The Oxford Thesaurus - An A-Z Dictionary Of Synonyms
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sweep, capture, gain, secure: She carried the election easily. |
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7 stock, sell, offer; display: We don't carry purple shoes in |
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this shop, Madam. 8 broadcast, disseminate, offer, release; |
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communicate, present, read, report, announce; give: The news is |
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carried on this station every night at nine. 9 carry away. |
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transport, excite, enrapture, delight: He was quite carried |
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away by her attentions. 10 carry off. a win, gain, capture, |
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secure: She managed to carry off the first prize for the third |
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year running. b abscond with, kidnap, take, purloin, Colloq |
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Brit pinch, nick: I'm afraid that some of your chickens have |
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been carried off by a fox. c accomplish, perform, effect, do, |
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succeed, handle or manage successfully, bring off, carry out: |
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We carried off the raid without loss of a single man. d kill, |
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be or cause the death of, cause to die: He was carried off by |
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yellow fever in his eightieth year. 11 carry on. a continue, |
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proceed, go on, persist, keep on or at, persevere: Don't stop - |
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just carry on with what you were doing. b manage, conduct, |
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operate: Despite the fire, we are carrying on our business as |
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usual. c misbehave, Colloq act up, fool around, Brit play up: |
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The children are carrying on so, I can't get any work done. 12 |
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carry out or through. perform, effect, implement, complete, |
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execute, accomplish, continue, conclude: Henry is carrying out |
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his father's wishes according to the terms of his will. |
cart |
n. 1 handcart, pushcart, trolley, barrow, wagon or Brit also |
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waggon: You'll need a cart to carry all these things to the |
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car. |
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--v. 2 carry, convey, move, lug, drag, tote, transport, bring, |
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haul, Colloq US schlep: Why do you cart that heavy bag |
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everywhere you go? |
carte blanche
n. licence, permission, sanction, free rein, authority,
discretion: She was given carte blanche to spend the money any way she wished.
carve v. 1 hew, cut, sculpt, sculpture, shape, chisel, model, fashion, engrave, incise, grave, whittle, chip: The bust is carved out of solid marble. 2 Often, carve up or out. divide (up), cut (up), subdivide, apportion, parcel out, allot, partition: The gang-leaders carved up the territory, and the killings stopped for a while.
case° |
n. 1 instance, example, event, occurrence; happening, occasion, |
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circumstance, state, situation: In a recent case a farmer was |
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attacked by a man-eating tiger. Holmes is investigating a case |
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of a missing necklace. 2 action, suit, lawsuit, dispute; cause: |
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I lost my case. 3 patient, invalid, victim: Four new cases |
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were admitted to the hospital yesterday. 4 specimen, instance, |
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example: Howard is an odd case, isn't he? 5 in any case. in |
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any event, come what may, at all events, anyhow, anyway: In any |
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case, your decision won't affect me. 6 in case. a lest, for |
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fear that: He was worried in case his wife found out where he |
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had been. b if, in the event that, if it happens or proves or |
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turns out that, if it should happen or prove or turn out that: |
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In case you were thinking of leaving, remember that we have your |
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car keys. 7 in case of. in the event of; for fear of: In case |
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of fire, you must use the staircase. We insured the house in |
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case of fire. 8 the case. the fact, the actuality, the truth, |
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the reality, what really happened or took place: She said he |
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was drunk, but that's not the case. |
caseý |
n. 1 box, container, carton, crate; chest, holder, receptacle; |
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trunk, suitcase, casket: Please order two cases of paper for |
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the copying machine. The cosmetics came in a fitted case lined |
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in velvet. 2 covering, cover, protection, casing, envelope, |
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wrapper: The engraving was on the inside of the watch-case. The |
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book came in a case of fine calfskin. |
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--v. 3 encase, box, crate, pack, package, containerize: The |
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computer arrived, completely cased in rigid foam. |
cash |
n. 1 money, currency, bills, notes, banknotes, change, hard |
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cash or money, specie, coin of the realm, legal tender, Slang |
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moolah, dough, bread, loot, spondulicks or spondulix, Brit |
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lolly, ready, readies, US scratch, gelt, mazuma: The shop |
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accepts only cash, no charge cards. |
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--v. 2 Also, cash in. change, sell, liquidate, exchange; |
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realize: She cashed some bonds to pay off the overdraft. |
casket n. 1 chest, box, container, case, coffer, receptacle: She keeps her jewels in a leather casket on the dressing-table. 2 coffin; sarcophagus: After the funeral, the pallbearers carried the casket from the church.
