The Wordsmith Dictionary

Com *mit ", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Commited; p. pr. & vb. n. Commiting.]Etym: [L. committere, commissum, to connect, commit; com- + mittere to send. See Mission. ]

1. To give in trust; to put into charge or keeping; to intrust; to consign; -- used with to, unto. Commit thy way unto the Lord. Ps. xxxvii. 5. Bid him farewell, commit him to the grave. Shak.

2. To put in charge of a jailor; to imprison. These two were commited. Clarendon.

3. To do; to perperate, as a crime, sin, or fault. Thou shalt not commit adultery. Ex. xx. 14.

4. To join a contest; to match; -- followed by with. [R.] Dr. H. More.

5. To pledge or bind; to compromise, expose, or endanger by some decisive act or preliminary step; -- often used reflexively; as, to commit one's self to a certain course. You might have satisfied every duty of political friendship, without commiting the honor of your sovereign. Junius. Any sudden assent to the proposal. .. might possibly be considered as committing the faith of the United States. Marshall.

6. To confound. [An obsolete Latinism. ] Committing short and long [quantities ]. Milton. To commit a bill (Legislation ), to refer or intrust it to a committee or others, to be considered and reported. -- To commit to memory, or To commit, to learn by heart; to memorize.

Syn. -- To Commit, Intrust, Consign. These words have in common the idea of transferring from one's self to the care and custody of another. Commit is the widest term, and may express only the general idea of delivering into the charge of another; as, to commit a lawsuit to the care of an attorney; or it may have the special sense of intrusting with or without limitations, as to a superior power, or to a careful servant, or of consigning, as to writing or paper, to the flames, or to prison. To intrust denotes the act of committing to the exercise of confidence or trust; as, to intrust a friend with the care of a child, or with a secret. To consign is a more formal act, and regards the thing transferred as placed chiefly or wholly out of one's immediate control; as, to consign a pupil to the charge of his instructor; to consign goods to an agent for sale; to consign a work to the press.

COMMIT

COMMIT Com "mit, v. i.

Defn: To sin; esp. , to be incontinent. [Obs. ] Commit not with man's sworn spouse. Shak.

COMMITMENT

COMMITMENT Com *mit "ment, n.

1. The act of commiting, or putting in charge, keeping, or trust; consigment; esp. , the act of commiting to prison. They were glad to compound for his bare commitment to the Tower, whence he was within few days enlarged. Clarendon.

2. A warrant or order for the imprisonment of a person; -- more frequently termed a mittimus.

3. The act of referring or intrusting to a committee for consideration and report; as, the commitment of a petition or a bill.

4. A doing, or preperation, in a bad sense, as of a crime or blunder; commission.

5. The act of pledging or engaging; the act of exposing, endangering, or compromising; also, the state of being pledged or engaged. Hamilton.

COMMITTABLE

COMMITTABLE Com *mit "ta *ble, a.

Defn: Capable of being committed.

COMMITTAL

COMMITTAL Com *mit "tal, n.

Defn: The act of commiting, or the state of being committed; commitment.

COMMITTEE

Com *mit "tee, n. Etym: [Cf. OF. comité company, and LL. comitatus jurisdiction or territory of a count, county, assize, army. The word was apparently influenced by the verb commit, but not directly formed from it. Cf. County. ]

Defn: One or more persons elected or appointed, to whom any matter or bussiness is referred, either by a legislative body, or by a court, or by any collective body of men acting together. Commitee of the whole [house ], a committee, embracing all the members present, into which a legislative or deliberative body sometimes resolves itself, for the purpose of considering a particular measure under the operation of different rules from those governing the general legislative proceedings. The committee of the whole has its own chairman, and reports its action in the form of recommendations. -- Standing committee. See under Standing.

COMMITTEE

Com `mit *tee ", n. Etym: [From Commit, v. t.] (Law )

Defn: One to whom the charge of the person or estate of another, as of a lunatic, is committed by suitable authority; a guardian.

COMMITTEEMAN

COMMITTEEMAN Com *mit "tee *man, n.

Defn: A member of a committee.

COMMITTER

COMMITTER Com *mit "ter, n.

1. One who commits; one who does or perpetrates. South.

2. A fornicator. [Obs. ] T. Decker.

COMMITTIBLE

COMMITTIBLE Com *mit "ti *ble, a.

Defn: Capable of being committed; liable to be committed. [R.] Sir T. Browne.

COMMIX

Com *mix ", v. t. & i. [imp. & p. p. Commixed; p. pr. & vb. n.Commixing. ] Etym: [Pref. com + + mix: cf. L. commixtus, p. p.of commiscere. See Mix. ]

Defn: To mix or mingle together; to blend. The commixed impressions of all the colors do stir up and beget a sensation of white. Sir I. Newton. To commix With winds that sailors rail at. Shak.

COMMIXION

Com *mix "ion, n. Etym: [See Commix. ]

Defn: Commixture. Shak.

COMMIXTION

Com *mix "tion, n. Etym: [L. commixtio.]

Defn: Commixture; mingling. [R.] An exact commixtion of the ingredients. Boyle.

