If you compete, you try to do better than others.
competent
ADJECTIVE Someone who is competent at something can do it satisfactorily. • He is a competent nurse.
competition competitions
NOUN an event in which people take part to find out who is the best at something
compile compiles, compiling, compiled
VERB When you compile information, you collect it and put it together.
complain complains, complaining, complained
VERB 1 If you complain, you say that you are not happy about something. • The neighbours complained about the noise.
2 If you complain of pain or illness, you say that you have it.
complaint NOUN
complement complements, complementing, complemented
VERB 1 If one thing complements another, the two things go well together. • Her piano music complements the poem.
NOUN 2 In grammar, a complement is a word or phrase that gives information about the subject or object of a sentence. For example, in the sentence Rover is a dog, is a dog is the complement.
complete completes, completing, completed
VERB 1 If you complete something, you finish it. • She has just completed her third short story.
ADJECTIVE 2 If something is complete, none of it is missing.
completely
ADVERB totally
SYNONYM: utterly
complex complexes
ADJECTIVE 1 Complex things have many different parts and are hard to understand.
NOUN 2 a group of buildings used for a particular purpose, such a sports complex
complexion complexions
NOUN the quality of the skin on your face
complicated
ADJECTIVE Something that is complicated is hard to understand.
complication complications
NOUN something that makes a situation more difficult to deal with
compliment compliments
NOUN If you pay someone a compliment, you tell them you admire or like something about them.
component components
NOUN The components of something are the parts it is made of.
compose composes, composing, composed
VERB 1 If you compose a piece of music, a letter, or a speech, you write it.
2 If something is composed of particular things or people, it is made up of them.
composer composers
NOUN someone who writes music
composition compositions
NOUN 1 a piece of music or writing
2 the things that something is made up of
compost
NOUN a mixture of rotted plants and manure that gardeners add to the soil to help plants grow
compound word compound words
NOUN a word with a single meaning, but made up of two or more words. For example, gingerbread, housework and teapot are all compound words.
comprehend comprehends, comprehending, comprehended
VERB If you comprehend something, you understand it.
comprehensive comprehensives
ADJECTIVE 1 Something that is comprehensive includes everything that you need to know.
NOUN 2 a school where children of all abilities are taught together
comprehensively ADVERB
compress compresses, compressing, compressed
VERB If you compress something, you squeeze it or shorten it. • She compressed her story into one page.
compromise compromises, compromising, compromised
NOUN 1 an agreement in which people accept less than they really wanted
VERB 2 When people compromise, they settle for less than they really wanted.
compulsory
ADJECTIVE If something is compulsory, you have to do it.
computer computers
NOUN an electronic machine that stores information and makes calculations
computerize computerizes, computerizing, computerized; also spelt computerise
VERB When a system or process is computerized, such as train timetables or bank accounts, the work is done by computers.
comrade comrades
NOUN a companion, especially in battle
con cons, conning, conned
VERB 1 If someone cons you, or you are conned, you are tricked into doing something. • He conned me into buying the tickets.
NOUN 2 a trick that makes you believe or do something that you would not normally believe or do
concave
ADJECTIVE A concave surface curves inwards, rather than being level or bulging outwards.
ANTONYM: convex
conceal conceals, concealing, concealed
VERB If you conceal something, you hide it.
conceited
ADJECTIVE Someone who is conceited is too proud of their appearance or abilities.
SYNONYMS: bigheaded, self-important
