colour
crease creases, creasing, creased
NOUN 1 an irregular line that appears on cloth or paper when it is crumpled
2 a straight line on something that has been pressed or folded neatly • Dad ironed a sharp crease in his best trousers.
VERB 3 If you crease something, you make lines appear on it.
create creates, creating, created
VERB If someone creates something, they cause it to happen or exist.
creation NOUN
creative
ADJECTIVE Creative people are good at inventing and developing new ideas.
creature creatures
NOUN any living thing that is not a plant
crèche crèches
NOUN a place where small children are looked after while their parents are working
[from old French crèche meaning crib or manger]
credit credits
NOUN 1 a system where you pay for something in small amounts, regularly over a period of time
2 praise given to you for good work
PLURAL NOUN 3 Credits are the list of people who helped make a film, record or television programme.
PHRASE 4 If your bank account is in credit, you have money in it.
credit card credit cards
NOUN a plastic card that allows someone to buy goods on credit rather than paying with cash
creek creeks
NOUN a narrow inlet where the sea comes a long way into the land
creep creeps, creeping, crept
VERB If you creep somewhere, you move there quietly and slowly.
creepy creepier, creepiest
ADJECTIVE strange and frightening • The film was creepy.
SYNONYMS: eerie, spooky
cremate cremates, cremating, cremated
VERB If someone is cremated when they die, their body is burned instead of buried.
crematorium crematoriums or crematoria
NOUN a building in which people are cremated
crescent crescents
NOUN a curved shape that is wider in the middle than at the ends, like a new moon
cress
NOUN a plant with small, strong-tasting leaves, used in salads
crest crests
NOUN 1 the highest part of a hill or wave
2 a tuft of feathers on top of a bird’s head
3 a special sign of something, such as a school or other organization
crevice crevices
NOUN a narrow crack or gap in rock
crew crews
NOUN The crew of a ship, aeroplane or spacecraft are the people who operate it.
cricket crickets
NOUN 1 an outdoor game played by two teams, who take turns at scoring runs by hitting a ball with a bat
2 a small, jumping insect that produces sounds by rubbing its wings together
cried
VERB the past tense and past participle of cry
crime crimes
NOUN an action for which you can be punished by law
criminal criminals
NOUN 1 someone who has committed a crime
ADJECTIVE 2 involving or related to crime
crimson
NOUN OR ADJECTIVE dark, purplish-red
crinkle crinkles, crinkling, crinkled
VERB 1 If something crinkles, it becomes slightly creased or folded.
NOUN 2 a small crease or fold
cripple cripples, crippling, crippled
VERB If someone is crippled by something, they are injured so severely that they can never move properly again.
crippling ADJECTIVE
crisis crises
NOUN a serious or dangerous situation • The food crisis was caused by drought.
crisp crisper, crispest; crisps
ADJECTIVE 1 pleasantly fresh and firm • crisp lettuce leaves
NOUN 2 a thin slice of potato that has been fried until it is hard and crunchy
critic critics
NOUN 1 someone who writes reviews of books, films, plays or musical performances for newspapers or magazines
2 a person who criticizes someone or something publicly
critical
ADJECTIVE 1 A critical time or situation is a very important and serious one when things must be done correctly.
2 If the state of a sick or injured person is critical, they are in danger of dying.
3 Someone who is critical judges people and things very severely.
criticism criticisms
NOUN 1 spoken or written disapproval of someone or something
2 A criticism of a book, film or play is an examination of its good and bad points.
criticize criticizes, criticizing, criticized; also spelt criticise
VERB If you criticize someone or something, you say what you think is wrong with them.
croak croaks, croaking, croaked
VERB 1 When animals and birds croak, they make harsh, low sounds.
NOUN 2 a harsh, low sound
croaky ADJECTIVE
crochet
