
compartment | compartment: n. division, section, partition, part, space, chamber, bay, alcove, cell, pigeon-hole, locker, cubby-hole, niche, cubicle, slot: Each specimen is in its own separate compartment.
compensate | compensate: v. 1 recompense, make up (for), make restitution or reparation, offset, make good, indemnify, repay, reimburse, redress, requite; expiate, atone, make amends (for): The company compensated us for the loss of the car. Arriving at school early today, Gerard, does not compensate for having been late yesterday. 2 balance, counterpoise, counterbalance, equalize, neutralize, even (up), square, offset: Deduct six ounces to compensate for the weight of the container. 3 pay, remunerate, reward, repay, recompense: Two pounds does not compensate me adequately for an hour''s work.
compensatory | compensatory: adj. compensative, remunerative, restitutive or restitutory, expiatory, reparative or reparatory, piacular: His huge donation to the church was a compensatory offering for his past sins.
compete | compete: v. contend, vie, struggle, strive, conflict, joust, fence; fight, battle, clash, collide: They are competing to see who will become chairman of the company. These two designs compete with one another for the viewer''s attention.
competent | competent: adj. 1 adequate, suitable, sufficient, satisfactory, acceptable, all right, Colloq OK or okay: Colquhon will make a competent bureau chief. 2 qualified, fit, capable, proficient, able, prepared: Do you really think that fellow Johnson competent to write a dictionary?
competition | competition: n. 1 rivalry, contention, striving, struggle: The competition for newspaper circulation becomes keener every day. 2 contest, match, meet, game, tournament, event; championship: We entered the competition as underdogs. 3 See competitor.
competitor | competitor: n. rival, opponent, competition, opposition, adversary; antagonist, contestant, contender: Our main competitor has just announced a new product.
compile | compile: v. collect, put together, gather, accumulate, assemble, amass, collate, organize, order, systematize; anthologize, compose: He has compiled a large butterfly collection. Every year she compiles a volume of the best stories.
complain | complain: v. grumble, moan, groan, wail, grouse, carp (at), whimper, cry, lament, bemoan, Colloq gripe, squawk, grouch, Brit whinge, Slang bitch, beef, US kick: What are you complaining about now?
complaint | complaint: n. grumble, grievance, grouse, Colloq gripe, squawk , Slang beef, US kick: I have no complaints about my treatment while I was in hospital.
complement | complement: v. 1 completion, perfection, confirmation, finishing touch, consummation: The grand tour was considered the necessary complement of an English education in the 18th century. 2 crew, team, company, band, outfit; quota, allowance, quorum: The regiment''s full complement was attained by selecting from among the recruits. --v. 3 complete, perfect, round out or off, set off, top off; flesh out: The setting was complemented by a huge floral arrangement. His argument was complemented by evidence from rare documents. 4 supplement, enhance, add to: These are facts that complement but do not contradict her story.
complete | complete: adj. 1 entire, whole, intact, uncut, unbroken, undivided, unabridged, full, undiminished, unabated, unreduced: The complete works of Dickens are available in paperback. They performed the complete opera, a six-hour marathon. 2 finished, ended, concluded, over, done, accomplished, terminated; settled, executed, performed: The company''s figures are not yet complete. When will your building plan be complete? 3 entire, total, thorough, absolute, utter, unqualified, unmixed, unalloyed, pure, unmitigated, rank: I attribute the disaster to a complete breakdown of communication, together with the complete incompetence of the site manager. 4 perfect, consummate, exemplary, ideal, model, superior, superlative, superb, faultless, flawless: Her dissertation is a work of complete scholarship. --v. 5 conclude, finish, end, bring to an end, accomplish, achieve, do, Colloq wrap up; finalize: He stopped after completing ten ciruits of the track. Have you completed the prospectus? 6 round out, round off, perfect; crown, culminate: The unit was completed by the addition of five platoons. A golden cupola completed the top of the dome.
completely | completely: adv. 1 entirely, fully, quite, wholly, totally, altogether, in toto, thoroughly, perfectly, exactly, precisely, down to the ground, from start to finish, from beginning to end, from A to Z, from the word go, in full; lock, stock, and barrel; hook, line, and sinker; heart and soul; root and branch; en masse: The currency does not completely represent the wealth of the country. 2 unqualifiedly, unconditionally, thoroughly, utterly, totally, absolutely, quite, altogether, unreservedly: He''s completely mad if he thinks that thing will fly. 3 clearly, expressly, explicitly, unambiguously, entirely, fully, totally, wholly, altogether, unequivocally, truly, categorically, flatly: I am completely in agreement with your policy.
completion | completion: n. 1 conclusion, end, close, termination, fulfilment, culmination, realization, accomplishment, finish: The completion of the building phase is scheduled for next July. 2 finishing, finalization, wind-up, finishing-off, completing: The completion of the house is scheduled for next October.
complexity | complexity: n. 1 complication, convolution: We are finding it difficult to understand the complexities of the agreement. 2 intricacy, involvement, complicatedness; inscrutability: The complexity of her theory makes it difficult to interpret.
complicate | complicate: v. 1 mix up, entangle, snarl, tangle, confound, muddle, confuse: You only complicate matters by bringing up the question of religion in a discussion of money. 2 make complicated or complex, make involved or intricate, make a shambles or mess or muddle of, mess up, Colloq screw up: The phenomena of tides and currents greatly complicate coastwise navigation.
complicated | complicated: adj. involved, intricate, complex, compound, elaborate; ornate, Byzantine, Daedalian, tangled, knotty, confused, labyrinthine: In birds the eye is a more complicated organ than in our own species. His plan is too complicated to understand.
complication | complication: n. 1 complexity, involvement, intricacy, convolution: The complications of the diagram make it almost impossible to understand. 2 difficulty, problem, predicament, dilemma, obstacle, obstruction, snag, drawback: Asking for more money might create complications.
compliment | compliment: n. 1 praise, homage, commendation, honour, tribute, flattery, bouquet, favour: The greatest compliment given to my work has been its success. 2 Usually, compliments. respects, regards, good or best wishes, felicitations, salutations, greetings: I stopped by to pay my compliments to your mother. --v. 3 honour, praise, pay homage or tribute to, commend, laud, congratulate, felicitate; flatter: She came backstage to compliment me on my performance.
complimentary | complimentary: adj. 1 laudatory, commendatory, encomiastic, panegyrical, eulogistic, congratulatory, flattering: The duke was most complimentary about my sculpture. 2 free, gratis, on the house: The shoehorn is complimentary when you buy a pair of shoes.
comply | comply: v. agree, obey, conform, consent, acquiesce, concur, submit, yield, accede; accord: They require your signature and I hope you''ll comply.
compose | compose: v. 1 constitute, form, make (up), be a constituent or ingredient or component or element of, be a part of: Clouds are composed of countless particles of water. 2 write, create, imagine, think up, originate, frame, formulate, make (up), author, devise; contrive; set to music, arrange: He composed the poem while travelling on the Flying Scotsman. That symphony was composed in 1873. 3 be composed of. consist of or in, comprise, be formed or made (up) of, be constituted of: The new government is composed of a coalition of three parties. 4 compose oneself. calm (down), quiet or quieten (down), pacify, control oneself, get control of or over oneself: They stopped crying and composed themselves.
composition | composition: n. 1 theme, essay, article, paper, story: The teacher required each of us to write a thousand-word composition every week. 2 combination, make-up, structure, form, assembly, set-up, organization, layout, arrangement, configuration, shaping; balance, harmony, proportion, placement, placing, construction: Notice the composition of the various elements in this painting. 3 combination, aggregate, mixture, compound, compounding, mix, formulation, formula, composite, amalgam, alloy, m�lange, medley: The medication was a composition of several odd ingredients. 4 creation, origination, formulation, fashioning: The composition of the opera was begun in 1837. 5 make-up, constitution: What goes into the composition of brass?
