Collins Primary Illustrated Dictionary

4 If you ask someone to come or go somewhere, you invite them there.

asleep

ADJECTIVE If you are asleep, your eyes are closed and your whole body is resting.

aspect aspects

NOUN one of many ways of seeing or thinking about something

aspirin aspirins

NOUN 1 a white drug used to relieve pain, fever and colds

2 a small white tablet of this drug

ass asses

NOUN another word for donkey

assassinate assassinates, assassinating, assassinated

VERB If someone assassinates an important person, they murder them.

assassination NOUN

assault assaults

NOUN a violent attack on someone

[from Latin assalire meaning to leap upon]

assemble assembles, assembling, assembled

VERB 1 If people assemble, they gather together. • We assembled in the playground to watch the display.

2 If you assemble something, you fit the parts of it together. • It took us ages to assemble the model car.

assembly assemblies

NOUN a group of people who have gathered together for a meeting

assess assesses, assessing, assessed

VERB If you assess something, you consider it carefully and make a judgement about it. • She tried to assess how much further they had to walk.

SYNONYMS: judge, size up

asset assets

NOUN 1 If someone or something is an asset, they are useful or helpful. • He’s an asset to the school.

2 The assets of a person or a company are all the things they own that could be sold to raise money.

assignment assignments

NOUN a job you are given to do

assist assists, assisting, assisted

VERB If you assist someone, you help them to do something.

assistant assistants

NOUN someone who helps another person to do their job

associate associates, associating, associated

VERB 1 If you associate with someone, you spend time with them.

2 If you associate one thing with another, you make a connection between them.

association associations

NOUN 1 an organization for people who have similar interests, jobs or aims

2 An association between two things is a link you make in your mind between them.

assorted

ADJECTIVE Assorted things are a mixture of various sorts of something. They may be different colours, sizes and shapes.

assortment assortments

NOUN a group of similar things that are different sizes, shapes and colours • There was an amazing assortment of toys in the shop.

assume assumes, assuming, assumed

VERB 1 If you assume that something is true, you believe it, even if you have not thought carefully about it.

2 If you assume responsibility for something, you decide to do it. • I assumed responsibility for feeding the hamster.

assure assures, assuring, assured

VERB If you assure someone of something, you say something to make them less worried about it. • I assured him that I wouldn’t be late.

asterisk asterisks

NOUN a symbol (*) used in writing and printing to draw attention to something that is explained somewhere else, usually at the bottom of the page

asteroid asteroids

NOUN one of the large number of very small planets that move around the sun between the orbits of Jupiter and Mars

asthma

NOUN a disease of the chest that causes wheezing and difficulty in breathing

[from Greek azein meaning to breathe hard]

asthmatic ADJECTIVE

astonish astonishes, astonishing, astonished

VERB If something astonishes you, it surprises you very much.

astonished ADJECTIVE astonishing ADJECTIVE

astonishingly ADVERB astonishment NOUN

astrology

NOUN the study of the sun, moon and stars in the belief that their movements can influence people’s lives

astronaut astronauts

NOUN a person who operates a spacecraft

[from Greek astron meaning star and nautes meaning sailor]

astronomy

NOUN the scientific study of stars and planets

astronomer NOUN

at

PREPOSITION 1 where someone or something is • John waited for me at the bus stop.

2 the direction something is going in • I threw the snowball at my brother.

3 when something happens • The party starts at six o’clock.

ate

VERB the past tense of eat

atheist atheists

NOUN someone who does not believe in any form of God

athlete athletes

NOUN a person who is very good at sport and who takes part in sporting competitions

athletics

NOUN sporting events such as running, long jump and discus

Atlantic

NOUN the ocean that separates North and South America from Europe and Africa

atlas atlases

NOUN a book of maps

[from the giant Atlas in Greek mythology, who supported the sky on his shoulders]

atmosphere atmospheres

NOUN 1 gases that surround a planet

2 the general mood of a place • There was a friendly atmosphere at the party.

atom atoms

NOUN the smallest part of an element that can take part in a chemical reaction

atrocity atrocities

NOUN an extremely shocking and cruel act

attach attaches, attaching, attached

VERB If you attach something to something else, you join or fasten the two things together.

attachment attachments

NOUN 1 a feeling of love and affection for someone

2 a file attached to an e-mail

attack attacks, attacking, attacked

VERB 1 If someone attacks another person or animal, they use violence in order to hurt or kill them. • The lion attacked the zebra in order to kill it for food.