cast |
n. 1 throw, toss, pitch, shy, lob, thrust, chuck: In his next |
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cast, the bowler lightly struck the jack. 2 dramatis personae, |
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actors and actresses, players, performers, troupe, company: We |
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invited the cast to a party after the show. 3 form, shape, |
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mould; formation, formulation, arrangement: She can appreciate |
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the turn of the phrase, the happy cast and flow of the sentence. |
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4 model, casting, mould; stamp, type: The Ming vase was copied |
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from a cast. There are not many men of the cast of Crocker. 5 |
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twist, turn, irregularity, warp; squint: The mare had a cast in |
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her gallop. The pirate had a cast in his left eye. 6 turn, |
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inclination, bent, hint, touch; tinge, tint, colouring: He has |
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a melancholy cast of mind. |
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--v. 7 throw, toss, pitch, fling, sling, hurl, dash, send, |
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Colloq chuck, shy: She tore off the gold necklace and cast it |
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into the lake. 8 assign, delegate, appoint, designate, name, |
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nominate, choose, pick, select: He has cast me as the villain |
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in his little drama. 9 form, mould, found: The king's |
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death-mask, cast in plaster, was on the floor of the tomb. 10 |
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cast about for. search for, look for, seek: He was casting |
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about for an excuse to avoid going to the Fordyces' for dinner. |
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11 cast aside. reject, discard, cast or throw away or out, get |
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rid of: The expensive toys had been cast aside and the children |
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were playing with the boxes and wrappings. 12 cast away. maroon, |
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shipwreck: Jim O'Shea was cast away upon an Indian isle. 13 |
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cast off. throw off, shed, doff: One's upbringing cannot be |
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cast off like an old overcoat. 14 cast out. expel, drive out, |
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throw out, evict, eject, oust, exile, remove, cast aside: She |
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was cast out of the house by her mother, who had married a |
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biker. |
castaway n. reject, cast-off, outcast, pariah, exile: She always looked after the moral well-being of the castaways of society.
caste |
n. (social) class, rank, order, level, stratum, standing, |
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position, station, status, estate: The women of her caste |
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practised suttee. |
castigate v. chastise, punish, correct, penalize, discipline, rebuke, reprimand, read (someone) the riot act, keelhaul, chasten, criticize, Colloq tell off, dress down, Chiefly Brit tick off,
Brit carpet, haul over the coals, US and Canadian chew out, rake
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over the coals, put or call on or on to the carpet: They were |
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castigated in the press for their extravagant lifestyle. |
castle |
n. 1 fortress, stronghold, citadel: The king moved to Windsor |
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Castle during the winter. 2 mansion, palace, manor-house, hall, |
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chƒteau: Mr Mooney lives alone in his castle and has nothing to |
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do with his neighbours. |
casual |
adj. 1 accidental, chance, random, fortuitous, unexpected, |
unforeseen, unpremeditated, unplanned, unforeseeable, unpredictable, serendipitous: It was only a casual remark, but it was taken very seriously. We interviewed casual passers-by. 2 uncertain, unsure, haphazard, occasional, random, irregular, unsystematic, sporadic, erratic: The budget includes provision for both certain and casual revenues. 3 indifferent, nonchalant, offhand, insouciant, apathetic, cool, unconcerned, uninterested, pococurante, dispassionate, blas‚, relaxed, lackadaisical: He may seem casual, but he is genuinely
concerned about the patients. 4 informal; lounge: Dinner dress is not required: you may come in casual clothes. 5 offhand, happy-go-lucky, natural, easy, easygoing, devil-may-care, unconcerned, relaxed, d‚gag‚, unconstrained: Phil is quite casual about losing money at roulette.