compound | compound: v. 1 put together, combine, mix, concoct, compose, make (up), formulate, blend: They compound curry powder from different spices. 2 blend, merge, coalesce, combine, unite, fuse or US also fuze, come or go together: Sometimes two words compound to form one, as in ''ingrown'', ''outgrow'', and ''uptake''. 3 aggravate, intensify, exacerbate, heighten, augment, add to, worsen, increase; enhance, multiply: Demanding your money back now will only compound the problem. --adj. 4 intricate, complex, involved, complicated; composite, multiple, multiform, multifaceted, Technical parasynthetic, parathetic: The compound eye of the fly / Lets it see far better than I. A compound sentence is composed of two or more clauses joined by one or more coordinating conjunctions, express or understood. --n. 5 composite, blend, synthesis, combination, consolidation, Technical parasynthesis, parathesis; mixture, amalgam, alloy, merging, merger, mix: Table salt is a compound of the metallic element sodium and the gaseous element chlorine. ''Slithy'' is a compound of ''slimy'' and ''writhe''.
comprehend | comprehend: v. understand, see, grasp, conceive, take in, apprehend, realize, fathom, perceive, discern, absorb, assimilate, appreciate: Do you comprehend how serious the matter has become?
comprehensive | comprehensive: adj. inclusive, encompassing, thorough, extensive, full, exhaustive, complete, sweeping, wide, broad, encyclopedic or encyclopaedic: We hope to give comprehensive coverage to all aspects of the subject in our new book.
compulsive | compulsive: adj. compelling, obsessive, coercive, urgent, forceful, overwhelming, constrained: She is such a compulsive workaholic that she double-checks everything done by her staff.
compunction | compunction: n. 1 remorse, contrition, regret, uneasiness of mind, pang or pricking of conscience, self-reproach: He has no compunction about hurting your feelings. 2 hesitation, reluctance, reserve, disinclination, qualm, misgiving, unwillingness, fear: She has no compunction about speaking her mind.
compute | compute: v. calculate, reckon, figure (out), work out, determine, ascertain, estimate: My accountant computed my income tax for this year and told me that I was entitled to a refund.
comrade | comrade: n. colleague, associate, friend, companion, chum, crony, confr�re, Colloq pal, chum, Chiefly Brit and Australian mate, Australian cobber, US buddy: None of my comrades from the old regiment attended the reunion this year.
conceal | conceal: v. 1 hide, secrete, bury, cover, disguise, camouflage: Packets of a white powdery substance were concealed inside each doll. 2 keep secret or hidden, keep quiet about, disguise, not reveal; dissemble: He concealed his true identity even from his wife.
concede | concede: v. 1 admit, allow, grant, acknowledge, confess, own (up or to or up to), accept: I conceded that I had no business in the bank after closing. 2 grant, yield, surrender, cede, give up, submit, resign, relinquish, abandon, waive: In chess, upon the loss of a queen, many players will concede. She has conceded any right to the estate of her uncle.
conceit | conceit: n. 1 vanity, pride, egotism, self-esteem, self-admiration, self-love, narcissism, vainglory, amour propre; arrogance: His conceit is matched only by his incompetence. 2 fancy, whim, caprice: Some have a conceit their drink tastes better / In an outlandish cup than their own. 3 elaborate figure (of speech), affectation, strained or far-fetched metaphor: A conceit would be calling the waves ''nodding hearse-plumes''.
conceited | conceited: adj. vain, egotistical, self-centred, egocentric, self-admiring, narcissistic, prideful, proud, arrogant, self-involved, self-important, self-satisfied, smug, complacent, vainglorious, snobbish, Colloq stuck-up; Slang snotty: That conceited ass really thinks the world of himself.
conceive | conceive: v. 1 have, bear, beget, sire, father, give birth to; become pregnant (with): After the twins, they conceived three boys. 2 formulate, devise, plan, contrive, create, plot, hatch, develop, evolve, fabricate, think or make up, form, frame, design: He conceived a scheme for swindling that poor woman out of her life savings. 3 think (up), imagine, speculate (on), perceive, see, understand, realize, comprehend, envision, envisage, conjure up, dream up, hypothesize, postulate, posit, suggest, suppose: I cannot conceive of any reason why she shouldn''t be allowed to take part.
concentrate | concentrate: v. 1 focus, direct, centre, centralize, converge, consolidate: The council concentrated its efforts on refurbishing the schools. 2 condense, reduce, distil, intensify, refine, strengthen: The sap of the sugar maple is concentrated by boiling. 3 gather, collect, congregate, draw or bring together, crowd, cluster, group: Much of the population is concentrated around the large cities. 4 think, focus one''s thoughts or attention, apply oneself: I cannot concentrate with the radio on.
conception | conception: n. 1 birth, beginning, genesis, inception, commencement, emergence, start, inauguration, initiation, launch, launching, origin, origination, formation, formulation, introduction: We were excited to be in at the conception of the scheme. 2 idea, notion, inkling, clue, concept; id�e re�u; understanding, knowledge, appreciation, comprehension: He has no conception of what is involved in maintaining a yacht. 3 design, plan, scheme, proposal, outline: Transporting a building from another site instead of constructing one was a bold conception.
concern | concern: v. 1 refer or relate to, have relation or reference to, be about, pertain or appertain to, be pertinent or relevant to, regard, apply to, be connected or involved with, bear on, be germane to, be connected with, involve, apply to, touch (on): The matter concerns your inheritance, Cosgrove. 2 affect, have (a) bearing or (an) influence on, involve, touch; interest, be of importance or interest to: This war concerns us all. 3 worry, trouble, disturb, bother, perturb, unsettle, upset, distress: He doesn''t let anything concern him. --n. 4 business, affair, problem; responsibility, duty, charge, task, involvement, Colloq thing; Slang bag, shtick: What she does is no concern of yours. The safety of the passengers is his concern. 5 interest, regard, consideration, care, thought, awareness, attention: You should show more concern for those less fortunate than you. 6 anxiety, worry, solicitude, apprehension, distress, apprehensiveness, uneasiness, malaise, disquiet, disquietude: It''s only a cold, and no cause for concern. 7 business, firm, company, house, establishment, enterprise, organization: The business is being sold as a going concern. 8 matter, affair, issue: The preservation of wildlife is an international concern.
concerned | concerned: adj. 1 involved, responsible, interested, active; caring, solicitous: The best governments are run by a concerned citizenry. 2 troubled, vexed, anxious, worried, distressed, uneasy, perturbed, bothered, upset, disturbed: They were not at all concerned about the state of my health.
concerning | concerning: prep. about, regarding, relative or relating to, referring to, with or in reference to, as regards, in or with regard to, with an eye to, with respect to, respecting, apropos (of), as to or for, in the matter of, on the subject of, re, Formal anent: Concerning your recent application, please phone this office.
concise | concise: adj. brief, terse, laconic, compact, direct, succinct, epigrammatic, cogent, pithy, compendious, summary, epigrammatic, trenchant, compressed, condensed, short; shortened, abridged, curtailed, abbreviated: He gave a concise summary of the findings. This is a concise edition of the dictionary.
concrete | concrete: adj. real, actual, literal, realistic, authentic, valid, genuine, bona fide, reliable; specific, particular, definite, definitive, clear-cut, material, physical, tangible, substantial: Have you any concrete evidence for the existence of UFOs?
condemn | condemn: v. 1 censure, blame, criticize, remonstrate with or against, denounce, disparage, reproach, rebuke, reprove, scold, reprimand, upbraid: The council was condemned for failing to provide adequate health care. 2 convict, find guilty; sentence, doom: The judge condemned them to twenty years imprisonment. 3 Usually, condemned. doomed, damned, destined, fated, ordained, foreordained; consigned: He has been condemned to wander forever.
condescend | condescend: v. stoop, deign, lower or humble or demean oneself, come down off one''s high horse: She wouldn''t condescend to talk to the stable-boy directly.
condescending | condescending: adj. patronizing, belittling, disdainful, contemptuous, pompous, overbearing, high-handed, imperious, snobbish, haughty, Colloq snooty, Brit toffee-nosed; Slang snotty: He thinks he''s better than everyone, and I can''t stand his condescending manner.
