all 19,295 words · one row per spelling
Word ranking
Ranked by how often each word appears in film and television subtitles — the first 15,258 spellings, from the ones you cannot avoid to the ones you will only ever read. Words the frequency norms never measured follow at the end, A to Z.
Off the charts — the norms never met these
Mostly phrases, rare senses and bookish words the subtitle corpus has no sighting of. Alphabetical, because any number would be a guess.
- —be my guestPlease go ahead and do it.B2
- —be that as it mayA formal way of setting an objection aside.C1
- —bear a resemblanceTo look somewhat like somebody or something else.C1
- —bear in mindTo remember and take something into account.B2
- —bear responsibilityTo carry the duty for something.C1
- —bear upTo keep going bravely under strain.C1
- —bear withTo be patient with somebody for a moment.B2
- —bear witnessTo state formally what you saw or know.C1
- —beat around the bushTo avoid saying the main thing directly.C1
- —beat-upWorn and damaged from long use.C1
- —bed and breakfastA room with the morning meal included.B1
- —beddingThe sheets, covers and pillows on a bed.B1
- —bedeckTo cover something with decorations.C2
- —bedmaidA servant who makes and tends the beds.C2
- —bedtime storyA story read to a child before going to sleep.A2
- —bedwettingWetting the bed during sleep.B2
- —befitTo be suitable for somebody's rank or occasion.C1
- —before your timeHappening earlier than you can remember.B2
- —befuddleTo muddle somebody's thinking.C2
- —begging the questionAssuming the very thing you are meant to prove.C2
- —beginner's luckAn unlikely early win by somebody who barely knows the game.B2
- —behind barsIn prison.B2
- —behind scheduleLater than the plan allowed for.B2
- —behind-the-scenesHappening out of the public's sight.B2
- —belarusThe flat landlocked country of Minsk, between Poland and Russia.B2
- —beleaguerTo surround with trouble or with an army.C2
- —believe it or notIntroducing something surprising but true.B2
- —belizeTiny English-speaking Central American country with a great reef.B2
- —below parNot as good as the usual standard.C1
- —bend over backwardsTo try extremely hard to please someone.C1
- —benefit paymentMoney from the state paid into an account.B2
- —benefits packageEverything you get besides the money.B2
- —beside the pointNot related to what actually matters.B2
- —bespectacledWearing spectacles.C2
- —bestirTo rouse yourself into activity.C2
- —better late than neverIt is still worth doing even though it is overdue.B2
- —beyond repairSo damaged that fixing it is not possible.B2
- —bias checkA review of whether coverage leans one way.B2
- —bib shortsPadded shorts held up by shoulder straps.C1
- —biddableWilling to do as you are told.C2
- —big mouthSomebody who cannot keep a secret.B2
- —big topThe great tent a travelling show performs in.B2
- —bigwigAn important or influential person.C2
- —bike laneA marked strip of road reserved for cycles.B1
- —bike rackA stand where cycles can be locked up.B1
- —bill of ladingThe document acknowledging goods received for shipment.C1
- —billionA one followed by nine zeros — a thousand millions.A2
- —billy canThe metal pot hung over a fire to boil water.C1
- —bin bagThe sack that lines a rubbish container.B1
- —bin linerThe bag that lines a rubbish container.B1
- —binge-watchTo watch many episodes one after another.B2
- —bird hideThe small hut you watch wildlife from without being seen.C1
- —birdwatcherA person who goes out to spot and identify birds.B1
- —bitThe metal bar that sits in a horse's mouth.C1
- —bite off more than you can chewTo take on more than you are able to manage.B2
- —bite the bulletTo finally face something painful you have been avoiding.C1
- —bite your lipTo hold back what you were about to say.B2
- —blabberTo talk at length without saying anything of substance.C2
- —black boxThe recorder kept to explain a crash afterwards.B2
- —black holeA region of space with gravity so strong that light cannot escape.B2
- —black iceA thin invisible layer of ice on a road.B2
- —black outTo lose consciousness, or to cut all the lights.B2
- —black tieA dress code calling for a dinner jacket.B2
- —black-and-whiteIn shades of grey, without colour.B1
- —blank outTo find your mind suddenly empty.B2
- —blanket stitchA looped stitch worked along a raw edge.C1
- —blemish-freeWith no marks on the skin at all.C1
- —blend inTo fit so well with the surroundings that nobody notices you.B2
