~~~The~~~
`
`CONCISE
`OXFORD
`DICTIONARY
`of
`Current English
`
`FIRST EDITED BY
`H. W. Fowler and F. G. Fowler
`
`EIGHTH EDITION
`
`EDITED BY R. E. ALLEN
`
`CLARENDON PRESS · OXFORD
`
`1
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`Oxford University Press, Walton Street, Oxford OX2 6DP
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`Oxford is a trade mark of Oxford University Press
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`©Oxford University Press 1964, 1976, 1982, 1990
`
`Published in the United States by
`Oxford University Press Inc., New York
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`First edition 1911
`New edition (revised) 1929
`Third edition (with Addenda) 1934
`Fourth edition 1951
`Fifth edition 1964
`Sixth edition 1976
`Seventh edition 1982
`Eighth edition 1990
`
`All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced,
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`British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
`The concise Oxford dictionary of current English.-Bth ed.
`1. English language-Dictionaries
`I. Allen, R. E. (Robert Edward), 1944-423
`ISBN 0-19--861243-5 thumb index
`ISBN 0-19--861200-1 plain
`
`Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data
`The Concise Oxford dictionary of current English.-8th ed./edited by R. E. Allen.
`p. cm.
`'First edited by H. W. Fowler and F. G. Fowler.'
`ISBN 0-19-86'1200-1-ISBN 0-19-861243-5 (thumb index)
`I. Allen, R. E.
`II. Fowler,
`1. English language-Dictionaries.
`III. Fowler, F. G. (Francis
`H. W. (Henry Watson), 1858-1933.
`George), 1870-1918.
`PE1628.C68 1990
`423--dc20 89-72114 CIP
`
`6 8 10 9 7
`
`Printed in the United States of America
`
`2
`
`

`
`captivate
`l horse or its rider)
`(a. horse) capriole. [F
`rm goat]
`tpri pants) women's
`[Capri, an island in
`
`-adj. of or relating
`\frica and S. Europe.
`afsa in Tunisia]
`Y plant of the genus
`~ar ~ruits containing
`'Ieldmg several vari(cid:173)
`any of these plants,
`d pungency. [mod.L,
`
`the family Capsidae,
`wd.L Capsus a genus
`
`1 coat or shell of a
`
`or overturn (a boat).
`n. [cap- as in Prov.
`l]
`k revolving cylinder
`: an anchor cable or
`spindle on a tape
`pe past
`the head.
`evolving tool-holder.
`·um halter f. capere
`
`a coping-stone.
`all soluble case of
`icine and swallowed
`nent of a spacecraft
`nclosing membrane
`tt releases its seeds
`; part of mosses and
`: layer surrounding
`e; highly condensed
`oo capsular adj.
`apsa CASE 2 )
`tlso
`-ise) put (in·
`
`a chief or leader. b
`ts. c a powerful or
`ridustry). 2 a the
`t or passenger ship.
`. title Captain) a an
`above lieutenant. b
`irship; one ranking
`al and above com-
`1arge of a precinct,
`foreman. b a head
`pervisor of waiters
`Jr strategist. b an
`Je captain of; lead.
`officer, esp. of
`Brit. a Navy staff
`!. oo captaincy n.
`OF capitain f. LL
`~ad)
`1 a title or brief
`ation, cartoon, etc.
`r television screen
`the heading of a
`tificate attached to
`r. provide with a
`pt- take]
`finding fault or
`adv.
`rnptiously
`ux or- L captiosus
`
`rhelm with charm
`ptivatingly adv.
`ivare take captive
`
`too a ago ar my
`
`167
`
`captive
`captive /'kreptrv/ n. & adj. -n. a person or animal
`that has been taken prisoner or confined. -adj. 1 a
`taken prisoner. b kept in confinement or under
`restraint. 2 a unable to escape. b in a position of
`having to comply (captive audience; captive market).
`3 of or like a prisoner (captive state). ocaptive
`balloon a balloon held by a rope from the ground.
`[ME f. L captivus f. capere capt- take]
`captivity /krep'trvrtr/ n. (pl. -ies) 1 a the condition
`or circumstances of being a captive. b a period of
`captivity. 2 (the Captivity) the captivity of the Jews
`in Babylon in the 6th c. nc.