condition | condition: n. 1 state; circumstance(s), shape: What condition is the house in? My bank account is in a poor condition. 2 stipulation, proviso, demand, requirement, term, qualification, contingency, requisite, prerequisite: The terrorists have announced their conditions for releasing the hostages. 3 working order, fitness, shape, form, fettle; health: He''s in good condition, but his car isn''t. 4 conditions. circumstances; quarters; environment: The ship''s crew live in very crowded conditions. --v. 5 ready, get or make ready, prepare, equip, outfit, fit (out or up), adapt, modify: The mechanics are conditioning the plane for high-altitude flights. 6 train, educate, teach; brainwash; influence, mould, persuade: The children were conditioned to avoid talking to strangers. 7 accustom, inure, adapt, acclimate, acclimatize: At this training base, we condition the commandos to all kinds of hardships.
conduct | conduct: n. 1 behaviour, actions, demeanour, manners, deportment, comportment, attitude: Such conduct will not be tolerated in this school. 2 guidance, direction, management, supervision, leadership, administration, government, running, handling, control, command, regulation, operation: Had the conduct of the war been left up to him, we should have lost. --v. 3 guide, direct, supervise, manage, carry on, run, control, administer, regulate, operate: They conduct a remarkably successful business. 4 lead, guide, escort, show (in or out), usher: We were conducted through the gallery by the curator herself. 5 channel, carry, transmit, convey; direct: Electrical power is conducted by the cable. 6 conduct oneself. behave, act, demean, deport, comport, acquit: For a six-year-old, he conducted himself very well.
confer | confer: v. 1 converse, consult, deliberate, talk (over), discuss, take counsel: I shall have to confer with my colleagues on that matter. 2 When transitive, confer on. give, grant, present, award; bestow (on): The prizes will be conferred after the dinner. He was bewildered by the honours conferred on him.
conference | conference: n. meeting, convention, symposium, congress, seminar, forum, colloquium; discussion, talk, colloquy, US bull session: In 1988, the conference was held in Budapest.
confess | confess: v. disclose, acknowledge, admit, own (up or to or up to), declare, avow, make a clean breast (of); reveal, divulge, confirm, concede, affirm, aver, testify; disbosom oneself, Colloq come clean: She confessed her part in the swindle. Confronted with the evidence, he confessed.
confidence | confidence: n. 1 trust, reliance, faith; belief: Your parents have a great deal of confidence in you. 2 assurance, self-confidence, self-assurance, self-reliance, poise, aplomb, coolness; conviction, certitude, boldness, courage, nerve: We admire the confidence she shows in her daring plan. 3 in confidence. in secrecy, in privacy, privately, confidentially, intimately, Colloq on the q.t. or Q.T.: I am telling you this in confidence.
confident | confident: adj. 1 secure, sure, certain, assured, positive, convinced: I feel confident that we shall get the contract. 2 self-confident, self-assured, self-possessed, reliant, self-reliant, dauntless, bold, cool, cocksure, fearless, courageous, Colloq cocky: He strode into the room with a confident air.
confidential | confidential: adj. private, secret, intimate; classified; Colloq hush-hush: These confidential papers must never be out of your possession.
confirm | confirm: v. 1 ratify, sanction, authorize, endorse, support, sustain, approve, uphold, back up, validate, verify, recognize; authenticate, accredit: By-laws shall not take effect unless confirmed by the local authority. 2 establish, settle, affirm, ensure, clinch, substantiate, guarantee, bind, seal: The king thereby confirmed his control over the islands. 3 strengthen, encourage, fortify, reinforce, corroborate, substantiate, buttress, prove: Later events confirmed his opinion.
confiscate | confiscate: v. appropriate, seize, impound, sequester, sequestrate, expropriate, take (away), commandeer: The police confiscated my car to use as evidence.
conflict | conflict: n. 1 fight, battle, combat, engagement, struggle, war, fray, fracas, affray, brawl, Donnybrook: Gurkha troops entered the conflict. 2 dispute, argument, controversy, wrangle, contention, disagreement, altercation, feud, quarrel, row; squabble, tiff, Colloq spat: The counsellor was unable to resolve the conflict between the sisters regarding the will. 3 clash, antagonism, difference, opposition, disagreement, variance, discord: There is a basic conflict between the interests of labour and of management. --v. 4 clash, disagree, differ, be incompatible or at odds or at variance, be in opposition (to): The plans conflict on only one point.
conform | conform: v. 1 comply (with), follow, observe, obey, respect, abide by, adapt or adjust (to): We agree to conform to the rules of the club. 2 accord (with), agree (with), concur (with), coincide (with), correspond (with), harmonize (with), square (with), match, tally (with), fit (in with), be consistent (with), be in accord or in accordance (with): Their behaviour did not conform with what is expected in such circles. The two plans do not conform.
confuse | confuse: v. 1 disconcert, perplex, puzzle, bewilder, mystify, baffle, bemuse, befuddle, discomfit, confound, fluster, flummox, upset, disorient, embarrass, abash, shame, dismay, Colloq rattle, throw, Chiefly US discombobulate , US and Canadian buffalo: She was completely confused by his offer to help. 2 disorder, confound, disorganize, throw into disarray, muddle, mix up, snarl (up), ensnarl, tangle (up), entangle, botch, Colloq mess up, make a mess of, screw up, Brit make a balls-up of, US ball up: He has done more to confuse the situation than to clear it up. 3 mix up, confound, muddle, jumble, snarl (up), ensnarl; blur: The identities of the children were confused at birth.
confused | confused: adj. 1 mixed up, jumbled, disordered, disorganized, disorderly, muddled, muddle-headed, snarled (up), messy, baffling, confusing, mystifying, puzzling, perplexing; contradictory, ambiguous, misleading, inconsistent, mixed up, botched (up) , Colloq higgledy-piggledy: The accountants have provided a confused set of figures. 2 bewildered, perplexed, puzzled, baffled, (be)fuddled, mystified, disoriented, discomposed, at sea, flummoxed, dazed, muddled, bemused, mixed up, nonplussed, disconcerted, abashed, put off, put out, disturbed, flustered, ill at ease, upset, at sixes and sevens, at a loss, Rare metagrobolized, Colloq screwed-up, muzzy, out of it, not with it, Chiefly US discombobulated, fouled up; Slang (all) balled up, Brit (all) bollocksed or ballocksed (up), US (all) bollixed (up), US and Canadian snafu: I have never seen anyone so confused about a simple question of astrophysics. 3 jumbled, mixed up, muddled, disorderly, confusing, messy, disorganized, topsy-turvy; miscellaneous, motley, Brit shambolic: The books lay in a confused heap on the floor.
confusion | confusion: n. 1 disorder, mix-up, mess, jumble, muddle, disarray, disarrangement, chaos, shambles: The files are in complete confusion. 2 tumult, commotion, disorder, turmoil, pandemonium, bedlam, chaos: Untold confusion resulted from sounding the alarm. 3 mix-up, confounding; ambiguity, ambiguousness, misunderstanding, contradiction, inconsistency: There is often some confusion between the name of a thing and the thing itself. 4 mixing, combining, mixing up, intermingling: The removal firm is responsible for the confusion of your books with mine. 5 assortment, mixture, pot-pourri, gallimaufry, hotchpotch or US and Canadian also hodgepodge: A confusion of products lines the shelves. 6 embarrassment, discomfiture, mortification, abashment, shamefacedness, chagrin: He felt terrible confusion when confronted with the evidence.
congested | congested: adj. (over)crowded, blocked (up), jammed, crammed, plugged, stopped or stuffed (up), choked: The police are trying to deal with traffic at congested intersections.
congratulate | congratulate: v. felicitate, compliment: Her friends congratulated her on winning the award.
congratulations | congratulations: interjection. Felicitations!, Best wishes!, Well done!, Many happy returns!, Colloq Nice going!, Good show!: Heartiest congratulations! You''ve come in first!