2 In a game such as football or hockey, players attack to get the ball into a position from which a goal can be scored.

NOUN 3 violent, physical action against someone

attempt attempts, attempting, attempted

VERB 1 If you attempt to do something, you try to do it.

NOUN 2 the act of trying to do something • He made a brave attempt to help.

attend attends, attending, attended

VERB 1 If you attend school, church or hospital, you go there regularly.

2 If you attend an event, you are present at it.

attend to

VERB If you attend to something, you deal with it. • We should attend to our homework before going to the park.

attendant attendants

NOUN someone whose job is to help people in a place such as a museum or shop

attention

NOUN the thought or care that you give to someone or something • I paid a lot of attention to my homework.

attentive

ADJECTIVE When you are attentive, you pay close attention.

attentively ADVERB

attic attics

NOUN a room at the top of a house immediately below the roof

attitude attitudes

NOUN the way you think about someone or something and behave towards them • I’m not going in that shop again. I don’t like their attitude.

attract attracts, attracting, attracted

VERB 1 If something attracts people, it interests them and makes them want to go to it.

2 If someone attracts you, you like them and are interested in them.

3 When magnetic materials are attracted to a magnet, they are pulled towards it.

attraction attractions

NOUN 1 If you feel an attraction for someone, you like them very much.

2 somewhere people like to visit for interest or pleasure, such as a fun fair or a stately home

3 A force of attraction pulls magnetic materials towards a magnet.

attractive

ADJECTIVE 1 Someone who is attractive is good-looking or has an exciting personality.

2 If something is attractive, it is interesting.

aubergine aubergines

NOUN a dark purple, pear-shaped vegetable. It is also called an eggplant.

auburn

ADJECTIVE a red-brown hair colour

auction auctions, auctioning, auctioned

NOUN 1 a public sale in which goods are sold to the person who offers the highest price

VERB 2 to sell something in an auction

audible

ADJECTIVE If something is audible, you can hear it.

audience audiences

NOUN 1 the group of people who are watching or listening to a performance

2 a private or formal meeting with an important person • The winners of the bravery awards had an audience with the Queen.

audition auditions

NOUN a short performance by an actor or musician, so that a director can decide whether they are suitable for a part in a play or a film, or for a place in an orchestra

auditorium auditoriums or auditoria

NOUN the part of a theatre or concert hall where the audience sits

August

NOUN the eighth month of the year. August has 31 days.

aunt aunts

NOUN Your aunt is the sister of your mother or father, or the wife of your uncle.

author authors

NOUN The author of a book is the person who wrote it.

authority authorities

NOUN 1 the power to tell other people what to do • The teacher had the authority to give me detention.

2 an organization that controls public interests • the local health authority

3 Someone who is an authority on something, knows a lot about it.

authorize authorizes, authorizing, authorized

VERB If someone authorizes something, they give official permission for it.

authorization NOUN

auto-

PREFIX 1 self or same • autobiography

2 self-propelling • automatic car

autobiography autobiographies

NOUN an account of someone’s life that they have written themselves

autobiographical ADJECTIVE

autograph autographs

NOUN the signature of a famous person

[from Greek auto meaning self and graphos meaning written]

automatic automatics

ADJECTIVE 1 An automatic machine is programmed to perform tasks without needing a person to operate it.

NOUN 2 a car in which the gears change automatically as the car’s speed changes

autumn autumns

NOUN the season between summer and winter, when the leaves fall off the trees • I love the golden colours of the trees in autumn.

available

ADJECTIVE 1 If something is available, it is easy to get or to buy.

2 A person who is available is ready for work or free to talk to.

avalanche avalanches

NOUN a huge mass of snow and ice that falls down a mountainside

avenue avenues

NOUN a street, especially one with trees along it

average averages

NOUN 1 a result obtained by adding several amounts together and then dividing the total by the number of different amounts • If I shared 36 sweets between four children, the average would be nine sweets per child.

ADJECTIVE 2 standard or usual • The average teenager is interested in pop music.