- —blind spotThe area you cannot see however hard you look.B2
- —blind tastingJudging a food or drink without knowing what it is.C1
- —blink atTo react to something with a flicker of the eyes.C1
- —block sectionA stretch of line only one train may occupy.C2
- —bloggerA person who writes regularly for a personal website.B1
- —blood pressureThe force of blood pushing against the vessel walls.B1
- —bloodstainA mark left on a surface by blood.B2
- —bloodstockFine racehorses considered as property.C2
- —blossom timeThe short weeks when fruit trees are in flower.B2
- —blot on the landscapeSomething ugly that spoils an otherwise fine view.C2
- —blotchyCovered in irregular patches of colour.B2
- —blow a kissTo kiss your hand and send it towards somebody.B1
- —blow overTo pass without causing lasting trouble.C1
- —blow upTo explode; also, to suddenly become very angry.B2
- —blow-dryTo dry and shape hair with warm moving air.B1
- —blown fuseA safety wire that has melted to break a circuit.B2
- —blue badgeA permit allowing disabled drivers to park closer.C1
- —bluetoothThe short-range wireless link that pairs headphones to phones.B1
- —blurred visionSight that has gone soft and unclear.B2
- —blurt outTo say something suddenly and without thinking.C1
- —bmxRacing and tricks on small strong cycles.B1
- —board gameA tabletop game played with pieces on a flat surface.A2
- —board meetingThe gathering where a company's directors decide things.B2
- —board upTo cover windows and doors with planks.C1
- —boardingGetting on a plane, a ship or a train.B1
- —boarding gateThe door you go through to reach your aircraft.B1
- —boarding passThe ticket with your seat and gate that gets you onto the plane.B1
- —boarding schoolThe school where pupils live and sleep, going home only for holidays.B2
- —bobA short haircut level around the head.B2
- —bobbin threadThe lower thread wound on a small spool.C1
- —body languageThe messages conveyed by posture, gesture and expression.B2
- —boil down toTo be, in the end, a matter of one simple thing.C1
- —boleThe trunk of a tree.C2
- —bollardA short thick post stopping vehicles going somewhere.C1
- —boltholeA place you can escape to.C1
- —bona fideGenuine and made in good faith.C2
- —bonded warehouseA store where goods sit before duty is paid.C2
- —booking confirmationThe message proving your room is held.B2
- —booking hallThe big entrance area inside a station where passengers gather and queue at the ticket windows.C1
- —bookplateA label showing who owns a book.C1
- —born with a silver spoon in your mouthBorn into wealth and privilege.C1
- —bosniaThe Balkan country of Sarajevo and the old bridge at Mostar.B2
- —bosnia and herzegovinaBalkan country whose capital is Sarajevo.B2
- —bottle bankThe public container glass is put in for recycling.B2
- —bottle-feedTo feed a baby milk from a bottle.B1
- —bottom bracketThe bearing the pedal cranks turn in.C1
- —boulder clayStony clay left behind by melting ice.C2
- —boulderingClimbing short hard problems without a rope.C1
- —bounce rateWhat share of visitors left without doing anything.C1
- —boutique hotelA small stylish hotel with an individual character.B2
- —bow tieThe small knot of cloth shaped like a butterfly, worn at the collar.B1
- —bowling alleyThe hall of long lanes where you roll balls at pins.B1
- —box office takingsThe money a film earns from tickets.B2
- —box seatA small private seating area at the side of a theatre.C1
- —box setA complete series sold together in one package.B2
- —brace positionThe posture taken before an emergency landing.C1
- —brain fogA dull inability to think clearly.C1
- —brainteaserA puzzle set purely to make you think.B2
- —brake leverThe handle squeezed to slow a cycle.B1
- —brake padThe block that presses against the wheel to slow it.B2
- —brake vanThe vehicle at the rear where the guard rode.C2
- —brambleA thorny tangle that gives blackberries.C1
- —branch lineA minor line running off the main route.C1
- —branch outTo start doing something new and different.C1
- —brand dealAn agreement to promote a company's products.B2
- —brand guidelinesThe rules for how a brand may be used and shown.B2
- —brand newNever used before.B1
- —brand-newCompletely new and never used.B1
- —bravoA hired ruffian or assassin.C2
- —bravuraA dazzling display of skill.C2
- —bread basketThe small basket of rolls set out before the meal.B1
- —break a legWhat actors say to wish each other good luck.B2
- —break a promiseTo fail to do what you swore you would do.B1