connect | connect: v. 1 join or link or tie (together), unite: An old road connects the two towns. 2 associate, affiliate, link, relate, league, tie (in): The police connected him with the break-in. The institute is connected with a pharmaceuticals company. 3 fasten, bind, unite, tie, link, join, attach, couple, put together, secure, fit, fix, affix, stick, anchor, lock; rivet, weld, braze, solder, screw, nail, stitch, sew, pin, hook, staple, tack, glue, cement, fuse, seal, buckle, strap, bolt, lash, chain, moor: Connect the parts to the frame.
connection | connection: n. 1 uniting, joining, linking, connecting, coupling; union, bond, joint, link: The US constitution forbids a formal connection between Church and State. The connection between the fittings has broken. 2 link, tie, (inter)relation(ship), interplay, bearing, reference, relevance, appropriateness, correlation, tie-in; coherence, consistency, association: Your answer had no connection with the question. 3 Often, connections. contact, ally, acquaintance, friend (at court); influence, Colloq pull; Slang US drag: With their connections, they can get away with anything. 4 connections. relatives, relations, family, kin, kith and kin: They have connections in Australia.
conquer | conquer: v. 1 overcome, vanquish, beat, defeat, subdue, crush, subjugate: The Moors conquered most of Spain. 2 capture, seize, win, gain, acquire, obtain; occupy, annex, overrun: They conquered the territory by force of arms. 3 overcome, triumph or prevail over, beat, surmount, master, win out (over): He has finally conquered the habit of biting his fingernails.
conquest | conquest: n. 1 vanquishment, subjugation, defeat, domination, subjection: Hernando Cort�s is famous for his conquest of Mexico. 2 victory, triumph, mastery, win: He is credited with the conquest of a number of diseases by means of this drug.
conscience | conscience: n. morality, morals, judgement, fairness, sense of right and wrong, ethics, honour, standards, principles, scruples: In such matters, your conscience must be your guide.
conscientious | conscientious: adj. 1 scrupulous, principled, fair, moral, ethical, strict, righteous, right-minded, upstanding, upright, honourable, just, responsible, high-minded; incorruptible: Fetherby is a conscientious arbitrator. 2 cautious, careful, scrupulous, exacting, meticulous, punctilious, painstaking, diligent, particular, rigorous, thorough: A conscientious effort was made to restore the painting to its original condition. 3 prudent, discreet, politic, careful, circumspect, heedful, attentive, serious: Fred is conscientious about keeping secrets.
conscious | conscious: adj. 1 aware, awake, alert: I was conscious of an eerie presence. The victim of the attack is now conscious. 2 deliberate, intentional, purposive, purposeful, wilful, studied: Lydia has been making a conscious effort to be friendlier to me.
consent | consent: v. 1 agree, comply, concur, accede, acquiesce, concede, yield, submit, cede, conform, give in: He asked for payment in advance and I consented. 2 consent to. permit, allow, agree to, give in to, approve, authorize: Richard''s parents consented to his going on the outing. --n. 3 approval, assent, permission, sanction, authorization, imprimatur, seal of approval, Colloq OK, okay, go-ahead: Have Richard''s parents given their consent? 4 agreement, acceptance, acquiescence, compliance, approval, concurrence: Taxes cannot be raised without the consent of Parliament.
consequently | consequently: adv. so, therefore, as a result or consequence, accordingly, ergo, hence, thus: He was found guilty and, consequently, sentenced to death.
conservation | conservation: n. preservation, protection, safe keeping, maintenance, upkeep, management, safeguarding; husbandry, economy: The conservation of natural resources must be a priority.
conservative | conservative: adj. 1 reactionary, right, right-wing, rightist, Tory: In his conservative view, no change is ever for the better. 2 cautious, careful, prudent, moderate, temperate, middle-of-the-road, sober, stable; unprogressive, orthodox, traditional, conformist, hidebound, conventional, standard, fundamentalist, true-blue, dyed in the wool: The conservative approach would be to study the problem before making a change. The conservative members voted against electing certain members to the club. --n. 3 reactionary, rightist, right-winger, Tory, fundamentalist; moderate, middle-of-the-roader: He''s a conservative and favours a classical education.
conserve | conserve: v. 1 keep, preserve, hold on to, save, spare, reserve: Conserve your energy for later, when we get near the top. 2 preserve, maintain, keep up, take care of: These buildings should be conserved for later generations.
consider | consider: v. 1 think about or over, take into or under consideration, deliberate (over or about), contemplate (on or over), weigh, ponder, mull over, cogitate on, meditate (on or upon or over), reflect (on or upon), ruminate (on or over), chew over, study, examine: The council will consider your proposal. 2 heed, mark, take into account or consideration, reckon with, bear in mind, note, observe, make allowance for; esteem, respect, have regard for: Consider your mother''s feelings in the matter. 3 regard, look upon; judge, deem, take to be, think, believe, gauge, rate, estimate, reckon: Consider yourself under arrest. I don''t consider Simon the best person for the job.
considerable | considerable: adj. 1 sizeable, substantial, large, big, great; appreciable, respectable, noticeable, largish, biggish, goodly, decent, fair, Colloq tidy: A considerable crowd were gathered outside. 2 important, worthy, of consequence, of distinction, distinguished, illustrious, noteworthy, notable, remarkable, estimable, influential, respectable: Some of the most considerable citizens were banished.
considerate | considerate: adj. thoughtful, kind, kindly, kind-hearted, good-hearted, helpful, friendly, neighbourly, gracious, obliging, accommodating, charitable, generous, unselfish; sympathetic, compassionate, sensitive; attentive; solicitous: It was very considerate of you to offer your car.
consideration | consideration: n. 1 regard, concern, attentiveness, solicitude, thoughtfulness, compassion, kindness, kindliness, kind-heartedness, considerateness, respect, caring, care: Out of consideration for your father, you should complete your studies. 2 reward, compensation, remuneration, fee, payment, recompense, emolument, tip, gratuity, pourboire, baksheesh or backsheesh; honorarium: The boy will look after your luggage for a small consideration, madam. 3 thought, deliberation, reflection, contemplation, rumination, cogitation, study, examination: After some consideration, we have decided that we will finance the project.
considering | considering: prep. in view of, in (the) light of, bearing in mind, making allowance for, taking into consideration or account, looking at, all in all, all things or everything considered, inasmuch as, insomuch as: Considering your background, I doubt that you are qualified.
consistent | consistent: adj. 1 agreeing, in agreement, in harmony, in keeping, harmonious, in concordance, conforming, in conformance, accordant, compatible, in accord or accordance, consonant: Her story is not consistent with the facts. 2 dependable, regular, predictable, undeviating, steady, steadfast, unchanging, uniform, unswerving, constant: His behaviour, even under pressure, has been quite consistent.
consistently | consistently: adv. 1 steadily, constantly, regularly, uniformly, daily, day by day: Her piano technique is improving consistently. 2 dependably, unswervingly, staunchly, devotedly, firmly, resolutely, faithfully, uniformly, unfailingly: The courts have consistently upheld her claim to custody of the children.
console | console: v. comfort, soothe, calm, assuage, solace, cheer (up): Ivan made an effort to console the grieving widow.
conspicuous | conspicuous: adj. 1 obvious, clear, evident, plain, palpable, perceptible, patent, prominent, apparent, clear-cut, unquestionable, incontestable, incontrovertible: The sultan played a conspicuous role in the kidnapping of the envoy. 2 obvious, unmistakable, prominent, outstanding, noticeable, impressive, vivid, obtrusive; striking, showy, garish, gaudy, loud, tawdry, blatant, lurid, vulgar, flashy, ostentatious: The silhouette of the castle was conspicuous against the sky. Fingal was again conspicuous, this time in a green wig and bowler. 3 notable, noteworthy, exceptional, outstanding, eminent, unusual, marked, extraordinary, remarkable, distinguished, impressive, awesome, awe-inspiring, glorious: The medal is awarded for conspicuous bravery.
conspiracy | conspiracy: n. plot, scheme, stratagem, intrigue, collusion, cabal, connivance, foul play, dirty work: He suspected them of a conspiracy to defraud their clients.