SYNONYMS: normal, ordinary, typical

PHRASE 3 You say on average when mentioning what usually happens in a situation. • Men are, on average, taller than women.

aviary aviaries

NOUN a large cage or group of cages in which birds are kept

aviation

NOUN the science of flying aircraft

avocado avocados

NOUN a pear-shaped fruit with dark green skin, soft greenish-yellow flesh, and a large stone

avoid avoids, avoiding, avoided

VERB 1 If you avoid someone or something, you keep away from them. • To avoid him, she went home the other way.

2 If you avoid doing something, you make an effort not to do it.

SYNONYMS: dodge, shirk

awake

ADJECTIVE Someone who is awake is not sleeping.

award awards, awarding, awarded

NOUN 1 a prize or certificate for doing something well

VERB 2 If someone awards you something, they give it to you formally or officially. • He was awarded the prize for fastest runner.

aware

ADJECTIVE 1 If you are aware of something, you know about it.

2 If you are aware of something, you can see, hear, smell or feel it.

away

ADVERB 1 moving from a place • I saw them walk away from the house.

2 at a distance from a place • The nearest supermarket is 12 kilometres away.

3 in its proper place • He put his CDs away.

4 not at home, school or work • My friend’s been away from school for a week.

awe

NOUN FORMAL a feeling of great respect mixed with amazement, and sometimes slight fear • Looking up at the mountains, we felt a sense of awe.

awful

ADJECTIVE very unpleasant or very bad • Isn’t the weather awful?

SYNONYMS: dreadful, terrible

awkward

ADJECTIVE 1 difficult to deal with • an awkward situation

2 clumsy and uncomfortable • The large bag was awkward to carry.

[from Old Norse ofugr meaning turned the wrong way]

axe axes

NOUN a tool with a handle and a sharp blade, used for chopping wood

axis axes

NOUN 1 an imaginary line through the middle of something, around which it moves • The earth turns on its axis.

2 one of the two sides of a graph

axle axles

NOUN the long bar that connects a pair of wheels on a vehicle

Bb

babble babbles, babbling, babbled

VERB If someone babbles, they talk in a quick and confused way that is difficult to understand.

baboon baboons

NOUN an African monkey with a pointed face, large teeth and a long tail

baby babies

NOUN a child in the first year or two of its life

baby-sit baby-sits, baby-sitting, baby-sat

VERB If you baby-sit for someone, you look after their children while they are out.

bachelor bachelors

NOUN a man who has never been married

back backs, backing, backed

ADVERB 1 When people or things move back, they move in the opposite direction to the one they are facing.

2 When you go back to a place or situation, you return to it. • She went back to sleep.

NOUN 3 the rear part of your body

ADJECTIVE 4 The back parts of something are the ones at the rear. • the dog’s back legs

VERB 5 If a building backs on to something, the back of it faces in that direction.

backbone backbones

NOUN the column of linked bones along the middle of the back of a human and other vertebrates

background backgrounds

NOUN 1 the things in a picture or scene that are less noticeable than the main things

2 the kind of home you come from, and your education and experience

backstroke

NOUN a style of swimming movement on your back

backward

ADJECTIVE If you take a backward look, you look behind you.

backwards

ADVERB 1 If you move backwards, you move to a place behind you.

2 If you do something backwards, you do it opposite to the usual way. • He told them to count backwards from 20 to 5.

bacon

NOUN meat from the back or sides of a pig, which has been salted or smoked

bacteria

PLURAL NOUN very tiny organisms that can cause disease

[from Greek bakterion meaning little rod; some bacteria are rod-shaped]

bacterial ADJECTIVE

bad worse, worst

ADJECTIVE 1 Bad things are harmful or upsetting. • I have some bad news.

SYNONYMS: distressing, grave, terrible

2 not enough or of poor quality • We thought the film was very bad.

3 Bad food is not fresh.

SYNONYMS: rotten, decayed

badge badges

NOUN a piece of plastic or metal with a design or message on it that you can pin to your clothes

badger badgers, badgering, badgered

NOUN 1 a nocturnal mammal that has a white head with two black stripes on it

VERB 2 If you badger someone, you keep asking them questions or pestering them to do something.

badly worse, worst

ADVERB 1 not well, poorly • The script was badly written.