- —break downOf a machine or vehicle, to stop working.B1
- —break evenTo end with exactly as much as you started with.C1
- —break inTo force your way into a building, usually to steal.B1
- —break intoTo enter a building or vehicle by force.B2
- —break outTo escape from confinement.B2
- —break the bankTo cost more than you can possibly afford.B2
- —break the iceTo say something that melts the awkwardness between strangers.B2
- —break the mouldTo do something in a completely new way.C1
- —break the newsTo be the one who tells somebody something important, and usually bad.B2
- —break upTo end a romantic relationship.B1
- —break-evenThe point where money in exactly matches money out.C1
- —break-inThe forcing of a way into a building to steal.B2
- —breakdancingA street style of spins and floor moves.B1
- —breaking newsA big story being reported the moment it happens.B2
- —breakpointA marker that pauses a program so you can look inside.C1
- —breathing exerciseA deliberate pattern of breath used to calm.B1
- —bric-a-bracSmall ornaments of little individual value.C1
- —bridge the gapTo reduce a difference between two things.C1
- —bridle pathA track meant for riders rather than vehicles.C1
- —brighten upTo become or make more cheerful.B1
- —brilliant cutA style of cutting that throws back the most light.C1
- —brinedSoaked in strong salt water.C1
- —bring aboutTo make something happen.B2
- —bring backTo return with something; also, to make old memories return.B1
- —bring outTo release something to the public, or to make a quality show.B2
- —bring togetherTo make people meet or work as one.B2
- —bring upTo care for and educate a child until adulthood.B2
- —brinkmanshipPushing a dangerous situation to the very edge.C2
- —broad-mindedWilling to accept ways of living unlike your own.B2
- —broadsheetA large serious newspaper.C1
- —broken-downNo longer working and in poor repair.B2
- —bronze ageThe age when people first mixed copper and tin for tools.B2
- —brother-in-lawYour partner's brother, or your sister's husband.B2
- —brow shapingTrimming and plucking eyebrows into a line.B2
- —brownfieldLand once built on and now ready to be built on again.C2
- —bruneiTiny oil-rich sultanate on the island of Borneo.C1
- —brush up onTo refresh a skill you have not used for a while.B2
- —brute forceRaw strength used instead of skill.C1
- —bubble bathLiquid that foams up in bathwater.A2
- —bubble wandThe loop dipped in soap to blow floating spheres.B2
- —bubble wrapPlastic sheeting full of air pockets, used for protection.B1
- —budgerigarA small green or blue parrot popular as a pet.B2
- —budget deficitSpending more in a year than you take in.C1
- —buffaloA big heavy wild ox with thick curved horns.B1
- —buffet breakfastA morning spread guests serve themselves from.B2
- —buffet carThe carriage selling drinks and snacks.B2
- —buffet tableA long table where guests help themselves.B1
- —build bridgesTo repair a relationship between people.B2
- —build upTo increase or accumulate gradually.B2
- —build-upA gradual increase before something happens.B2
- —building blocksSmall bricks children stack into towers.B1
- —built-inMade as a fixed part of something else.B2
- —built-upCovered with buildings rather than open ground.B2
- —bulk buyBuying a large quantity at once for a lower price.B2
- —bulk carrierA ship that carries loose cargo such as grain or ore.C1
- —bulldog clipA sprung metal clip that grips a thick wad of paper.B2
- —bullet trainA very fast streamlined passenger train.B1
- —bungee jumpingLeaping from a height attached to a long elastic cord.B2
- —bunk bedTwo sleeping places built one above the other; kids fight for the top.B1
- —bunsen burnerThe gas burner used for heating in a laboratory.B2
- —buoyancy aidA garment that helps keep a person afloat.C1
- —bureau de changeThe counter where currencies are swapped.B2
- —buretteA tall tap-ended tube for adding liquid drop by drop.C2
- —burgeonTo grow or expand rapidly.C1
- —burial moundA hill raised over an ancient grave.C1
- —burkina fasoWest African country whose name means land of honest people.C1
- —burn bridgesTo end relationships so badly you can never go back.C1
- —burn the candle at both endsTo exhaust yourself by doing far too much.C1
- —burn the midnight oilTo work late into the night.C1
- —burn your bridgesTo destroy a relationship you might have needed.C1
- —burnishTo polish metal until it shines.C1
- —burst inTo enter suddenly and without warning.B2