COMMIXTURE

Com *mix "ture, n. Etym: [L. commixtura.]

1. The act or process of mixing; the state of being mingled; the blending of ingredients in one mass or compound. In the commixture of anything that is more oily or sweet, such bodies are least apt to putrefy. Bacon.

2. The mass formed by mingling different things; a compound; a mixture. Bacon.

COMMODATE

Com "mo *date, n. Etym: [L. commodatum thing lent, loan. ] (Scots Law )

Defn: A gratuitous loan.

COMMODE

Com *mode ", n. Etym: [F. commode, fr. commode convenient, L. commodus;com- + modus measure, mode. See Mode. ]

1. A kind of headdress formerly worn by ladies, raising the hair and fore part of the cap to a great height. Or under high commodes, with looks erect. Granville.

2. A piece of furniture, so named according to temporary fashion; as: (a ) A cheat of drawers or a bureau. (b ) A night stand with a compartment for holding a chamber vessel. (c ) A kind of close stool. (d ) A movable sink for a wash bowl, with closet.

COMMODIOUS

Com *mo "di *ous, a. Etym: [LL. commodiosus, fr. L. commodum convenience, fr. commodus. See Commode. ]

Defn: Adapted to its use or purpose, or to wants and necessities; serviceable; spacious and convenient; roomy and comfortable; as, a commodious house. "A commodious drab. " Shak. "Commodious gold. " Pope. The haven was not commodious to winter in. Acts. xxvii. 12.

Syn. -- Convenient; suitable; fit; proper; advantageous; serviceable; useful; spacious; comfortable.

COMMODIOUSLY

COMMODIOUSLY Com *mo "di *ous *ly, adv.

Defn: In a commodious manner. To pass commodiously this life. Milton.

COMMODIOUSNESS

COMMODIOUSNESS Com *mo "di *ous *ness, n.

Defn: State of being commodious; suitableness for its purpose; convience; roominess. Of cities, the greatness and riches increase according to the commodiousness of their situation. Sir W. Temple. The commodiousness of the harbor. Johnson.

COMMODITY

Com *mod "i *ty, n.; pl. Commodities. Etym: [F. commodit, fr. L.commoditas. See Commode. ]

1. Convenience; accommodation; profit; benefit; advantage; interest; commodiousness. [Obs. ] Drawn by the commodity of a footpath. B. Jonson. Men may seek their own commodity, yet if this were done with injury to others, it was not to be suffered. Hooker.

2. That which affords convenience, advantage, or profit, especially in commerce, including everything movable that is bought and sold (except animals ), -- goods, wares, merchandise, produce of land and manufactures, etc.

3. A parcel or quantity of goods. [Obs. ] A commodity of brown paper and old ginger. Shak.

COMMODORE

Com "mo *dore `, n. Etym: [Prob. a corruption of commander, or Sp. comendador a knight of a military order who holds a commandery; also a superior of a monastery; , fr. LL. commendare to command. Cf. Commend, Command, Commander. ]

1. (U. S. Navy )

Defn: An officer who ranks next above a captain; sometimes, by courtesy, the senior captain of a squadron. The rank of commodore corresponds with that of brigadier general in the army.

2. (Brititsh Navy )

Defn: A captain commanding a squadron, or a division of a fleet, or having the temporary rank of rear admiral.

3. A title given courtesy to the senior captain of a line of merchant vessels, and also to the chief officer of a yachting or rowing club.

4. A familiar for the flagchip, or for the principal vessel of a squadron or fleet.

COMMON

Com "mon, a. [Compar. Commoner; superl. Commonest.] Etym: [OE. commun, comon, OF. comun, F. commun, fr. L. communis; com- + munis ready to be of service; cf. Skr. mi to make fast, set up, build, Coth. gamains common, G. gemein, and E. mean low, common. Cf. Immunity, Commune, n. & v.]

1. Belonging or relating equally, or similary, to more than one; as, you and I have a common interest in the property. Though life and sense be common to men and brutes. Sir M. Hale.

2. Belonging to or shared by, affecting or serving, all the members of a class, consired together; general; public; as, propertis common to all plants; the common schools; the Book of Common Prayer. Such actions as the common good requereth. Hocker. The common enemy of man. Shak.

3. Often met with; usual; frequent; customary. Grief more than common grief. Shak.

4. Not distinguished or exceptional; inconspicuous; ordinary; plebeian; -- often in a depreciatory sense. The honest, heart-felt enjoyment of common life. W. Irving. This fact was infamous And ill beseeming any common man, Much more a knight, a captain and a leader. Shak. Above the vulgar flight of common souls. A. Murpphy.