2 seriously • She was badly hurt in the accident.

badminton

NOUN a game in which two or four players use rackets to hit a feathered object, called a shuttlecock, over a high net

bag bags

NOUN a container for carrying things in

[From Old Norse baggi meaning bundle]

baggage

NOUN Your baggage is all the suitcases, holdalls and bags that you take with you when you travel.

bagpipes

PLURAL NOUN a musical instrument played by squeezing air out of a leather bag and through pipes

baguette baguettes

NOUN a long, thin French loaf of bread

bail bails

NOUN 1 In cricket, the bails are the two small pieces of wood placed on top of the stumps to form the wicket.

2 a sum of money paid to a court to allow an accused person to go free until the time of the trial • The accused man was released on bail.

bait baits, baiting, baited

NOUN 1 a small amount of food placed on a hook, or in a trap, to attract and catch a fish or wild animal

VERB 2 If you bait a hook or a trap, you put some food on it to catch a fish or wild animal.

bake bakes, baking, baked

VERB 1 When you bake food, you cook it in an oven without using extra liquid or fat.

2 If you bake earth or clay, you heat it until it becomes hard.

baker bakers

NOUN a person who makes and sells bread and cakes

balance balances, balancing, balanced

VERB 1 When someone or something balances, they remain steady and do not fall over.

2 used in mathematics when weighing and comparing two weights. If two weights are equal, they balance.

NOUN 3 the state of being upright and steady • She lost her balance and fell.

4 the amount of money in someone’s bank account

balcony balconies

NOUN 1 a platform on the outside of a building, with a wall or railing round it

2 an area of upstairs seats in a theatre or cinema

bald balder, baldest

ADJECTIVE A bald person has little or no hair on their head.

[from Middle English ballede meaning having a white patch]

bale bales, baling, baled

NOUN 1 a large bundle of something, such as paper or hay, tied tightly

VERB 2 If you bale water from a boat, you remove it using a container; also spelt bail.

ball balls

NOUN 1 a round object used in games such as tennis, soccer, and hockey

2 The ball of your foot or thumb is the rounded part where your toes join your foot or your thumb joins your hand.

ballad ballads

NOUN 1 a long song or poem that tells a story

2 a slow, romantic pop song

ballerina ballerinas

NOUN a female ballet dancer

ballet

NOUN a type of artistic dancing based on precise steps

[from Italian balletto meaning little dance]

balloon balloons

NOUN 1 a small bag made of thin rubber that you blow into until it becomes larger. Balloons are often used as party decorations.

2 a large, strong bag filled with gas or hot air, that travels through the air carrying passengers in a basket underneath it • They went on a hot air balloon flight over the city.

ballpoint ballpoints

NOUN a pen with a small, metal ball at the writing point

bamboo

NOUN a tall tropical grass with hard, hollow stems used for making furniture

ban bans, banning, banned

VERB 1 If you ban something, you forbid it to be done.

SYNONYMS: forbid, prohibit

NOUN 2 If there is a ban on something, it is not allowed.

banana bananas

NOUN a long, curved fruit with a yellow skin

band bands

NOUN 1 a group of musicians who play jazz or pop music together

2 a group of people who share a common purpose

3 a narrow strip of something used to hold things together • She tied her hair back with an elastic band.

bandage bandages

NOUN a strip of cloth wrapped round a wound to protect it

bang bangs, banging, banged

NOUN 1 a sudden, short, loud noise

2 a hard, painful bump against something

VERB 3 If you bang something, you hit it or put it down violently so that it makes a loud noise.

4 If you bang a part of your body against something, you accidentally bump it.

banish banishes, banishing, banished

VERB 1 If someone is banished, they are sent away and never allowed to return.

2 If you banish something from your thoughts, you try not to think about it.

banishment NOUN

banister banisters

NOUN a rail supported by posts up the side of a staircase

banjo banjos or banjoes

NOUN a musical instrument, like a small guitar with a round body

bank banks, banking, banked

NOUN 1 a business that looks after people’s money

2 the raised ground along the edge of a river or lake

VERB 3 If you bank on something happening, you rely on it. • I know we said we’d go swimming, but don’t bank on it.

banner banners

NOUN 1 a long strip of cloth with a message or slogan on it • We saw banners advertising the fair.