casualty n. 1 disaster, catastrophe, calamity, accident, mischance, misadventure, mishap: The company insures against casualties at sea. 2 a victim, fatality, Colloq statistic: I'm afraid that
Jeff was a casualty of last year's cut in personnel. She was only one of thousands of casualties of the earthquake. b Usually, casualties. Chiefly military wounded, injured, missing, missing in action, dead, fatalities, US MIA(s), body count: The casualties were mounting.
catastrophe
n. 1 disaster, calamity, cataclysm: The eruption of Vesuvius was one of the major catastrophes in recorded history. 2 misfortune, bad luck, shock, blow, tragedy, disaster; mishap, mischance, misadventure, accident, fiasco, failure: Cook reported a catastrophe with the layer cake.
catch v. 1 capture, seize, apprehend, take or get (hold of), grab, grip, grasp, take captive, hold, arrest, take prisoner, Colloq nab, pinch, collar, Brit nick: The police caught him when he
returned to the scene of the crime. 2 trap, ensnare, entrap, snare, net, bag, hook, round up, corral: We caught three trout this morning. I caught all the horses that had broken through the fence. 3 take, get on or on to, board: You can catch the London train at Aylesbury. 4 surprise, discover, find: They fired him after catching him with his hand in the till. 5 be seized or taken hold of by or with, come down with, be afflicted by or with, contract, get, suffer from: You'll catch a cold if
you don't wear a hat. 6 strike, hit, deliver, fetch, box: She caught him a great blow on the ear and he went down. 7 tangle, become entangled or stuck or trapped or hooked: His foot caught in the stirrup when he fell, and he was dragged along. 8
restrain, stop, check, curb: She caught herself before telling the police where the thief was hiding. 9 intercept, grab, seize, snatch: He caught the ball before it touched the ground. 10
understand, see, comprehend, grasp, apprehend, fathom, perceive, discern, follow, take in, gather, Colloq figure out, get, catch
on (to), get the drift (of), Brit twig: I didn't quite catch
what you said - please can you repeat it? 11 captivate, charm, bewitch, enchant, fascinate, seduce, attract, entice, allure: She knows how to use her charms to catch a man. 12 attract,
draw: A very slight movement caught my eye. 13 catch on. a understand, grasp, see (through), comprehend, get (it), Brit twig: I didn't catch on to what she planned to do it till it
was too late. The joke's on you and you still don't catch on, do you? b take hold, succeed, become popular or fashionable: Do you think the hula hoop will catch on again? 14 catch up. a absorb, involve, enthrall, immerse: He was completely caught up in the plot of the new novel. b reach, overtake, overhaul: I finally caught up with her as she neared the house.
--n. 15 capture, take, bag, prize, trophy: The catch of the day was a 20-pound pike. 16 acquisition; conquest: She was considered quite a catch. 17 clasp, hook, pin, clip, fastening,
fastener: The catch on the necklace opened and pearls spilt all over the floor. 18 trick, disadvantage, hitch, snag, fly in the ointment, catch-22, trap, problem, drawback , Colloq US hooker: The first book is free, but the catch is that you have to buy
four more at the regular price.
catching adj. 1 contagious, infectious, transmissible, transmittable, communicable: The doctor said that what I have is not catching. 2 attractive, captivating, fascinating, enchanting, bewitching,
entrancing, winning, enticing, alluring, fetching: The strange object in the shop window was most catching to the eye of a passer-by.
categorical
adj. direct, explicit, express, unconditional, firm, positive, unreserved, unrestricted, absolute, outright, downright, unequivocal, unambiguous, specific; emphatic, unqualified, authoritative, dogmatic, Technical apodeictic or apodictic: His denial was clear and categorical.
categorize
v. classify, class, sort, organize, assort, rank, order,
section, departmentalize, group, arrange: Should plankton be categorized under zoology or botany?
category n. class, classification, type, sort, kind, variety, group, grouping, listing, rank, ranking, list, grade, department, division, section, sector, area, sphere; head, heading: Into which category would you put the partially disabled?
