someone who gives a radio or television commentary
commerce
NOUN the buying and selling of goods
commercial commercials
NOUN 1 an advertisement on television or radio
ADJECTIVE 2 Commercial activities involve producing large amounts of goods to sell and make money.
commit commits, committing, committed
VERB When someone commits a crime or sin, they do it. • The police know who committed the burglary.
committee committees
NOUN a group of people who make decisions on behalf of a larger group
common commoner, commonest; commons
ADJECTIVE 1 Something that is common exists in large numbers or happens often.
NOUN 2 an area of grassy land where everyone can go
ADJECTIVE 3 If something is common to two or more people, they all have it or use it. • We had a common interest in butterflies.
PHRASE 4 If two things or people have something in common, they both have it. • Sarah and I have a lot in common.
common noun common nouns
NOUN Common nouns name things in general. They begin with lower-case letters: girl, boy, animal, picture.
See noun
common sense
NOUN knowing how to behave sensibly in any situation
Commonwealth
NOUN The Commonwealth is a group of countries that used to be ruled by Britain.
commotion
NOUN a lot of noise and excitement
communal
ADJECTIVE shared by a group of people • The shop had communal changing rooms.
communicate communicates, communicating, communicated
VERB When people communicate, they exchange information, usually by talking or writing to each other.
communication communications
NOUN 1 the act of exchanging information, usually by talking, writing or, in the case of animals, making sounds • the communication of ideas
PLURAL NOUN 2 Communications are electrical or radio systems that allow people to broadcast or communicate information.
communion
NOUN 1 a Christian religious service in which people share holy bread and wine
2 the sharing of thoughts and feelings
community communities
NOUN all the people living in a particular area
commuter commuters
NOUN a person who has to travel a long way to work every day
compact
ADJECTIVE Something that is compact takes up very little space, or no more space than is necessary.
compact disc compact discs
NOUN a music or video recording in the form of a small plastic disc
companion companions
NOUN someone you travel or spend time with
company companies
NOUN 1 a business that sells goods or provides a service
2 If you have company, you have a friend or visitor with you.
PHRASE 3 If you keep someone company, you spend time with them.
comparative comparatives
ADJECTIVE 1 You use comparative to show that something is true only when compared with something else.
NOUN 2 In grammar, the comparative is the form of an adjective or adverb that shows an increase in size, quality or amount. It is usually formed by adding -er to a word, for example, bigger, faster, or by putting more before the word, for example, more difficult.
compare compares, comparing, compared
VERB When you compare things, you see in what ways they are different or similar. • We compared our hair to see whose was longest.
comparison comparisons
NOUN When you make a comparison, you consider two things together and decide in what ways they are different or similar.
compartment compartments
NOUN 1 a section of a railway carriage
2 one of the separate sections of something such as a bag or a box
compass compasses
NOUN 1 an instrument with a magnetic needle that always points north. You use a compass to find your way.
PLURAL NOUN 2 Compasses are a hinged instrument for drawing circles.
compassion
NOUN pity and sympathy for someone who is suffering
compassionate ADJECTIVE
compass point compass points
NOUN one of the 32 marks on the dial of a compass that show direction • North, south, east and west are compass points.
compel compels, compelling, compelled
VERB 1 If you compel someone to do something, you force them to do it.
ADJECTIVE 2 A compelling story or event is extremely interesting.
3 A compelling argument or reason makes you believe that something is true.
compensate compensates, compensating, compensated
VERB 1 To compensate someone means to give them money to replace something that has been lost or damaged.
2 If one thing compensates for another, it cancels out the bad effects of it. • The trip to Disneyland compensated for her long illness.
compete competes, competing, competed
VERB 1 If you compete in a contest or game, you take part in it.
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