5. Profane; polluted. [Obs. ] What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common. Acts x. 15.

6. Given to habits of lewdness; prostitute. A dame who herself was common. L'Estrange. Common bar (Law ) Same as Blank bar, under Blank. -- Common barrator (Law ), one who makes a business of instigating litigation. -- Common Bench, a name sometimes given to the English Court of Common Pleas. -- Common brawler (Law ), one addicted to public brawling and quarreling. See Brawler. -- Common carrier (Law ), one who undertakes the office of carrying (goods or persons ) for hire. Such a carrier is bound to carry in all cases when he has accommodation, and when his fixed price is tendered, and he is liable for all losses and injuries to the goods, except those which happen in consequence of the act of God, or of the enemies of the country, or of the owner of the property himself. -- Common chord (Mus. ), a chord consisting of the fundamental tone, with its third and fifth. -- Common council, the representative (legislative ) body, or the lower branch of the representative body, of a city or other munisipal corporation. -- Common crier, the crier of a town or city. -- Common divisor (Math. ), a number or quantity that divides two or more numbers or quantities without a remainder; a common measure. -- Common gender (Gram. ), the gender comprising words that may be of either the masculine or the feminine gender. -- Common law, a system of jurisprudence developing under the guidance of the courts so as to apply a consistent and reasonable rule to each litigated case. It may be superseded by statute, but unless superseded it controls. Wharton.

Note: It is by others defined as the unwritten law (especially of England ), the law that receives its binding force from immemorial usage and universal reception, as ascertained and expressed in the judgments of the courts. This term is often used in contradistinction from statute law. Many use it to designate a law common to the whole country. It is also used to designate the whole body of English (or other ) law, as distinguished from its subdivisions, local, civil, admiralty, equity, etc. See Law. -- Common lawyer, one versed in common law. -- Common lewdness (Law ), the habitual performance of lewd acts in public. -- Common multiple (Arith.) See under Multiple. -- Common noun (Gram. ), the name of any one of a class of objects, as distinguished from a proper noun (the name of a particular person or thing ). -- Common nuisance (Law ), that which is deleterious to the health or comfort or sense of decency of the community at large. -- Common pleas, one of the three superior courts of common law at Westminster, presided over by a chief justice and four puisne judges. Its jurisdiction is confined to civil matters. Courts bearing this title exist in several of the United States, having, however, in some cases, botth civil and criminal jurisdiction extending over the whole State. In other States the jurisdiction of the common pleas is limited to a county, and it is sometimes called a county court. Its powers are generally defined by statute. -- Common prayer, the liturgy of the Church of England, or of the Protestant Episcopal church of the United States, which all its clergy are enjoined use. It is contained in the Book of Common Prayer. -- Common school, a school maintained at the public expense, and open to all. -- Common scold (Law ), a woman addicted to scolding indiscriminately, in public. -- Common seal, a seal adopted and used by a corporation. -- Common sense. (a ) A supposed sense which was held to be the common bond of all the others. [Obs. ] Trench. (b ) Sound judgment. See under Sense. -- Common time (Mus. ), that variety of time in which the measure consists of two or of four equal portions. -- In common, equally with another, or with others; owned, shared, or used, in community with others; affecting or affected equally. -- Out of the common, uncommon; extraordinary. -- Tenant in common, one holding real or personal property in common with others, having distinct but undivided interests. See Joint tenant, under Joint. -- To make common cause with, to join or ally one's self with.

Syn. -- General; public; popular; universal; frequent; ordinary; customary; usual; familiar; habitual; vulgar; mean; trite; stale; threadbare; commonplace. See Mutual, Ordinary, General.

COMMON

COMMON Com "mon, n.

1. The people; the community. [Obs. ] "The weal o' the common. " Shak.

2. An inclosed or uninclosed tract of ground for pleasure, for pasturage, etc. , the use of which belongs to the public; or to a number of persons.

3. (Law )

Defn: The right of taking a profit in the land of another, in common either with the owner or with other persons; -- so called from the community of interest which arises between the claimant of the right and the owner of the soil, or between the claimants and other commoners entitled to the same right. Common appendant, a right belonging to the owners or occupiers of arable land to put commonable beasts upon the waste land in the manor where they dwell. -- Common appurtenant, a similar right applying to lands in other manors, or extending to other beasts, besides those which are generally commonable, as hogs. -- Common because of vicinage or neighborhood, the right of the inhabitants of each of two townships, lying contiguous to each other, which have usually intercommoned with one another, to let their beasts stray into the other's fields. -- Common in gross or at large, a common annexed to a man's person, being granted to him and his heirs by deed; or it may be claimed by prescriptive right, as by a parson of a church or other corporation sole. Blackstone. -- Common of estovers, the right of taking wood from another's estate. -- Common of pasture, the right of feeding beasts on the land of another. Burill. -- Common of piscary, the right of fishing in waters belonging to another. -- Common of turbary, the right of digging turf upon the ground of another.

COMMON

COMMON Com "mon, v. i.

1. To converse together; to discourse; to confer. [Obs. ] Embassadors were sent upon both parts, and divers means of entreaty were commoned of. Grafton.

2. To participate. [Obs. ] Sir T. More.

3. To have a joint right with others in common ground. Johnson.

4. To board together; to eat at a table in common.

COMMONABLE

COMMONABLE Com "mon *a *ble, a.

1. Held in common. "Forests... and other commonable places." Bacon.

2. Allowed to pasture on public commons. Commonable beasts are either beasts of the plow, or such as manure the ground. Blackstone.