- —burst someone's bubbleTo spoil somebody's happy illusion.C1
- —bury the hatchetTo agree to stop fighting and forget the quarrel.C1
- —bury your head in the sandTo refuse to face a problem you know is there.B2
- —bus laneThe strip of road only buses may use.B1
- —bus shelterThe covered place where passengers wait.B1
- —bus stationThe building where buses set out and arrive.A2
- —bus stopA marked place where buses stop for passengers.A2
- —bushyGrowing thickly and untidily, of hair or a plant.C1
- —business centreThe room with computers and printers for guests.B2
- —business classA more comfortable and expensive cabin.B1
- —buskTo play in the street for coins.C1
- —buskerThe musician playing on the street for coins in a hat.C1
- —butt inTo interrupt a conversation rudely.C1
- —butter dishThe small plate the spread is served on.B1
- —butterfly strokeA swimming style with both arms thrown forward together.B2
- —button holeThe slit a round fastener is pushed through.B1
- —button upTo fasten something with buttons.B1
- —buttoned-upReserved and unwilling to show emotion.C1
- —buy offTo pay somebody to stop making trouble for you.C1
- —buy one get one freeAn offer giving a second item at no charge.B1
- —buy outTo purchase somebody's whole share in a business.C1
- —buy timeTo delay in order to gain more time.B2
- —buy upTo purchase all or most of the available supply of something.C1
- —buzz cutHair clipped almost to the scalp.B2
- —by accidentUnintentionally.A2
- —by all meansA generous way of saying yes, certainly.B2
- —by and largeMostly; in general.C1
- —by definitionNecessarily true because of the meaning of the words involved.B2
- —by the wayUsed to introduce a remark not directly connected to the main subject.B1
- —by-productSomething extra produced while making the main thing.B2
- —byelawA rule made by a local authority.C2
- —byreA shed for cattle.C2
- —cabin crewThe staff who look after passengers in flight.B2
- —cabin pressureThe air pressure kept inside an aircraft.B2
- —cable carA car hauled up a slope on a moving rope.B1
- —cabochonA stone polished round rather than cut into faces.C2
- —cafe terraceTables set outside on the pavement.B1
- —call backTo phone someone again who called you first.B1
- —call it a dayTo stop working for the day, or to end something for good.B2
- —call numberThe number that fixes a book's place on the shelves.B2
- —call offTo decide a planned event will not happen.B2
- —call outTo shout in order to be heard.B1
- —call to actionThe line telling the reader exactly what to do next.B2
- —callsignThe name a pilot uses on the radio.C1
- —calm downTo become or make someone become less angry or agitated.A2
- —calorificContaining a great deal of energy as food.C2
- —caltropA spiked device thrown down to lame horses.C2
- —calumnyA false statement made to damage a reputation.C2
- —campfire banA rule forbidding open fires because of fire risk.B2
- —campsite pitchThe marked plot where you may put up a tent.B2
- —can't complainA cheerful way of saying life is going well enough.B2
- —cancel outTo have an opposite effect that leaves nothing gained.B2
- —cancellation feeA charge for ending an agreement early.B2
- —cancellation policyThe rules about changing or dropping a booking.B2
- —canopy roofA small roof projecting over an entrance.B2
- —canteen mealFood served in a workplace or school dining room.B1
- —caparisonedDecked out in ornamental trappings.C2
- —cape verdeAtlantic island nation off West Africa, famed for morna music.C1
- —capital letterThe larger form of a letter, used to begin a sentence or a name.A2
- —captchaThe little online puzzle that checks you are human, not a robot.B2
- —car boot saleA market where people sell from their vehicles.B2
- —car parkThe area or building where drivers leave their cars.A2
- —car seatA safety seat fitted in a vehicle for a young child.A2
- —carbon datingMeasuring age by the decay of a substance in remains.B2
- —carbon dioxideThe gas we breathe out, and the main one that traps heat.B2
- —carbon fibreA very light, very strong woven material of fine black threads.B2
- —carbon footprintThe total warming gas one person or thing causes.B2
- —carbon monoxideA poisonous gas given off by burning fuel.B2
- —card readerThe device that takes payment from a bank card.B1
- —career breakA planned period away from working life.B2
- —career changeA move into a completely different line of work.B1
- —career ladderThe series of steps upward through a profession.B2