cater v. 1 provision, victual; purvey, provide: We cater exclusively for housebound gourmets. 2 cater for or to. indulge, humour, serve, dance attendance on, pamper, baby, coddle, minister to, spoil, mollycoddle, cosset, pander to: She caters for him night and day. Our music group caters for all levels of ability.
catholic adj. universal, general, inclusive, all-inclusive, broad, wide, comprehensive, widespread, all-embracing, eclectic, liberal: Her musical tastes are catholic - they range from Bach to Berry (Chuck, that is).
cattle |
n. livestock, stock, beef; cows, bulls, bullocks, steers, |
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bovines, oxen: He spent 20 years as a cowboy, herding cattle in |
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Texas. |
cause |
n. 1 origin, occasion, source, root, genesis, agent, prime |
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mover, well-spring: The cause of the train crash is not yet |
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known. 2 originator, creator, producer, agent, agency: His |
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indecision was the cause of many of our problems. 3 ground or |
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grounds, justification, reason, basis, call, motive: You have |
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no cause to be dissatisfied. 4 case, matter, issue, concern; |
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movement, undertaking; ideal, belief: We appealed the miners' |
cause to the high court.
--v. 5 make, induce: What causes hot air to rise? 6 effect, bring on or about, give rise to, result in, produce, create, precipitate, occasion, lead to, induce, generate, provoke, promote; engender; motivate, compel: Overeating causes indigestion.
caustic adj. 1 burning, corrosive, destructive, mordant, astringent: Sulphuric acid is the caustic agent that eats away the metal. 2 sarcastic, biting, acrimonious, sharp, bitter, biting, sardonic, cutting, trenchant, critical, scathing, acid, harsh, pungent, virulent: His caustic remarks do not earn him many friends.
caution n. 1 warning, admonition, admonishment, caveat, monition, advice, counsel, injunction: A word of caution is needed before you go ahead. 2 wariness, prudence, care, vigilance, forethought, heed, watchfulness, alertness, circumspection, discretion: Drivers should exercise extra caution in bad weather.
--v. 3 warn, admonish, forewarn, tip (off); advise, counsel: Some employees had to be cautioned about arriving on time.
cautious adj. wary, heedful, careful, prudent, circumspect, watchful, vigilant, alert, circumspect, discreet, guarded: They were very cautious about letting their children go out on their own.
cave |
n. 1 cavern, grotto, hollow, hole, cavity, den: In the cave |
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were prehistoric wall paintings. |
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--v. 2 cave in. a collapse, break down, give way, subside, |
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fall in or inwards: The earthquake caused the walls of the |
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house to cave in. b yield, submit, give way; surrender; Colloq |
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buckle, knuckle under: After eight hours of questioning, he |
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caved in and told them everything. |
cavil |
n. 1 quibble, complaint: There is a minor cavil at the wording |
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of the statutes. |
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--v. 2 carp, quibble, split hairs, complain, find fault, |
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censure, criticize, dispute, object, demur, Colloq nit-pick: |
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They cavilled at a mere misspelling. |
cavity |
n. pit, hole, hollow, opening, crater, gap; space: The |
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limestone is marked with a pattern of cavities. Vowel sounds |
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resonate in the oral cavity. |
cavort |
v. curvet, prance, caper, frisk, bound, gambol, romp, skip, |
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leap, jump, dance: Stop cavorting about and settle down. |
3.2 cease...
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cease v. 1 stop, end, finish, leave off, terminate, halt, discontinue, desist (from), break off (from), refrain (from): Will that noise never cease?
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--n. 2 without cease. ceaselessly, endlessly, unendingly, |
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incessantly, interminably, continuously, continually, |
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constantly, ad infinitum, infinitely, perpetually, forever, |
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eternally, everlastingly, non-stop, unremittingly: Sisyphus was |
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condemned to roll his burden uphill without cease. |
cede |
v. yield, give way, give up, grant, give, surrender, deliver |
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up, turn or make or hand over, convey, transfer, relinquish, |
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abandon, renounce, abdicate: Let private concerns always cede |
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to the common good. The territory was ceded to our government in |
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1792. |
celebrant n. officiant, official; priest: The celebrant at High Mass was the archbishop.