COMMONAGE

Com "mon *age, n. Etym: [Cf. OF. communage.]

Defn: The right of pasturing on a common; the right of using anything in common with others. The claim of comonage... in most of the forests. Burke.

COMMONALTY

Com "mon *al *ty, n.; pl. Commonalties. Etym: [Of. communalté; F.communauté, fr. communal. See Communal. ]

1. The common people; those classes and conditions of people who are below the rank of nobility; the commons. The commonalty, like the nobility, are divided into several degrees. Blackstone.The ancient fare of our kings differed from that of the commonalty in plenteousness only. Landon.

2. The majority or bulk of mankind. [Obs. ] Hooker.

COMMONER

COMMONER Com "mon *er, n.

1. One of the common people; one having no rank of nobility. All below them [the peers ] even their children, were commoners, and in the eye law equal to each other. Hallam.

2. A member of the House of Commons.

3. One who has a joint right in common ground. Much good land might be gained from forests... and from other commonable places, so as always there be a due care taken that the poor commoners have no injury. Bacon.

4. One sharing with another in anything. [Obs. ] Fuller.

5. A student in the university of Oxford, Eng. , who is not dependent on any foundation for support, but pays all university charges; -- at Cambrige called a pensioner.

6. A prostitute. [Obs. ] Shak.

COMMONISH

COMMONISH Com "mon *ish, a.

Defn: Somewhat common; commonplace; vulgar.

COMMONITION

Com `mo *ni "tion, n. Etym: [L. commonitio. See Monition. ]

Defn: Advice; warning; instruction. [Obs. ] Bailey.

COMMONITIVE

COMMONITIVE Com *mon "i *tive, a.

Defn: Monitory. [Obs. ] Only commemorative and commonitive. Bp. Hall.

COMMONITORY

Com *mon "i *to *ry, a. Etym: [L. commonitorius.]

Defn: Calling to mind; giving admonition. [Obs. ] Foxe.

COMMONLY

COMMONLY Com "mon *ly, adv.

1. Usually; generally; ordinarily; frequently; for the most part; as, confirmed habits commonly continue trough life.

2. In common; familiary. [Obs. ] Spenser.

COMMONNESS

COMMONNESS Com "mon *ness, n.

1. State or quality of being common or usual; as, the commonness of sunlight.

2. Triteness; meanness.

COMMONPLACE

COMMONPLACE Com "mon *place `, a.

Defn: Common; ordinary; trite; as, a commonplace person, or observation.

COMMONPLACE

COMMONPLACE Com "mon *place `, n.

1. An idea or expression wanting originality or interest; a trite or customary remark; a platitude.

2. A memorandum; something to be frequently consulted or referred to. Whatever, in my reading, occurs concerning this our fellow creature, I do never fail to set it down by way of commonplace. Swift. Commonplace book, a book in which records are made of things to be remembered.

COMMONPLACE

COMMONPLACE Com "mon *place `, v. t.

Defn: To enter in a commonplace book, or to reduce to general heads. Felton.

COMMONPLACE

COMMONPLACE Com "mon *place `, v. i.

Defn: To utter commonplaces; to indulge in platitudes. [Obs. ] Bacon.

COMMONPLACENESS

COMMONPLACENESS Com "mon *place `ness, n.

Defn: The quality of being commonplace; commonness.

COMMONS

COMMONS Com "mons, n. pl. ,

1. The mass of the people, as distinguished from the titled chasses or nobility; the commonalty; the common people. [Eng. ] 'T is like the commons, rude unpolished hinds, Could send such message to their sovereign. Shak. The word commons in its present ordinary signification comprises all the people who are under the rank of peers. Blackstone.

2. The House of Commons, or lower house of the British Parliament, consisting of representatives elected by the qualified voters of counties, boroughs, and universities. It is agreed that the Commons were no part of the great council till some ages after the Conquest. Hume.

3. Provisions; food; fare, -- as that provided at a common table in colleges and universities. Their commons, though but coarse, were nothing scant. Dryden.

4. A club or association for boarding at a common table, as in a college, the members sharing the expenses equally; as, to board in commons.

5. A common; public pasture ground. To shake his ears, and graze in commons. Shak. Doctors' Commons, a place near St. Paul's Chuchyard in London where the doctors of civil law used to common together, and where were the ecclesiastical and admiralty courts and offices having jurisdiction of marriage licenses, divorces, registration of wills, etc. -- To be on short commons, to have small allowance of food. [Colloq. ]

COMMON SENSE

COMMON SENSE Com "mon sense ".

Defn: See Common sense, under Sense.

COMMONTY

COMMONTY Com "mon *ty, n. (Scots Law )

Defn: A common; a piece of land in which two or more persons have a common right. Bell.

COMMONWEAL

COMMONWEAL Com "mon *weal ", n. [Common + weal. ]

Defn: Commonwealth. Such a prince, So kind a father of the commonweal. Shak.

COMMONWEALTH

Com "mon *wealth `, n. Etym: [Common + wealth well-being. ]

1. A state; a body politic consisting of a certain number of men, united, by compact or tacit agreement, under one form of government and system of laws. The trappings of a monarchy would set up an ordinary commonwealth. Milton.