- —cargo holdThe space below deck where freight is carried.B2
- —cargo planeAn aircraft built to carry freight.B2
- —carrackA broad, high-castled merchant sailing ship of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, forerunner of the galleon.C2
- —carriage windowThe glass you watch the country pass through.B2
- —carrier bagThe bag a shop gives you to carry purchases.A2
- —carry onTo continue doing something.B1
- —carry outTo actually do a plan, order, or experiment.B2
- —carry out researchTo do systematic study of a subject.B2
- —carry overTo keep something for a later period instead of losing it.C1
- —carry straight onTo keep going without turning off.B1
- —carry-onThe small bag you may take into the plane cabin with you.B1
- —carthorseA heavy horse bred to pull loads.B2
- —carveryA counter where roast meat is sliced to order.C2
- —case studyA deep detailed study of one single example.B2
- —cash flowThe movement of money in and out over time.B2
- —cashbackMoney returned to you after a purchase.B2
- —cashpointThe machine in a wall that gives out banknotes.B1
- —casserole dishA deep oven dish with a lid.B2
- —cast ironHard brittle iron poured into a mould.B2
- —cast offTo finish knitting by securing the last row.C1
- —cast onTo make the first row of loops on a knitting needle.C1
- —castlingA special move that tucks the king behind a tower.C1
- —catalogue raisonneA complete listed record of an artist's works.C2
- —catastrophisingAssuming the worst possible outcome.C2
- —catch a glimpseTo see something for only a moment.B2
- —catch fireTo start burning.B1
- —catch onTo come to understand something.B2
- —catch sight ofTo see something briefly and unexpectedly.B2
- —catch somebody's driftTo grasp the general point somebody is making.C1
- —catch somebody's eyeTo attract somebody's notice.B2
- —catch upTo reach someone who is ahead of you.B1
- —catch you laterA very casual way of saying goodbye.B1
- —catfishingPretending online to be somebody you are not.C1
- —catkinA soft hanging spike of tiny flowers on a spring tree.C2
- —caught red-handedDiscovered in the very act of doing wrong.C1
- —caulA membrane a baby is occasionally born wearing.C2
- —cell blockOne wing of locked rooms inside a prison.B2
- —censerA container in which incense is burnt.C2
- —censor bleepThe tone that covers a word too rude to broadcast.B2
- —censorship boardThe body that decides what the public may not see.C1
- —central heatingA system heating a whole building from a single source.B1
- —centre aroundTo have as its main subject.B2
- —centre controlCommand of the middle squares of the board.C1
- —cha-chaA Latin dance with a distinctive triple step.B1
- —chain of commandThe order of who answers to whom.C1
- —chainringThe toothed wheel the chain runs over at the front.C1
- —chainstayThe tube running from the pedals to the rear wheel.C1
- —chalk and cheeseTwo things that could not be more unalike.C1
- —chalk upTo record a win or a total to somebody's credit.C1
- —chamfronArmour worn over a horse's face.C2
- —chance uponTo meet or find by pure accident.C1
- —chandlerA dealer in candles, or in ships' supplies.C2
- —change aroundTo move things into different places.B1
- —change intoTo put on other clothes, or to become something else.B1
- —change out ofTo take off what you are wearing and dress differently.B1
- —change the sheetsTo take off the used bedding and put clean on.B1
- —change your tuneTo suddenly say the opposite of what you said before.C1
- —changing matThe padded surface a baby is changed on.B1
- —changing roomA room for trying on clothes, or for changing before sport.A2
- —chaoticallyIn a completely disordered way.C1
- —character arcThe way a character changes across a story.C1
- —chargebackReversing a card payment after a dispute.C1
- —charging pointThe place an electric vehicle plugs in.B1
- —chat showA programme where a host interviews guests.B1
- —cheat codeA secret sequence that unlocks unfair advantages.B2
- —check inTo report your arrival at a hotel desk or an airport counter.B1
- —check outTo leave a hotel after paying.B1
- —check-in deskThe counter where you hand over your luggage.B1
- —check-in timeThe earliest hour you may take your room.B1
- —check-outThe moment of leaving a hotel and settling the bill.B1
- —checkboxA small square you click to switch an option on.B1
- —cheekboneThe bone below the eye that forms the shape of the cheek.C1
- —cheer upTo become — or make someone — happier.B1