constable | constable: n. policeman, policewoman, (police) officer, US patrolman, Colloq cop, copper , Brit bobby; Slang flatfoot, fuzz: A constable was standing on the corner, and we asked him the way.
constant | constant: adj. 1 resolute, immovable, steadfast, firm, dependable, unshakeable or unshakable, determined, unswerving, undeviating, persevering, unwearying, unwearied, untiring, indefatigable, tireless, unflagging, unwavering, unfailing, unfaltering, persistent; loyal, true, tried and true, devoted, staunch, trusty, faithful: He was her constant companion during her troubles. 2 incessant, unceasing, ceaseless, perpetual, persistent, uninterrupted, steady, regular, invariable, unremitting, unvarying, relentless, unrelenting, continuous, continual; unending, endless, never-ending, non-stop, perennial, eternal, everlasting, Literary sempiternal: The constant pain almost made me cry out. Their constant bickering is getting on my nerves. 3 unchanging, unchanged, invariable, unvarying, fixed, uniform, unalterable, immutable, changeless, persistent: The numbers might change, but the ratio is constant.
construct | construct: v. 1 build, erect, make, put together, frame, set up, put up, assemble: We constructed a summer-house in the garden. 2 fabricate, devise, create, forge, invent, formulate, compose, shape, set up, fashion: He has constructed a complex argument to support his theory.
constructive | constructive: adj. 1 helpful, useful, practicable, advantageous, practical, productive, beneficial, positive: She provided much constructive advice on how to design the factory. 2 virtual, inferential, implicit, inferred, derived, deduced: As it turned out, the shareholders were the constructive victims of the fraud.
consult | consult: v. 1 Often, consult with. confer (with), discuss (with), deliberate (with), talk over (with), inquire or enquire of, seek advice from, ask (of), question, interrogate, take counsel (with or of): I shall have to consult a doctor about my headaches. You should consult with your lawyer. 2 refer to, look up, seek information from: If in doubt, consult the dictionary.
consultant | consultant: n. 1 physician, doctor, specialist, expert: You ought to get the opinion of another consultant. 2 adviser or advisor, expert, counsellor or US counselor: Our financial consultant tells us how to handle the company funds.
consume | consume: v. 1 devour, eat (up), gulp (down), swallow, drink (up), put away, gobble (up); digest: When those teenagers come home, they consume everything in sight. 2 use up, exhaust, deplete, drain, expend, diminish, reduce: The new car has consumed all our savings. 3 waste, occupy, squander, fritter away, dissipate, absorb, lose, throw away, lavish, Slang blow: Too much of your time has already been consumed by that problem. 4 destroy, ruin, (lay) waste, demolish, wreck, gut, raze, Slang US and Canadian total: Fire consumed the entire house. 5 overcome, overwhelm, devastate, destroy, annihilate, ravage, (lay) waste, wear out, ruin, eat up, devour, do in; preoccupy, obsess: He is consumed by jealousy.
consummation | consummation: n. 1 completion, accomplishment, fulfilment, finish, end, realization, attainment, achievement, success; completing, accomplishing, fulfilling, finishing, ending, realizing, attaining, achieving: Owning a Rolls Royce was the consummation of her dreams. 2 acme, perfection, peak, culmination, finishing touch, conclusion, grand finale, climax: The Nobel prize was the consummation of an arduous life of research.
contact | contact: n. 1 junction, conjunction, connection: If the wires make contact, the fuse will blow. 2 acquaintance, friend, connection, Colloq US in: I have a contact on the board of directors. 3 touch, communication, association: Are you still in contact with Georgina? --v. 4 get in touch with, communicate with, reach, get hold of; phone, ring (up), telephone, speak to or with, write to, correspond with: Try to contact the manager at his home.
contain | contain: v. 1 hold, have in it; bear, carry: The capsule contained a deadly poison. 2 hold, have the capacity for, accommodate, admit, carry; seat: This bottle contains no more than a quart. The theatre can contain 200. 3 restrain, restrict, confine, repress, control, hold back or in, curb, bridle, keep under control, suppress, check, stifle: He could hardly contain himself when he learnt he had passed the examination.
contaminate | contaminate: v. defile, sully, pollute, corrupt, rot, stain, soil, taint, infect, poison, foul, spoil, befoul; debase, adulterate, vitiate: The river has been contaminated by effluent from a nearby factory.
contemplate | contemplate: v. 1 look or gaze at or on or upon, behold, view, survey, observe, regard, eye; scan, scrutinize, inspect: I contemplated the scene of the Grand Canal from my hotel room. 2 ruminate (over), ponder (on or over), deliberate (over), muse (on or over), meditate or reflect (on), think (about or over), mull over, cogitate (over), turn over in one''s mind, brood on or over, chew on or over, consider, study, examine: She was contemplating the events of the past night. Give me a moment to contemplate. 3 plan, intend, think of or about, consider, entertain the idea or notion of: After we broke up, I contemplated emigrating to Australia.
contemporary | contemporary: adj. 1 of the time, contemporaneous, coeval, coexistent, concurrent, concomitant, parallel, synchronous, synchronic, coincidental, coetaneous: We examined some of the documents contemporary with his reign. 2 modern, current, present-day, new, up to date, stylish, fashionable, modish, � la mode, latest, in; novel, newfangled, Colloq trendy: She always keeps up with contemporary fads in dress and make-up. I find much of the contemporary metal-and-glass architecture rather boring.
contempt | contempt: n. loathing, abhorrence, hatred, odium, hate; scorn, disdain, contumely, disgust: She has nothing but contempt for cowards.
contemptible | contemptible: adj. despicable, loathsome, detestable, scurvy, low, mean, base, inferior, currish, wretched, vile, abject, ignominious, unworthy, shabby, shameful: It was contemptible of you to give away my secret.
contemptuous | contemptuous: adj. scornful, disdainful, sneering, derisive, insulting, contumelious, insolent: The maestro was contemptuous of my piano-playing.
content� | content�: n. 1 capacity, volume, size, measure: The content of the barrel is exactly 55 gallons. 2 Usually, contents. ingredients, components, constituents; load: The bottle broke and its contents spilt on the floor. 3 substance, subject-matter; significance, purport, import, essence, text, theme, topic, thesis: The book is amusing but its content is quite trivial.
content� | content�: n. 1 pleasure, satisfaction, gratification, happiness, contentment, contentedness, felicity, delight: He kept on singing to his heart''s content. 2 ease, comfort, tranquillity, serenity, peace, peacefulness, contentedness: I have a feeling of such content merely being with you. --adj. 3 pleased, satisfied, happy, delighted, contented, gratified, glad, cheerful; comfortable, fulfilled: I was quite content to be home once more. --v. 4 satisfy, please, gratify, soothe, cheer, gladden, delight: It contented him to be near her.
contest | contest: n. 1 competition, match, tournament, championship, tourney, meet, game, rivalry, trial: The contest was won by a woman from Shropshire. 2 strife, controversy, dispute, contention, debate, altercation, argument, velitation; conflict, struggle, fight, battle, combat, war: The contest is between those for and those against capital punishment. --v. 3 contend, argue, dispute, debate; challenge, (call into) question, oppose, counter, confute, object to, refute: David has decided to contest his father''s will.
contestant | contestant: n. contender, competitor, opponent, rival, adversary, entrant, player, participant: The winner is the contestant from Chearsley.
context | context: n. structure, framework, environment, situation, circumstance(s); ambience or ambiance, surround, surroundings, frame (of reference), setting, background: It is often hard to understand something taken out of its context.
continual | continual: adj. constant, incessant, perpetual, non-stop, persistent, uninterrupted, regular, steady, unbroken, unceasing, ceaseless, constant, eternal, unremitting, interminable, endless, unending; Loosely continuous: She has this continual ringing in her ears.