`captor /'krepta(r), -t:x(r)/ n. a person who captures (a
`person, place, etc.). [L (as CAPTIVE)]
`capture /'kreptJa(r)/ v. & n. -v.tr. 1 a take prisoner;
`seize as a prize. b obtain by force or trickery. 2
`portray in permanent form (could not capture the
`likeness). 3 Physics absorb (a subatomic particle). 4
`(in board games) make a move that secures the
`removal of (an opposing piece) from the board. 5 (of
`a stream) divert the upper course of (another stream)
`by encroaching on its basin. 6 cause (data) to be
`stored in a computer. -n. 1 the act of capturing. 2 a
`thing or person captured. oo capturer n.
`[F f. L
`captura f. capere capt- take]
`Capuchin f'krepju:tJm/ n. 1 a Franciscan friar of
`the new rule of 1529. 2 a cloak and hood formerly
`worn by women. 3 (capuchin) a any monkey of the
`genus Cebus of S. America, with cowl-like head hair.
`b a variety of pigeon with head and neck feathers
`resembling a cowl. [F f. It. cappuccino f. cappuccio
`cowl f. cappa CAPE']
`capybara /,krepr'ba:rn/ n. a very large semi-aquatic
`rodent, Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris, native
`to S.
`America. [Tupi]
`car /ka:(r)/ n. 1 (in full motor car) a road vehicle
`with an enclosed passenger compartment, powered
`by an internal-combustion engine. 2 (in comb.) a a
`wheeled vehicle, esp. of a specified kind (tramcar). b
`a railway carriage of a specified type (dining-car). 3
`US any railway carriage or van. 4 the passenger
`compartment of a lift, cableway, balloon, etc. 5 poet.
`a wheeled vehicle; a chariot. ocar bomb a terrorist
`bomb concealed in or under a parked car. car-boot
`sale an outdoor sale at which participants sell
`unwanted possessions from the boots of their cars.
`car coat a short coat designed esp. for car drivers.
`car park an area for parking cars. car phone a
`radio-telephone for use in a motor vehicle. oo earful
`n. (pl. -fuls). [ME f. AF & ONF carre ult. f. L carrum,
`carrus, of OCelt. orig.]
`carabineer /,luerabr'nrn(r)/ n. (also carabinier) hist.
`1 a soldier whose principal weapon is a carbine. 2
`(the Carabineers) the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards.
`[F carabinier f. carabine CARBINE]
`carabiniere /,krerabm'jearr/ n.. (pl. carabinieri pro·
`nunc. same) an Italian gendarme. [It.]
`caracal /'krera,krel/ n. a lynx, Felis caracal, native to
`N. Africa and SW Asia. [F or Sp. f. Turk. karakulak
`f. kara black + kulak ear]
`caracole /'krern,kaul/ n. & v. -n. a horse's half-turn
`to the right or left. -v. 1 intr. (of a horse or its
`rider) perform a caracole. 2 tr. make (a horse)
`caracole. [Fl
`caracul var. of KARAKUL.
`carafe /ka'rref, -ra:f/ n. a glass container for water or
`wine, esp. at a table or bedside. [F f. It. carajfa, ult. f.
`Arab. garrtifa drinking vessel]
`carambola /,kreram'baula/ n.. 1 a small tree, Av(cid:173)
`errhoa carambola, native to SE Asia, bearing golclen(cid:173)
`yellow ribbed fruit. 2 this fruit Also called star fruit.
`[Port., prob. of Indian or E. Indian orig.]
`caramel /'krera,mel/ n. 1 a sugar or syrup heated
`until it turns brown, then used as a flavouring or to
`colour spirits etc. b a kind of soft toffee made with
`sttgar, butter, etc., melted and further heated. 2 the
`light-brown colour of caramel. [F f. Sp. Caramelo]
`caramelize /'krerama,larz/ v. (also -ise) 1 a tr.
`
`carbon
`convert (sugar or syrup) into caramel. b intr. (of
`sugar or syrup) be converted into caramel. 2 tr. coat
`or cook (food) with caramelized sugar or syrup. oo
`caramelization /-'zerJ(a)n/ n.