- —cheetahThe fastest animal on land, spotted, and only over a short sprint.B1
- —chef's tableA place to eat inside the kitchen itself.C1
- —cheque bookThe pad of written payment orders.B1
- —chest of drawersA piece of furniture with sliding compartments for clothes.B1
- —chestnut treeA spreading tree with candle-like flowers and spiky fruit.B1
- —chevyBritish informal: to keep at somebody to hurry up, chasing and nagging them along.C2
- —chewing gumA sweet rubbery substance you chew but do not swallow.B1
- —chicken outTo lose your courage at the last moment and not do it.C1
- —chickpeaA round beige pulse used in hummus and curry.B1
- —child's playSo simple that anyone could manage it.B2
- —childminderSomebody paid to look after children in their own home.B2
- —chime inTo add your voice to a conversation already going.C1
- —chimney stackThe tall pipe carrying smoke away.B2
- —chimney sweepA worker who cleans soot out of flues.C1
- —chip and pinPaying by card and typing your secret number.B2
- —chip inTo contribute money or a remark.B2
- —chipboardA cheap board pressed from wood chips and glue.C1
- —chitterTo make a rapid high chattering sound.C2
- —choreographicTo do with the arranging of dance steps.C1
- —chronic painHurting that lasts for months or years.B2
- —chummyFriendly in an over-familiar way.C2
- —churchyardThe enclosed ground around a church, often containing graves.C1
- —circletA plain ornamental band worn on the head.C1
- —circuit breakerA switch that cuts the power when too much current flows.B2
- —circular reasoningUsing your conclusion as one of your reasons.C1
- —citrusyBright and sharp with the note of oranges or lemons.C1
- —civic centreThe group of buildings holding a town's public offices.C1
- —civil rightsThe freedoms every citizen is entitled to.B2
- —civil servantA permanent official who serves whatever government is elected.B2
- —civil serviceThe permanent staff who run a country's departments.B2
- —claimantSomebody who says they have a right to something.C1
- —clangourA loud continuous ringing din.C2
- —clap your handsTo strike the palms together in praise.A2
- —classical musicSerious music in the European tradition of Bach and Mozart.A2
- —classified adA small text advertisement grouped with others by subject.B2
- —clay soilHeavy sticky ground that holds water and sets hard.B2
- —clean as a whistlePerfectly clean, or completely free of blame.C1
- —clean slateA fresh start with all past mistakes wiped away.C1
- —clean-shavenHaving no beard or moustache at all.B2
- —cleansing balmA soft solid that melts to remove make-up.C1
- —clear skyA sky with no cloud in it at all.A2
- —clear the airTo talk openly and remove bad feeling.B2
- —clear upTo tidy a place or put things away.B1
- —clear-cutSharply defined and leaving no doubt.B2
- —click and collectOrdering online and picking the goods up in person.B2
- —click your fingersTo snap the fingers to make a sharp sound.B2
- —click-through rateWhat share of viewers clicked.B2
- —clickbaitA headline written only to make you press it.B2
- —climate changeThe long-term warming and disruption of the world's weather.B2
- —climbing frameA structure of bars children climb about on.B1
- —cling filmThe thin stretchy sheet pulled over a bowl of food.B2
- —clipA small device that holds things together by gripping them.B1
- —clock inTo register your arrival at work.B2
- —clock upTo reach a total of miles, hours or wins.C1
- —close upTo shut for the day, or to heal over.B1
- —close-croppedCut very short.C1
- —close-knitBound together tightly by affection.C1
- —close-upA shot taken very near the subject.B1
- —closed captionsOn-screen text of speech and sound for the deaf.B2
- —club togetherTo share the cost of something between several people.C1
- —clutch pedalThe pedal that disengages the engine while changing gear.B2
- —co-founderOne of the people who started an organisation.B2
- —co-opPlayed by people working together rather than against.B2
- —coconut shyA stall where you throw balls to knock nuts off posts.C1
- —code reviewAnother developer reading your changes before they land.B2
- —codenameA false name used to hide who or what is meant.B2
- —cohabitTo live together as a couple without marrying.C1
- —coincidentalResulting from chance rather than from any connection.C1
- —cold chainKeeping goods chilled at every stage of the journey.C1
- —cold feetSudden fear just before a big step, like a wedding.B2
- —cold snapA short sudden spell of very cold weather.C1