Note: This term is applied to governments which are considered as free or popular, but rarely, or improperly, to an absolute government. The word signifies, strictly, the common well-being or happiness; and hence, a form of government in which the general welfare is regarded rather than the welfare of any class.

2. The whole body of people in a state; the public.

3. (Eng. Hist. )

Defn: Specifically, the form of government established on the death of Charles I., in 1649, which existed under Oliver Cromwell and his son Richard, ending with the abdication of the latter in 1659.

Syn. -- State; realm; republic.

COMMORANCE

COMMORANCE Com "mo *rance, n.

Defn: See Commorancy.

COMMORANCY

COMMORANCY Com "mo *ran *cy, n.

1. (Law )

Defn: A dwelling or ordinary residence in a place; habitation. Commorancy consists in usually lying there. Blackstone.

2. (Am. Law )

Defn: Residence temporarily, or for a short time.

COMMORANT

Com "mo *rant, n. Etym: [L. commorans, p. pr. of commorari to abide; com- + morari to delay. ]

1. (Law )

Defn: Ordinarily residing; inhabiting. All freeholders within the precinct. .. and all persons commorant therein. Blackstone.

2. (Am. Law )

Defn: Inhabiting or occupying temporarily.

COMMORANT

COMMORANT Com "mo *rant, n.

Defn: A resident. Bp. Hacket.

COMMORATION

Com `mo *ra "tion, n. Etym: [L. commoratio.]

Defn: The act of staying or residing in a place. [Obs. ] Bp. Hall.

COMMORIENT

Com *mo "ri *ent, a. Etym: [L. commoriens, p. pr. of commoriri.]

Defn: Dying together or at the same time. [R.] Sir G. Buck.

COMMORSE

Com *morse ", n. Etym: [L. commorsus, p. p. of commordere to bite sharply. ]

Defn: Remorse. [Obs. ] "With sad commorse. " Daniel.

COMMOTE

Com *mote ", v. t. Etym: [See Commove. ]

Defn: To commove; to disturb; to stir up. [R.] Society being more or less commoted and made uncomfortable. Hawthorne.

COMMOTION

Com *mo "tion, n. Etym: [L. commotio: cf. F. commotion. See Motion. ]

1. Disturbed or violent motion; agitation. [What ] commotion in the winds! Shak.

2. A popular tumult; public disturbance; riot. When ye shall hear of wars and commotions. Luke xxi. 9.

3. Agitation, perturbation, or disorder, of mind; heat; excitement. "He could not debate anything without some commotion. " Clarendon.

Syn. -- Excitement; agitation; perturbation; disturbance; tumult; disorder; violence.

COMMOVE

Com *move ", v. t. [inp. & p. p. Commoved; p. pr. & vb. n. Commoving.]Etym: [L. commovere, commotum; com- + movere to move. ]

1. To urge; to persuade; to incite. [Obs. ] Chaucer.

2. To put in motion; to disturb; to unsettle. [R.] Straight the sands, Commoved around, in gathering eddies play. Thomson.

COMMUNAL

Com "mu *nal ( or ), a. Etym: [Cf. F. communal. ]

Defn: Pertaining to a commune.

COMMUNALISM

COMMUNALISM Com "mu *nal *ism, n.

Defn: A French theory of government which holds that commune should be a kind of independent state, and the national government a confederation of such states, having only limited powers. It is advocated by advanced French republicans; but it should not be confounded with communism.

COMMUNALIST

Com "mu *nal *ist, n. Etym: [Cf. F. communaliste.]

Defn: An advocate of communalism.

COMMUNALISTIC

COMMUNALISTIC Com `mu *nal *is "tic, a.

Defn: Pertaining to communalism.

COMMUNE

Com *mune ", v. i. [imp. & p. p. Communed; p. pr. & vb. n. Communing. ]Etym: [OF. communier, fr. L. communicare to communicate, fr. communis common. See Common, and cf. Communicate. ]

1. To converse together with sympathy and confidence; to interchange sentiments or feelings; to take counsel. I would commune with you of such things That want no ear but yours. Shak.

2. To receive the communion; to partake of the eucharist or Lord's supper. To commune under both kinds. Bp. Burnet. To commune with one's self or one's heart, to think; to reflect; to meditate.

COMMUNE

COMMUNE Com "mune, n.

Defn: Communion; sympathetic intercourse or conversation between friends. For days of happy commune dead. Tennyson.

COMMUNE

Com "mune, n. Etym: [F., fr. commun. See Common. ]

1. The commonalty; the common people. [Obs. ] Chaucer. In this struggle -- to use the technical words of the time -- of the "commune ", the general mass of the inhabitants, against the "prudhommes " or "wiser " few. J. R. Green.

2. A small terrotorial district in France under the government of a mayor and municipal council; also, the inhabitants, or the government, of such a district. See Arrondissement.