`carapace /'krera,pers/ 11. the hard upper shell of a
`tortoise or a crustacean. [F f. Sp. carapacho]
`carat /'krerat/ n. 1 a unit of weight for precious
`stones, now equivalent to 200 milligrams. 2 (US
`karat) a measure of purity of gold, pure gold being
`24 carats. [F f. It. carato f. Arab. l{irti( weight of four
`grains, f. Gk keration fruit of the carob (dimin. of
`keras horn)]
`caravan /'krera,vren/ n. & v. -n. 1 a Brit. a vehicle
`equipped for living in and usu. towed by a motor
`vehicle or a horse. b US a covered motor vehicle
`equipped for living in. 2 a company of merchants or
`pilgrims etc. travelling together, esp. across a desert
`in Asia or N. Africa. 3 a covered cart or carriage.
`-v.intr. (caravanned, caravanning) travel or live
`in a caravan. ocaravan site (or park) a place where
`caravans are parked as dwellings, often with special
`amenities. oo caravanner n. [F caravane f. Pers.
`ktirwtin]
`caravanette /,kreravre'net/ n. a motor vehicle with a
`caravan-like rear compartment for eating, sleeping,
`etc.
`caravanserai /,krera'vamsarr, -,rar/ n. an Eastern inn
`with a central court where caravans (see CARAVAN 2)
`may rest. [Pers. ktirwiinsariiy f. sariiy palace]
`caravel /'kcera,vel/ n. (also carvel /'ka:v(a)l/) hist. a
`small light fast ship, chiefly Spanish and Portuguese
`of the 15th-17th c. [F caravelle f. Port. caravela f. Gk
`karabos horned beetle, light ship]
`caraway /'krera,wer/ n. an umbelliferous plant, Ca(cid:173)
`rum carvi, bearing clusters of tiny white flowers.
`ocaraway seed its fruit used as flavouring and as
`a source of oil. [prob. OSp. alcarahueya f. Arab.
`alkartiwiyti, perh. f. Gk karon, kareon cumin]
`carb /ka:b/ n. colloq. a carburettor. [abbr.]
`carbamate /'ka:ba,mert/ n. Chem. a salt or ester of
`an amide of carbonic acid. [CARBONIC + AMIDE]
`carbide {'ka:bard/ n. Chem. 1 a binary compound of
`carbon. 2 = calcium carbide.
`carbine f'lm:bam/ n. a short firearm, usu. a rifle,
`orig. for cavalry use. [F carabine (this form also
`earlier in Engl.), weapon of the carabin mounted
`musketeer]
`carbo- /'ka:bau/ comb. form carbon (carbohydrate;
`carbolic; carboxyl).
`carbohydrate /,ka:ba'hardrert/ n. Biochem. any of a
`large group of energy-producing organic compounds
`containing carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, e.g.
`starch, glucose, and other sugars.
`carbolic /ka:'bnlrk/ n. (in full carbolic acid) phenol,
`esp. when used as a disinfectant. o carbolic soap
`soap containing this. [CARBO- + -oL' + -rc]
`carbon /'ka:ban/ n. 1 a non-metallic element oc(cid:173)
`curring naturally as diamond, graphite, and char(cid:173)
`coal, and in all organic compounds. "i Symb.: C. 2 a
`= carbon copy. b = carbon paper. 3 a rod of carbon
`in an arc lamp. o carbon black a fine carbon powder
`made by burning hydrocarbons in insufficient air.
`carbon copy 1 a copy made with carbon paper. 2
`a person or thing identical or similar to another
`(is a carbon copy of his father). carbon cycle Biol.
`the cycle in which carbon compounds are inter(cid:173)
`converted, usu. by living organisms. carbon dating
`the determination of the age of an organic object
`from the ratio of isotopes which changes as carbon-14
`decays. carbon dioxide a colourless odourless gas
`occurring naturally in the atmosphere and formed
`by respiration. •1 Chem. formula: C02. carbon di(cid:173)
`sulphide a colourless liquid used as a solvent. 41
`Chem. formula: CS2. carbon fibre a thin strong
`crystalline filament of carbon used as strengthening
`mateiial in resins, ceramics, etc. carbon-14 a long(cid:173)
`lived radioactive carbon isotope of mass 14, used in
`radiocarbon elating, and as a tracer in biochemistry.
`
`au how er day au no ea hair
`
`rn near
`
`:ir boy ua poor arn fire aua sour (see over for consonants)
`
`3