- —cold warThe long standoff of hostility without open fighting.B2
- —cold-bloodedTaking body heat from the surroundings.B2
- —cold-heartedShowing no sympathy for anybody.B2
- —collection pointThe place a missed parcel can be picked up.B2
- —collective bargainingNegotiating pay for all the workers at once.C1
- —collectors itemSomething rare enough that people want it for a collection.B2
- —collocationThe habit two words have of going together.B2
- —colonnadeA long row of columns carrying a roof.C1
- —colour-blindUnable to tell certain colours apart.B2
- —combination skinSkin that is oily in some places and dry in others.B2
- —combine harvesterA machine that cuts and threshes grain in one pass.B2
- —come aboutTo happen — used when asking how something started.B2
- —come acrossTo find something by chance.B2
- —come around toTo end up agreeing with a view you first rejected.C1
- —come backTo return to a place.A2
- —come betweenTo damage the bond between two people.B2
- —come byTo obtain or acquire something.B2
- —come cleanTo admit the truth at last.B2
- —come down withTo start suffering from an illness.B2
- —come off itA blunt way of telling somebody not to be ridiculous.B2
- —come outTo be published or released.B1
- —come out inTo develop a rash or spots on the skin.C1
- —come out withTo say something surprising without warning.B2
- —come overTo visit someone's home.B1
- —come rain or shineWhatever happens, without fail.B2
- —come to an agreementTo settle on terms both sides accept.B2
- —come to think of itSaid when a new thought strikes you mid-sentence.B2
- —come up withTo produce an idea, plan or solution.B2
- —comfort foodSimple familiar food eaten for the feeling it gives.B2
- —comfort zoneThe safe familiar space you must step out of to grow.B2
- —comic bookA magazine that tells a story in drawn panels.A2
- —coming of ageReaching the age at which you count as an adult.C1
- —comment sectionThe place beneath a post where people reply.B2
- —common groundThe part of a disagreement both sides can accept.B2
- —common landGround that a whole village may use.B2
- —common sensePractical good judgement in everyday matters.B1
- —community centreA building for local meetings and activities.B1
- —community serviceUnpaid work ordered instead of a prison term.B2
- —commuter beltThe ring of towns people travel from into a city for work.C1
- —commuter trainA train carrying people to and from work.B2
- —company carA vehicle provided by an employer for work use.B1
- —compass bearingThe direction taken from a magnetic needle.B2
- —compassionate leaveTime off allowed after a death or family crisis.C1
- —complaisantEager to please and to go along with others.C2
- —compliments to the chefA message of praise sent back to the kitchen.C1
- —compost binThe container where plant waste is left to rot.B2
- —compound eyeAn eye made of hundreds of tiny separate lenses.C1
- —conceptualiseTo work an idea into a clear general form.C1
- —concrete jungleA city of hard buildings with nothing green in it.B2
- —condolencesSympathy offered to someone whose loved one has died.B2
- —conduct a surveyTo carry out a study of what people think.B2
- —conference callA telephone meeting with several people at once.B2
- —conference facilitiesThe rooms and equipment for business meetings.B2
- —congenitalPresent from birth.C2
- —coniferA tree that bears cones and keeps its needles.B2
- —conkerThe shiny brown nut of the horse chestnut.C1
- —connecting flightThe second flight of a journey with a change.B2
- —conscientious objectorSomebody who refuses to fight on moral grounds.C1
- —conservation areaA district where changes to buildings are controlled.B2
- —conspiratorOne of a group secretly planning something unlawful or harmful.B2
- —construction setA boxed kit of parts for building models.B2
- —constructive dismissalBeing forced to resign by intolerable treatment.C2
- —consultancyA firm that sells expert advice.C1
- —consumer electronicsElectrical goods made for ordinary household use.B2
- —consumer rightsThe protections the law gives to buyers.B2
- —contactlessPaid by touching a card against a reader.B1
- —container shipA vessel that carries goods in stacked metal boxes.B2
- —container terminalWhere metal boxes move between trains and lorries.B2
- —contemporary danceA modern style that breaks classical rules.B2
- —continental breakfastA light morning meal of bread, pastries and coffee.B2
- —contortTo twist something violently out of its normal shape.B2