3. Absolute municipal self-government. The Commune of Paris, or The Commune (a ) The government established in Paris (1792 -94 ) by a usurpation of supreme power on the part of representatives chosen by the communes; the period of its continuance is known as the "Reign of Terror. " (b ) The revolutionary government, modeled on the commune of 1792, which the communists, so called, attempted to establish in 1871.

COMMUNICABILITY

Com *mu `ni *ca *bil "i *ty, n. Etym: [Cf. F. communicabilité. ]

Defn: The quality of being communicable; capability of being imparted.

COMMUNICABLE

Com *mu "ni *ca *ble, a. Etym: [Cf. F. communicable, LL. communicabilis.]

1. Capable of being communicated, or imparted; as, a communicable disease; communicable knowledge.

2. Communicative; free-speaking. [Obs. ] B. Jonson. -- Com *mu "ni *ca *ble *ness, n. -- Com *mu "ni *ca "bly, adv.

COMMUNICANT

Com *mu "ni *cant, n. Etym: [L. communicans, p. pr. ]

1. One who partakes of, or is entitled to partake of, the sacrament of the Lord's supper; a church member. A never-failing monthly communicant. Atterbury.

2. One who communicates. Foxe.

COMMUNICANT

COMMUNICANT Com *mu "ni *cant, a.

Defn: Communicating. [R.] Coleridge.

COMMUNICATE

Com *mu "ni *cate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Communicated; p. pr. & vb. n.Communicating. ] Etym: [L. communicatus, p. p. of communicare to communicate, fr. communis common. See Commune, v. i.]

1. To share in common; to participate in. [Obs. ] To thousands that communicate our loss. B. Jonson

2. To impart; to convey; as, to communicate a disease or a sensation; to communicate motion by means of a crank. Where God is worshiped, there he communicates his blessings and holy influences. Jer. Taylor.

3. To make known; to recount; to give; to impart; as, to communicate information to any one.

4. To administer the communion to. [R.] She [the church ]... may communicate him. Jer. Taylor.

Note: This verb was formerly followed by with before the person receiving, but now usually takes to after it. He communicated those thoughts only with the Lord Digby. Clarendon.

Syn. -- To impart; bestow; confer; reveal; disclose; tell; announce; recount; make known. -- To Communicate, Impart, Reveal. Communicate is the more general term, and denotes the allowing of others to partake or enjoy in common with ourselves. Impart is more specific. It is giving to others a part of what we had held as our own, or making them our partners; as, to impart our feelings; to impart of our property, etc. Hence there is something more intimate in imparting intelligence than in communicating it. To reveal is to disclose something hidden or concealed; as, to reveal a secret.

COMMUNICATE

COMMUNICATE Com *mu "ni *cate, v. i.

1. To share or participate; to possess or enjoy in common; to have sympathy. Ye did communicate with my affliction. Philip. iv. 4.

2. To give alms, sympathy, or aid. To do good and to communicate forget not. Heb. xiii. 16.

3. To have intercourse or to be the means of intercourse; as, to communicate with another on business; to be connected; as, a communicating artery. Subjects suffered to communicate and to have intercourse of traffic. Hakluyt. The whole body is nothing but a system of such canals, which all communicate with one another. Arbutnot.

4. To partake of the Lord's supper; to commune. The primitive Christians communicated every day. Jer. Taylor.

COMMUNICATION

Com *mu `ni *ca "tion, n. Etym: [L. communicatio.]

1. The act or fact of communicating; as, communication of smallpox; communication of a secret.

2. Intercourse by words, letters, or messages; interchange of thoughts or opinions, by conference or other means; conference; correspondence. Argument. .. and friendly communication. Shak.

3. Association; company. Evil communications corrupt manners. 1 Cor. xv. 33.

4. Means of communicating; means of passing from place to place; a connecting passage; connection. The Euxine Sea is conveniently situated for trade, by the communication it has both with Asia and Europe. Arbuthnot.

5. That which is communicated or imparted; intelligence; news; a verbal or written message.

6. Participation in the Lord's supper. Bp. Pearson.

7. (Rhet.)

Defn: A trope, by which a speaker assumes that his hearer is a partner in his sentiments, and says we, instead of I or you. Beattie.

Syn. -- Correspondence; conference; intercourse.

COMMUNICATIVE

Com *mu "ni *ca *tive, a. Etym: [Cf. F. Communicatif, LL. communicativus.]

Defn: Inclined to communicate; ready to impart to others. Determine, for the future, to be less communicative. Swift.

COMMUNICATIVENESS

COMMUNICATIVENESS Com *mu "ni *ca *tive *ness, n.

Defn: The quality of being communicative. Norris.

COMMUNICATOR

Com *mu "ni *ca `tor, n. Etym: [L.]

Defn: One who communicates. Boyle.

COMMUNICATORY

Com *mu "ni *ca "to *ry, a. Etym: [LL. communicatorius.]

Defn: Imparting knowledge or information. Canonical and communicatory letters. Barrow.

COMMUNION

Com *mun "ion, n. Etym: [L. communio: cf. F. communion. See Common. ]

1. The act of sharing; community; participation. "This communion of goods. " Blackstone.

2. Intercourse between two or more persons; esp. , intimate association and intercourse implying sympathy and confidence; interchange of thoughts, purposes, etc. ; agreement; fellowship; as, the communion of saints.We are naturally induced to seek communion and fellowship with others. Hooker. What communion hath light with darkness 2 Cor. vi. 14. Bare communion with a good church can never alone make a good man. South.