continue | continue: v. 1 carry on, proceed (with), keep up or on or at, go on (with), pursue, persist (in), persevere (in): Please continue whatever it was you were doing. 2 endure, last, go on, persist, be prolonged, remain: How long will the curfew continue? 3 maintain, keep (on), prolong, perpetuate, carry on (with), persist in or with, sustain, extend: My mother continued her career throughout my childhood. 4 resume, pick up, take up, carry on (with): Allow me to continue my story and don''t interrupt again. 5 proceed, go (on), extend: The road continues for about a mile, ending at the sea.
continuous | continuous: adj. 1 connected, unbroken, uninterrupted: The wall is continuous except for one gate. 2 incessant, persistent, perpetual, non-stop, unceasing, ceaseless, constant, unremitting, interminable, endless, unending; Loosely continual: A continuous stream of refugees passed through the camp.
contract | contract: n. 1 agreement, understanding, deal, bargain, arrangement, pact, commitment, obligation, compact: We have just signed a contract to supply office equipment to a new electronics company. --v. 2 engage, agree, promise, covenant, undertake: Our company contracted to maintain the roads in this area. 3 catch, acquire, get, come down with, develop, become infected with, Brit go down with: Eunice contracted diphtheria. 4 diminish, shrink, draw together, roll (oneself), narrow, squeeze, constrict, compress, condense, decrease, reduce: When disturbed, the animal contracts itself into a ball. 5 wrinkle, knit, crease, corrugate, pucker: His brow contracted into a frown.
contradict | contradict: v. 1 deny, gainsay, dispute, controvert, argue against; oppose: He is very opinionated, and doesn''t like to be contradicted. 2 contravene, belie, refute, disallow, forbid, disaffirm, counter, abrogate, nullify, annul, reverse, counteract: The evidence yields nothing that contradicts my argument.
contradictory | contradictory: adj. inconsistent, paradoxical, incongruous, conflicting, incompatible, discrepant; ambiguous, ambivalent: The witnesses'' descriptions of the robbers are contradictory.
contraption | contraption: n. contrivance, device, gadget, mechanism, apparatus, Colloq widget, thingumabob or thingamabob, thingumajig or thingamajig, thingummy, whatsit, doodah, thingy, US gizmo or gismo, Rube Goldberg (invention), whatchamacallit, Colloq Brit gubbins: People began to build all sorts of contraptions that they hoped might fly.
contrary | contrary: adj. 1 opposite, opposing, opposed, different, contradictory, conflicting, antagonistic: Set aside enough time to hear the contrary side of the argument. 2 antagonistic, perverse, contrarious, hostile, unfriendly, inimical, cross-grained, refractory, contumacious, self-willed, argumentative, unaccommodating, antipathetic, Literary froward: He can disagree, but why must he be so contrary? 3 adverse, unfavourable, inauspicious, unlucky, unfortunate, unpropitious, untoward, inopportune, bad, foul: We ran into contrary winds and were delayed. --n. 4 opposite, reverse: Her present position is the direct contrary of the one she took yesterday. --adv. 5 perversely, oppositely, contrariwise, contrarily, in opposition to: The rat in the maze acted contrary to the expected pattern.
contrast | contrast: v. 1 juxtapose, oppose, compare, distinguish, differentiate, discriminate, set or place against; set off: Contrast life in the 18th century with life today. 2 conflict, differ or diverge or deviate (from): The two styles contrast sharply. Australian speech contrasts with that of Canada in many respects. --n. 3 comparison; difference, distinction, disparity, dissimilarity: The author emphasizes the contrasts between the two economic policies.
contribute | contribute: v. 1 give, furnish, donate, bestow, grant, present, provide, supply: He contributed three paintings by Longchamp to the museum. They contributed generously to the restoration fund. 2 contribute to. add to, promote, advance, help, aid, support, forward, have a hand in, play a part or role in: They believe that poor parental supervision contributes to juvenile delinquency.
control | control: v. 1 command, dominate, direct, steer, pilot, hold sway over, rule, exercise power or authority over, govern, manage, lead, conduct, be in control (of), call the tune, guide, oversee, supervise: Does she really control the future of the company? 2 check, hold back or in check, curb, repress, contain: Try to control yourself. 3 suppress, put down, master, subdue, restrain, curb, manage: They were totally unable to control the unruly teenagers. --n. 4 command, direction, power, authority, leadership, management, guidance, supervision, oversight, charge; sway, rule, jurisdiction: Turn control of the mission over to Mrs Beale. The court is under the control of the State. 5 restraint, check, curb, mastery, command, dominance, domination: You must get better control over your emotions. 6 knob, button, dial, handle, lever, switch; device, mechanism: This control opens the door to the safe.
controversial | controversial: adj. 1 debatable, disputable, questionable, moot, doubtful, unsettled: Who will run the department is a controversial matter. 2 polemical, dialectic, litigious, factious: She has studied the controversial writings of the 19th-century feminists. 3 disputatious, argumentative, contentious; provocative: Race relations have remained a controversial issue for centuries.
controversy | controversy: n. 1 dispute, debate, contention, argument, argumentation, disputation, wrangling, confrontation, questioning, disagreement: The inquest went ahead without controversy. 2 argument, dispute, disagreement, quarrel; squabble, tiff, Colloq spat: Controversy still rages over the theory of natural selection.
convalesce | convalesce: v. recover, improve, get better, recuperate: The doctor said I needed only a week to convalesce after the operation.
convenient | convenient: n. 1 suitable, commodious, useful, helpful, handy, serviceable, expedient, opportune, advantageous: The bus is quite convenient for getting to and from the airport. 2 handy, nearby, within (easy) reach, at one''s fingertips, close at hand, available, accessible; (at the) ready: There''s a convenient post office round the corner.
convention | convention: n. 1 assembly, meeting, gathering, congregation, congress, conference, symposium, council, conclave, diet, synod, seminar: The annual convention of cat fanciers will take place in June. 2 rule, practice, custom, tradition, usage, formality, conventionalism: According to convention, this year''s vice-president becomes president next year.
conventional | conventional: adj. customary, habitual, usual, normal, regular, standard, orthodox, traditional, established, ordinary, everyday, common, commonplace, accustomed, received, agreed; reactionary, old-fashioned, stodgy, stuffy, old hat: Conventional methods of teaching mathematics are being criticized.
converge | converge: v. come or go together, meet, join, unite, merge, coincide; blend: The roads converge in the valley.
conversation | conversation: n. discussion, talk, chat, dialogue, colloquy, parley; chit-chat, gossip, discourse, palaver, Colloq chiefly Brit chin-wag: The conversation about the situation in the Middle East ended abruptly. I want action, not conversation.
conversationalist | conversationalist: n. deipnosophist: It was a pleasure to have dinner with an intelligent conversationalist for a change.
converse | converse: v. discuss, talk, speak, chat, parley, discourse, gossip, chatter: The men were conversing about her over dinner.
convert | convert: v. 1 change, modify, alter, transform, transmute, mutate, transfigure, transmogrify, remodel, remake, metamorphose: We converted our rowing-boat into a sailing dinghy. 2 proselytize, switch, change (over): To avoid the horrors of the Inquisition, many Spanish Jews converted to Catholicism. --n. 3 proselyte; neophyte, catechumen, disciple: Converts are often the most passionate believers.
convict | convict: v. 1 find or prove guilty: She was convicted of theft. --n. 2 prisoner, captive, Slang con, jailbird orBrit also gaolbird, Brit lag: The rioting convicts burnt down two prison buildings.
conviction | conviction: n. 1 proof of guilt: After his conviction, he was sentenced to life imprisonment. 2 belief, opinion, view, persuasion, position: It is her conviction that the painting is by Titian. 3 certainty, sureness, positiveness, confidence, assurance, certitude: He doesn''t have the courage to back up his convictions.
convince | convince: v. win over, talk into, persuade, bring (a)round, sway: I have at last convinced them of the need for more resources.