celebrate v. 1 hold, perform, solemnize, ritualize, observe, keep, honour, officiate at; sanctify, hallow, consecrate, dedicate:
The archbishop himself celebrated holy communion. 2 rejoice (in or at), memorialize; have a party, revel, make merry, wassail, Colloq party, paint the town red, whoop it up: The entire town celebrated the opening of the bridge with a huge party. 3 extol, praise, exalt, glorify, laud, eulogize, honour; lionize: She
was widely celebrated for her achievements. 4 publicize, advertise, broadcast: The stones themselves would find a Voice, To celebrate his Praise.
celebrated
adj. famous, renowned, well-known, famed, prominent, noted, eminent, noteworthy, distinguished, illustrious, acclaimed: Their son became a celebrated brain surgeon.
celebration
n. 1 observance, observation, performance, solemnization, hallowing, sanctification, memorialization, commemoration: The celebration of the Eucharist was delayed because the vicar had been called to a sickbed. 2 praising, extolling, honouring: The ceremony was a celebration of their achievements in space exploration. 3 party, fˆte, gala, festivities, frolic, revelry, merrymaking: The New Year's celebration is planned at Jill's house this year.
celebrity n. 1 renown, fame, repute, reputation, prominence, eminence, distinction, prestige, famousness, popularity, notability, stardom; notoriety: Dr Johnson was not enriched in proportion to his celebrity. 2 notable, dignitary, star, luminary, toast
of the town, personage, name, personality, superstar: The hotel lobby was packed with celebrities from show business.
celestial adj. 1 heavenly, divine, spiritual, godly, paradisiac(al) or paradisaic, sublime, empyrean, Elysian, ethereal, immortal, supernatural: They worshipped Jupiter and other celestial beings. 2 astronomical, astral: We studied celestial navigation and how to use a sextant.
celibacy n. 1 bachelorhood, spinsterhood, singleness: People who say they enjoy celibacy may simply have not met the right partner. 2 chastity, virginity, continence, (self-)restraint, abstinence, purity: They have to take a vow of celibacy before entering the priesthood.
celibate adj. 1 unmarried, single, unwed: Both brother and sister remained celibate all their lives. 2 abstinent, abstemious, continent, ascetic; virgin(al), pure, chaste, unsullied, undefiled, virtuous, immaculate: He led the celibate life of a monk for twenty years.
--n. 3 bachelor, spinster: She belonged to an order of female celibates.
cell |
n. chamber, room, apartment, cubicle; stall: As a friar, he |
lived in a small, plain cell for most of his life.
cellar |
n. basement, vault: She led me down to the cellar to show me |
her wine collection. |
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cement |
n. 1 mortar, bond, glue, gum, paste, solder; adhesive: You'll |
need a special kind of cement to stick metal to glass.
--v. 2 stick, glue, paste, solder, weld, braze, bond; join,
bind, combine, unite; cohere, hold, cling, adhere: First cement the tiles to the wall. The ashes and cinders cement readily into a compact mass.
central adj. 1 middle, medial, median; inner, inside: The central reservation between the carriageways will be planted with bushes. 2 main, principal, important, chief, key, leading, dominant, prime, primary, pre-eminent, cardinal, significant, essential: Odysseus is the central figure of the poem.
centre n. 1 middle, core, heart; nucleus, focal point, hub, pivot, nave; mid-point: He stood in the centre of the road. We journeyed to the centre of the earth. The tower is at the centre of the market square. The amount to be paid was at the centre of the controversy. Mark the centre of the line.
--v. 2 focus, converge, meet, concentrate, cluster: The business of the meeting centred on the nomination of a chairperson. All my hopes were centred on getting the job as supervisor.
ceremonial
adj. 1 ritual, celebratory, commemorative: We followed the ceremonial procession. 2 formal, solemn, stately, dignified; ceremonious, august: The ceremonial robes of his office were white. The ceremonial rites of passage involve many participants.
--n. 3 rite, ritual, formality, ceremony, service, observance: These are the ceremonials prescribed in the Anglican service.
ceremonious
adj. 1 ceremonial, formal, dignified, solemn, Colloq stuffy, stiff, starchy: There are many ceremonious procedures involved