3. A body of Christians having one common faith and discipline; as, the Presbyterian communion.

4. The sacrament of the eucharist; the celebration of the Lord's supper; the act of partaking of the sacrament; as, to go to communion; to partake of the communion. Close communion. See under Close, a. -- Communion elements, the bread and wine used in the celebration of the Lord's supper. -- Communion service, the celebration of the Lord's supper, or the office or service therefor. -- Communion table, the table upon which the elements are placed at the celebration of the Lord's supper. -- Communion in both kinds, participation in both the bread and wine by all communicants. -- Communion in one kind, participation in but one element, as in the Roman Catholic Church, where the laity partake of the bread only.

Syn. -- Share; participation; fellowship; converse; intercourse; unity; concord; agreement.

COMMUNISM

Com "mu *nism, n. Etym: [F. communisme, fr. commun common. ]

Defn: A scheme of equalizing the social conditions of life; specifically, a scheme which contemplates the abolition of inequalities in the possession of property, as by distributing all wealth equally to all, or by holding all wealth in common for the equal use and advantage of all.

Note: At different times, and in different countries, various schemes pertaining to socialism in government and the conditions of domestic life, as well as in the distribution of wealth, have been called communism.

COMMUNIST

Com "mu *nist, n. Etym: [F. communiste. ]

1. An advocate for the theory or practice of communism.

2. A supporter of the commune of Paris.

COMMUNISTIC

COMMUNISTIC Com `mu *nis "tic, a.

1. Of or pertaining to communism or communists; as, communistic theories.

2. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Living or having their nests in common, as certain birds.

COMMUNITY

Com *mu "ni *ty, n.; pl. Communities. Etym: [L. communitas: cf. OF. communité. Cf. Commonalty, and see Common. ]

1. Common possession or enjoyment; participation; as, a community of goods. The original community of all things. Locke. An unreserved community of thought and feeling. W. Irwing.

2. A body of people having common rights, privileges, or interests, or living in the same place under the same laws and regulations; as, a community of monks. Hence a number of animals living in a common home or with some apparent association of interests.Creatures that in communities exist. Wordsworth.

3. Society at large; a commonwealth or state; a body politic; the public, or people in general. Burdens upon the poorer classes of the community. Hallam.

Note: In this sense, the term should be used with the definite article; as, the interests of the community.

4. Common character; likeness. [R.] The essential community of nature between organic growth and inorganic growth. H. Spencer.

5. Commonness; frequency. [Obs. ] Eyes... sick and blunted with community. Shak.

COMMUTABILITY

COMMUTABILITY Com *mu `ta *bil "i *ty, n.

Defn: The quality of being commutable.

COMMUTABLE

Com *mut "a *ble, a. Etym: [L. commutabilis.]

Defn: Capable of being commuted or interchanged. The predicate and subject are not commutable. Whately.

COMMUTABLENESS

COMMUTABLENESS Com *mut "a *ble *ness, n.

Defn: The quality of being commutable; interchangeableness.

COMMUTATION

Com `mu *ta "tion, n. Etym: [L. commutatio: cf. F. commutation. ]

1. A passing from one state to another; change; alteration; mutation. [R.] So great is the commutation that the soul then hated only that which now only it loves. South.

2. The act of giving one thing for another; barter; exchange. [Obs. ] The use of money is. .. that of saving the commutation of more bulky commodities. Arbuthnot.

3. (Law )

Defn: The change of a penalty or punishment by the pardoning power of the State; as, the commutation of a sentence of death to banishment or imprisonment. Suits are allowable in the spiritual courts for money agreed to be given as a commutation for penance. Blackstone.

4. A substitution, as of a less thing for a greater, esp. a substitution of one form of payment for another, or one payment for many, or a specific sum of money for conditional payments or allowances; as, commutation of tithes; commutation of fares;commutation of copyright; commutation of rations. Angle of commutation (Astron.), the difference of the geocentric longitudes of the sun and a planet. -- Commutation of tithes, the substitution of a regular payment, chargeable to the land, for the annual tithes in kind. -- Commutation ticket, a ticket, as for transportation, which is the evidence of a contract for service at a reduced rate. See 2d Commute, 2.

COMMUTATION TICKET

COMMUTATION TICKET Com `mu *ta "tion tick "et.

Defn: A ticket for transportation at a reduced rate in consideration of some special circumstance, as increase of travel; specif. , a ticket for a certain number of, or for daily, trips between neighboring places at a reduced rate, such as are commonly used by those doing business in a city and living in a suburb. Commutation tickets are excepted from the prohibition against special rates contained in the Interstate Commerce Act of Feb. 4, 1887 (24 Stat. 379 ), and in 145 U. S. 263 it was held that party tickets were also excepted as being "obviously within the commuting principle. "

COMMUTATIVE

Com *mut "a *tive, a. Etym: [CF. F. commutatif.]