ADJECTIVE 2 A banner headline is a headline printed right across the page of a newspaper.

banquet banquets

NOUN a grand, formal dinner, often followed by speeches

[from Old French banquet, originally meaning little bench]

baptism baptisms

NOUN the ceremony in which someone has water sprinkled on them, or they are immersed in water, as a sign that they have become a Christian

baptize baptizes, baptizing, baptized; also spelt baptise

VERB When a church official baptizes someone, they sprinkle water on them, or immerse them in water, as a sign that they have become a Christian.

bar bars, barring, barred

NOUN 1 a long, straight piece of metal

VERB 2 If you bar someone’s way, you stop them going somewhere by standing in front of them.

NOUN 3 a counter or room where alcoholic drinks are served

4 a piece of something made in a rectangular shape • a bar of soap

barbecue barbecues

NOUN 1 a grill with a charcoal fire on which you cook food, usually outdoors

2 an outdoor party where you eat food cooked on a barbecue

[from a Caribbean word meaning framework]

barber barbers

NOUN a man who cuts men’s hair

bar chart bar charts

NOUN a kind of graph where the information is shown in rows or bars

bar code bar codes

NOUN a pattern of lines and numbers on something that is for sale, so that the price can be read by a machine

bare barer, barest

ADJECTIVE 1 If a part of your body is bare, it is not covered by any clothing. • bare feet

SYNONYMS: naked, uncovered

2 If something is bare, it is not covered or decorated with anything. • bare wooden floors

3 The bare minimum, or the bare essentials, means the very least that is needed.

barely

ADVERB If you barely manage to do something, you only just succeed in doing it.

bargain bargains, bargaining, bargained

NOUN 1 an agreement in which two people or groups discuss and agree what each will do, pay or receive

2 something that is sold at a low price and that is good value • The apples are a bargain at this price.

VERB 3 When people bargain with each other, they discuss and agree terms about what each will do, pay or receive.

barge barges, barging, barged

NOUN 1 a boat with a flat bottom used for carrying heavy loads, especially on canals

VERB 2 INFORMAL If you barge into a place, you push into it in a rough or rude way.

bark barks, barking, barked

VERB 1 When a dog barks, it makes a short, loud noise, once or several times.

NOUN 2 the tough material that covers the outside of a tree

barley

NOUN a cereal that is grown for food and is also used for making beer and whisky

bar mitzvah

NOUN A Jewish boy’s bar mitzvah is a ceremony that takes place on his 13th birthday, after which he is regarded as an adult.

barn barns

NOUN a large farm building used for storing crops or animal food

[from Old English beren meaning barley room]

barnacle barnacles

NOUN a small shellfish that fixes itself to rocks and to the bottom of boats

barometer barometers

NOUN an instrument that measures air pressure and shows when the weather is changing

barrel barrels

NOUN 1 a wooden container with rounded sides and flat ends

2 The barrel of a gun is the long tube through which the bullet is fired.

barricade barricades, barricading, barricaded

NOUN 1 a temporary barrier put up to stop people getting past

VERB 2 If you barricade yourself inside a room or building, you put something heavy against the door to stop people getting in.

[from Old French barriquer meaning to block with barrels]

barrier barriers

NOUN a fence or wall that prevents people or animals getting from one area to another

barrister barristers

NOUN a lawyer who is qualified to represent people in the higher courts

barrow barrows

NOUN 1 another word for wheelbarrow

2 a large cart from which fruit or other goods are sold in the street

base bases, basing, based

NOUN 1 the lowest part of something • The waves crashed at the base of the cliffs.

2 The base of a triangle or a square-shaped pyramid is the bottom.

3 a place where part of an army, navy or air force works from

VERB 4 If you base one thing on another, you develop from it. • She based the film on a true story.

5 If you are based somewhere, you live there or work from there. • My dad is based in Cardiff, but spends a lot of time abroad.

baseball

NOUN a team game played with a bat and a ball. It is popular in the USA.

basement basements

NOUN a room or set of rooms below the level of the street • My aunt lives in the basement of our house.

basic

ADJECTIVE 1 The basic aspects of something are the most necessary ones. • The basic ingredients of bread are flour, yeast and water.