cool | cool: adj. 1 chilly, chill, chilling, cooling, unheated; chilled, cold, refreshing, fresh: It''s rather cool outside today. I''d prefer some cool lemonade. 2 calm, serene, collected, level-headed, quiet, unexcited, unemotional, undisturbed, unexcitable, unruffled, unflappable, cool-headed, relaxed, controlled, under control, self-possessed, self-controlled, unperturbed, phlegmatic, composed, imperturbable: He remains cool even in a crisis. 3 dispassionate, cold, cold-blooded, emotionless, deliberate, cold-hearted, calculated, wilful, premeditated, purposeful, purposive: It was clearly the cool act of a professional criminal. 4 uninvolved, distant, remote, aloof, detached, removed, uninterested, unconcerned, unsympathetic, apathetic, cold, cold-hearted, cold-blooded: How can you be so cool where human lives are concerned? 5 lukewarm, distant, uncordial, unfriendly, unsociable, unapproachable, standoffish, forbidding, unwelcoming, cold, frigid: After the affair, she was distinctly cool towards him. 6 bold, audacious, brazen, overconfident, presumptuous, shameless, unabashed, impertinent, impudent, insolent: I cannot account for the cool way he insulted his host. --n. 7 coolness, chill, chilliness, Colloq coolth: I shall have a sherry to ward off the cool of the evening. 8 aplomb, poise, sedateness, control, self-control, composure, sang-froid: He really lost his cool when she told him he was a lousy driver. --v. 9 chill, refrigerate, ice: Cool the pudding before serving. 10 diminish, reduce, lessen, abate, moderate: Her interest quickly cooled when she discovered he was married.
cooperate | cooperate: v. 1 collaborate, work together, join, unite, interact, team up, join forces, act jointly or in concert: If we cooperate, the work will be done in half the time. 2 participate, contribute, lend a hand, help, assist: You must learn to cooperate and not just sit there.
cooperation | cooperation: n. 1 collaboration, teamwork, interaction, synergism or synergy: Only through cooperation will we be able to achieve success. 2 support, help, aid, assistance, patronage, backing, advocacy, favour, helping hand, friendship, blessing, sponsorship, auspices, backup: We needed the cooperation of people like you to mount the exhibition.
coordinate | coordinate: v. 1 organize, classify, order, arrange, systemize, systematize, codify, categorize, group, match (up), dispose, rate, rank, grade: Coordinate the information before preparing the report. 2 harmonize, correlate, unify, mesh, synchronize, integrate, Colloq pull together: We must coordinate our efforts for the best results. --adj. 3 equivalent, parallel, correspondent, complementary, correlative, equal, reciprocal, coordinating, coordinative, Technical paratactic: The two systems are coordinate and operate in parallel.
cope | cope: v. 1 manage, get along or by, make do, survive, subsist, come through: Even with seven children to care for, she copes very well. 2 cope with. be a match for, withstand, contend with or against, handle, deal with, dispose of: I cannot cope with all the work I have been given to do.
copy | copy: n. 1 reproduction, replica, facsimile, likeness, imitation, double, twin, duplication, duplicate, transcript, replication, carbon (copy), photocopy, print: She found a copy of the lost manuscript. 2 example, sample, specimen: How many copies of the book have been sold? 3 text, writing: The copy is ready; we are waiting for the illustrations. --v. 4 reproduce, duplicate, replicate, transcribe: Don''t copy others'' work - they might be wrong. 5 imitate, mimic, impersonate, emulate, ape, parrot, echo: Ted copies the rock stars in every possible detail of their dress and behaviour.
cord | cord: n. string, line, twine; rope: Tie the cord around the parcel twice.
cordial | cordial: adj. friendly, warm, affable, amiable, kindly, genial, gracious, welcoming, pleasant, good-natured, nice; courteous, polite: After a cordial greeting at the door, the guests were served champagne.
core | core: n. 1 centre, heart, middle, nucleus, inside(s): Remove the core of the apple first. 2 essence, marrow, heart, pith, gist, quintessence, sum and substance: The core of the problem is her refusal to consider any alternative. --v. 3 pit, seed: The pie might have tasted better if you''d cored the apples first.
corps | corps: n. body of men or women, troop, cadre, unit, detachment, cohort, division, battalion, brigade, platoon, squad, column, squadron: We delivered supplies to the medical corps.
corpse | corpse: n. body, remains, cadaver, Slang stiff; (of an animal) carcass: The corpses were buried in a mass grave.
correct | correct: v. 1 right, set or put right, amend, redress, rectify, remedy, repair, fix; cure: A good mechanic will be able to correct the faults in the engine. 2 scold, admonish, rebuke, reprimand, berate, chide, reprove; censure, blame: You mustn''t correct people for their bad manners. 3 punish, chastise, chasten, discipline, castigate: The boys were corrected for swearing at the teacher. 4 reverse, offset, counteract, counterbalance, neutralize, nullify, make up for, annul, cancel; adjust, change, modify: Adding this fertilizer should correct the acid content of the soil. 5 mark, grade: The exam papers haven''t yet been corrected. --adj. 6 proper, decorous, decent, appropriate, suitable, fit, right, meet, fitting, befitting, apt, de rigueur, comme il faut, Old-fashioned Brit tickety-boo: I have found her behaviour correct at all times. 7 conventional, established, set, standard, normal, orthodox, approved, in order, de rigueur, comme il faut, usual, natural, customary, traditional, done, right, Old-fashioned Brit tickety-boo: Sending flowers to the funeral parlour would be the correct thing to do. 8 accurate, right, precise, exact, factual, valid, true, proper, fitting, apt, suitable, appropriate; faultless, perfect, unimpeachable: Joanna gave the correct answer.
correction | correction: n. 1 improvement, emendation, rectification, redress, remedy, reparation, amendment; corrigendum: With these corrections, the work will be vastly better. 2 punishment, castigation, chastisement: He resented her continual correction of him for trivial things.
correspond | correspond: v. 1 agree, conform, tally, comply, accord, harmonize, be congruous, match, coincide: The results of the surveys correspond. 2 write, communicate, be in touch or contact: We have been corresponding for years.
correspondent | correspondent: n. newspaperman, newspaperwoman, pressman, presswoman, journalist, reporter, stringer, newsman, newsperson: Here is a report from our correspondent in Sydney.
corridor | corridor: n. hall, hallway, passage, passageway: We met in the corridor outside my room.
corrupt | corrupt: adj. 1 dishonest, untrustworthy, dishonourable, underhand(ed), venal, Colloq crooked: He got off by bribing a corrupt judge. 2 debased, depraved, perverted, subverted, evil, wicked, degenerate, degraded: The inhabitants practised a corrupt form of Christianity. --v. 3 debase, pervert, subvert, degrade, deprave, warp: A funds manager could easily be corrupted by all that money. 4 adulterate, contaminate, pollute, taint, defile, infect, spoil, poison: Drainage from the site has corrupted the purity of the water. 5 bribe, suborn, buy (off): He thought he knew a juror who might be corrupted.
cost | cost: n. 1 price, outlay, payment, charge, expense, expenditure, rate, tariff: The gold strap will double the cost of the watch. If the cost increases, the selling price must go up. --v. 2 sell for, get, fetch, bring in, Colloq set (someone) back: This would cost twice as much in London.
costume | costume: n. dress, clothing, attire, clothes, garb, apparel, raiment, garments, outfit, vestment, livery, uniform, kit, Colloq gear, togs, get-up; Slang rags, US threads: What kind of costume is Celia wearing to the fancy-dress ball?
cosy | cosy: adj. 1 comfortable, snug, warm, restful, secure, relaxing, easy, US cozy, Colloq comfy: They bought a cosy little rose-covered cottage in the Cotswolds. 2 convenient, expedient, self-serving, underhand(ed): He has a cosy arrangement with the planning board.
cot | cot: n. bed, crib; cradle, bunk: The baby is asleep in his cot.
cottage | cottage: n. hut, shack, cabin, bungalow, shanty, Literary cot; US and Canadian lodge, chalet: She''s going to stay at our cottage for a week.
couch | couch: n. 1 sofa, settee, settle, divan, love-seat, chaise (longue); day-bed; t�te-�-t�te, vis-�-vis, siamoise; US Davenport: Come and sit by me on the couch. --v. 2 embed, frame, style, express, phrase: Her warning was couched in friendly words.