2 having only the essentials, and no extras or luxuries

basically ADVERB

basin basins

NOUN 1 a round, wide container which is open at the top

2 A river basin is a bowl of land from which water runs into the river.

basis bases

NOUN If something is the basis of something else, it is the main principle on which it is based, and from which other points and ideas can be developed.

bask basks, basking, basked

VERB If you bask in hot weather, you lie in the sun and enjoy the warmth.

basket baskets

NOUN a container made of thin strips of wood or metal woven together • a shopping basket

basketball

NOUN a game in which two teams try to score goals by throwing a large ball through one of two circular nets that are suspended high up at each end of the basketball court

bass basses

NOUN 1 a man with a very deep singing voice

ADJECTIVE 2 In music, a bass instrument produces a very deep sound. • a bass guitar

bassoon bassoons

NOUN a large woodwind instrument

bat bats, batting, batted

NOUN 1 a specially shaped piece of wood with a handle, used for hitting a ball in games such as table tennis or cricket

2 a small animal like a mouse with leathery wings. Bats fly at night and sleep hanging upside down.

VERB 3 If you are batting in cricket, baseball or rounders, it is your turn to hit the ball.

batch batches

NOUN A batch of things is a group of things that are all the same or are being dealt with at the same time. • They delivered the first batch of books at the start of term.

bath baths

NOUN a long container that you fill with water and sit in to wash yourself

bathe bathes, bathing, bathed

VERB When you bathe in a sea, river or lake, you swim or play there.

bathroom bathrooms

NOUN a room with a bath or shower, a washbasin and often a toilet in it

baton batons

NOUN 1 a light, thin stick that a conductor uses to direct an orchestra or choir

2 a short stick passed from one runner to another at the changeover in a relay race

battalion battalions

NOUN an army unit consisting of three or more companies

batter batters, battering, battered

NOUN 1 a mixture of flour, eggs and milk, used to make pancakes, or to coat food before frying it

VERB 2 When someone or something batters someone or something, they hit them many times. • The waves battered the sides of the ship.

battery batteries

NOUN a device for storing energy and producing electricity, for example in a torch or a car

battle battles

NOUN a fight between armed forces, or a struggle between two people or groups with different aims

battlefield battlefields

NOUN a place where a battle has been fought or is being fought

battlements

PLURAL NOUN the top part of a castle where there are openings through which arrows or guns could be fired

battleship battleships

NOUN a large fighting ship carrying powerful guns

bawl bawls, bawling, bawled

VERB If someone bawls, they shout or cry loudly.

bay bays, baying, bayed

NOUN 1 part of the coastline where the land curves

2 a space or an area used for a particular purpose • a loading bay

3 a tree with dark green leaves. The leaves are used for flavouring food.

VERB 4 When a dog or a wolf bays, it makes a deep, howling sound.

PHRASE 5 If you keep something at bay, you stop it hurting you. • Try eating an orange to keep a cold at bay.

bayonet bayonets

NOUN a sharp blade that can be fixed to the end of a rifle

bazaar bazaars

NOUN 1 an area with many small shops and stalls, especially in Eastern countries

2 a sale to raise money for charity • a Christmas bazaar

[from Persian bazar meaning market]

BC

ADJECTIVE You use BC to show the dates before the birth of Jesus Christ. It is an abbreviation for before Christ.

be am, is, are; being; was, were; been

VERB 1 You can use be with the present participle of other verbs. • Look! I am riding on my own!

2 You can also use be to say that something will happen. • I will be nine in November.

3 You use be to say more about something or somebody. • His name is Tom.

beach beaches

NOUN an area of sand or pebbles beside the sea

beacon beacons

NOUN In the past, a beacon was a light or fire on a hill, which acted as a signal or warning.

bead beads

NOUN 1 a small, shaped piece of glass, stone or wood with a hole through the middle. Beads are strung together with others to make necklaces or bracelets.

2 a drop of liquid • beads of perspiration

beak beaks

NOUN the hard part of a bird’s mouth that sticks out. It is used for pecking up food and for carrying things such as twigs.

beam beams, beaming, beamed

NOUN 1 a long, thick bar of wood or metal, especially one that supports a roof

2 a band of light that shines from something such as a torch or the sun

VERB 3 If you beam, you smile broadly.