council | council: n. 1 assembly, meeting, conclave, conference, synod, consistory, convention, congress, congregation, gathering, convocation, US caucus: The council voted to ban nuclear arms. 2 board, ministry, directors, cabinet, panel, committee, body, directorate, directory, caucus: She was elected to the council last year.
counsel | counsel: n. 1 advice, judgement, direction, opinion, guidance, instruction, recommendation, exhortation, Technical par�nesis: Your counsel has always been wise in the past. 2 consultation, discussion, deliberation, consideration: We took counsel with the cabinet on the matter. 3 adviser or advisor, guide, counsellor; lawyer, Brit barrister; US attorney: My counsel suggests we settle out of court. --v. 4 advise, recommend to, suggest to, instruct; guide: I have counselled her to pursue the matter.
counsellor | counsellor: n. adviser or advisor, counsel, lawyer, Brit counsellor-at-law, barrister, US counselor, counselor-at-law, attorney: We have retained Vestley and Stock as our counsellors.
count | count: v. 1 count up or off, enumerate, number, calculate, add up, total, reckon, compute, tally, figure up, quantify, Colloq figure out: Maddie counted the number of pencils in the box. 2 include, consider, regard, deem, judge, look on or upon: You can count me among those who favour the idea. 3 count on or upon. rely on or upon, depend on or upon, be sure of, trust, bank on, be confident of, Chiefly Brit or US dialect reckon on or upon, Chiefly US figure on or upon: I knew I could count on Moira to do the right thing.
counter | counter: n. 1 token, disc, chip, piece, marker: She placed three counters on the number 14. 2 table, bar: We do not serve beer at this counter.
counteract | counteract: v. counterbalance, neutralize, correct, annul, nullify, cancel, oppose, mitigate: The coffee counteracted the effect of the sleeping-pill.
counterfeit | counterfeit: adj. 1 forged, fake, fraudulent, imitation, bogus, spurious, Colloq phoney or US also phony: The bank reported the counterfeit money to the police. 2 make-believe, sham, pretended, pretend, feigned, insincere, fake, faked, false, artificial, meretricious, pseudo, factitious, synthetic, unreal, simulated: You were warned about his counterfeit sincerity. --n. 3 fake, imitation, forgery, reproduction, Colloq phoney or US also phony: This is the original deed, that one is a counterfeit. --v. 4 forge, copy, reproduce, falsify, imitate; Slang hang paper: He made a living counterfeiting passports. 5 feign, pretend, simulate, put on, fake: The suspects have shown signs of wealth that are difficult to counterfeit.
counterfeiter | counterfeiter: n. Slang paper-hanger: The counterfeiter, who forged only five-pound notes, was arrested today.
country | country: n. 1 nation, state, power; territory, realm: How many countries belong to the British Commonwealth? 2 (native) land, homeland, fatherland, motherland, mother country: I would gladly fight for my country. 3 countryside, rural area or surroundings, provinces, hinterlands; mountains, woods, wilderness, outback, Colloq sticks, US boondocks, boonies: We are spending our holiday in the country.
couple | couple: n. 1 pair, duo, twosome; brace, span, yoke, team: They certainly make a nice couple. 2 a couple of. a few, several, a handful (of), one or two, three or four: I''ll be with you in a couple of minutes. --v. 3 join, link, yoke, combine, unite, match up, connect: The two carriages are easily coupled together.
courage | courage: n. bravery, valour, boldness, intrepidity, gallantry, dauntlessness, daring, fearlessness, heroism, nerve, Colloq grit, guts, pluck, spunk, US moxie, sand, Slang Brit bottle: She had the courage to face the two of them alone.
courageous | courageous: adj. brave, valiant, valorous, bold, intrepid, gallant, dauntless, daring, fearless, heroic, Colloq plucky: The soldiers were very courageous and fought against tremendous odds.
course | course: n. 1 path, way, orbit, route, run, track, ambit, line, circuit, passage: We continued on our course. The sun pursued its fiery course across the heavens. 2 movement, progress, headway, advance, progression; speed: The driver slackens his course at the curves. 3 procedure, process, performance, routine, conduct, order, practice, dispatch or despatch, execution: In the course of her duties, she handles a great deal of money. 4 direction, tack: If we stay on this course we''ll run aground. 5 class, lecture, seminar, programme: You should sign up for a course in English grammar. 6 of course. naturally, surely, certainly, positively, obviously, definitely, assuredly, by all means; undoubtedly, indubitably, without (a) doubt, no doubt, Colloq US sure: Of course I''ll go to the theatre with you!
courteous | courteous: adj. polite, well-mannered, well-behaved, gentlemanly, ladylike, well-bred, polished, urbane, civilized, respectful, civil, courtly, proper, decorous, tactful, considerate, diplomatic: He might have been rude to you, but he was always quite courteous to me.
courtesy | courtesy: n. politeness, elegance, courtliness, politesse, courteousness, respect, respectfulness, good manners, formality, civility, ceremony: I much appreciated the courtesy with which they treated me.
cover | cover: v. 1 protect, shelter, shield, screen; guard, defend, command: The guns covered the approaches to the town. 2 Also, cover up or over. conceal, hide, bury, mask, shroud, obscure; dissemble; enclose, envelop: I was unable to cover my embarrassment. Her face was covered by the hood of the cloak. 3 overlie, spread over, overspread, lie on, layer, coat, blanket: Oil covers the surface of the lake. 4 wrap, swaddle: Mother covered us with warm blankets. 5 dress, clothe, garb, attire, robe, sheathe: She was covered in silk from neck to ankle. 6 extend or stretch over, occupy, engulf, inundate, submerge: A lake has covered the original site of Abu Simbel. 7 include, comprehend, provide for, comprise, extend over, contain, embody, incorporate, account for, take into account, take in, deal with: This report covers our activities over the past year. 8 act, take responsibility or charge, stand or sit in, substitute, take over, run things, double: Go and get some coffee - I''ll cover for you. 9 traverse, complete, pass or travel over, travel, cross: With frequent stops, we could not cover more than 50 miles a day. 10 compensate for, defray, be enough or sufficient for, counter, offset, counterbalance, make up for, insure or protect against: The policy covers losses of up to a million. --n. 11 lid, top, cap, covering: I can''t find the cover for this pot. 12 binding, boards, wrapper, dust-jacket, jacket: You can''t tell a book by its cover. 13 Often, covers. blanket, quilt, eiderdown, duvet, bedclothes, bedding, (bed) linen; coverlet, counterpane; US comforter: I crept into bed and pulled the covers over my head. 14 shelter, protection, concealment, hiding-place, hide-out, retreat, refuge; hide, US and Canadian blind; Colloq Brit hidey-hole: We tried to find some sort of cover till the sun went down. 15 cloak, screen, disguise, concealment, pretence, front, camouflage, smokescreen, cover-up, mask, covering: His bluster and bullying were only a cover for his cowardice.
coward | coward: n. poltroon, craven, dastard, sissy or cissy, baby, mouse, milksop; Scaramouch or Scaramouche; Colloq chicken, Slang yellow-belly; US and Canadian milquetoast: He''s such a coward that he''s afraid of his own shadow.
cowardice | cowardice: n. cowardliness, chicken-heartedness, faint-heartedness, timidity, timorousness, pusillanimity: Owing to the cowardice of the lieutenant, the troop surrendered without a shot being fired.
cowardly | cowardly: adj. timid, fearful, frightened, afraid, scared, faint-hearted, timorous, chicken-hearted, chicken-livered, lily-livered, white-livered, craven, namby-pamby, dastardly, pusillanimous, vitelline, Slang yellow, yellow-bellied: The cowardly rascals ran from the battle.
coy | coy: adj. shy, modest, diffident, demure, timid, bashful, self-conscious, sheepish, timorous, unassuming, unpretentious; reserved, self-effacing, retiring, evasive, reluctant, recalcitrant: She was so coy she would disappear whenever we had guests.