Defn: Relative to exchange; interchangeable; reciprocal. -- Com *mut "a *tive "ly, adv. Rich traders, from their success, are presumed. .. to have cultivated an habitual regard to commutative justice. Burke.

COMMUTATOR

COMMUTATOR Com "mu *ta `tor, n. (Elec.)

Defn: A piece of apparatus used for reversing the direction of an electrical current; an attachment to certain electrical machines, by means of which alternating currents are made to be continuous or to have the same direction.

COMMUTE

Com *mute ", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Commuted; p. pr. & vb. n. Commuting. ]Etym: [L. commutare, -mutatum; com- + mutare to change. See Mutation. ]

Defn: To exchange; to put or substitute something else in place of, as a smaller penalty, obligation, or payment, for a greater, or a single thing for an aggregate; hence; to lessen; to diminish; as, to commute a sentence of death to one of imprisonment for life; to commute tithes; to commute charges for fares. The sounds water and fire, being once annexed to those two elements, it was certainly more natural to call beings participating of the first "watery ", and the last "fiery ", than to commute the terms, and call them by the reverse. J. Harris The utmost that could be obtained was that her sentence should be commuted from burning to beheading. Macaulay.

COMMUTE

COMMUTE Com *mute ", v. i.

1. To obtain or bargain for exemption or substitution; to effect a commutation. He. .. thinks it unlawful to commute, and that he is bound to pay his vow in kind. Jer. Taylor.

2. To pay, or arrange to pay, in gross instead of part by part; as, to commute for a year's travel over a route.

COMMUTER

COMMUTER Com *mut "er, n.

Defn: One who commutes; especially, one who commutes in traveling.

COMMUTUAL

Com *mu "tu *al, a. Etym: [Pref. com- + mutual. ]

Defn: Mutual; reciprocal; united. [R.] There, with commutual zeal, we both had strove. Pope.

New American Oxford Dictionary

comm

comm |käm kɑm | ▶noun short for communication: [ as modifier ] : a comm link.

comm.

comm. ▶abbreviation • commerce. • commercial. • commission. • commissioner. • committee. • common.

comma

com ma |ˈkämə ˈkɑmə | ▶noun 1 a punctuation mark (,) indicating a pause between parts of a sentence. It is also used to separate items in a list and to mark the place of thousands in a large numeral. 2 Music a minute interval or difference of pitch. 3 (also comma butterfly ) a butterfly that has wings with irregular, ragged edges and typically a white or silver comma-shaped mark on the underside of each hind wing. [Genus Polygonia, subfamily Nymphalinae, family Nymphalidae: numerous species, in particular the common eastern comma (P. comma ) of eastern North America. ] ORIGIN late 16th cent. (originally as a term in rhetoric denoting a group of words shorter than a colon; see colon 1 ): via Latin from Greek komma ‘piece cut off, short clause, ’ from koptein ‘cut. ’

Commager, Henry Steele

Com ma ger, Henry Steele |ˈkämijər ˈkɑməʤər | (1902 –98 ), US educator and writer. Among his notable works are The Growth of the American Republic (co-authored with Samuel Eliot Morison, 1930 ), The American Mind (1959 ), and The Empire of Reason (1977 ).

command

com mand |kəˈmand kəˈmænd | ▶verb 1 [ reporting verb ] give an authoritative order: [ with obj. and infinitive ] : a gruff voice commanded us to enter | [ with direct speech ] : “Stop arguing! ” he commanded | [ with clause ] : he commanded that work should cease | [ with obj. ] : my mother commands my presence. • [ with obj. ] Military have authority over; be in charge of (a unit ): he commanded a battalion at Normandy. • [ with obj. ] dominate (a strategic position ) from a superior height: the two castles commanded the harbor. • [ with obj. ] archaic control or restrain (oneself or one's feelings ): he commanded himself with an effort. 2 [ with obj. ] be in a strong enough position to have or secure (something ): no party commanded a majority | a moral force that commanded respect. ▶noun an authoritative order: it's unlikely they'll obey your commands. • Computing an instruction or signal that causes a computer to perform one of its basic functions. • authority, esp. over armed forces: an officer took command | who's in command? | we will have nearly thirty thousand people under our command . • [ in sing. ] the ability to use or control something: he had a brilliant command of English. • [ treated as sing. or pl. ] Military a group of officers exercising control over a particular group or operation. • Military a body of troops or a district under the control of a particular officer. PHRASES at someone's command at someone's disposal; available: he had at his command a vast number of ready-made phrases. ORIGIN Middle English: from Old French comander ‘to command, ’ from late Latin commandare, from com- (expressing intensive force ) + mandare ‘commit, command. ’ Compare with commend .

command and control

com mand and con trol ▶noun [ usu. as modifier ] chiefly Military the running of an armed force or other organization: a command-and-control bunker.

commandant

com man dant |ˈkämənˌdant, -ˌdänt ˈkɑmənˌdænt | ▶noun an officer in charge of a particular force or institution: the West Point commandant of cadets. ORIGIN late 17th cent.: from French commandant, or Italian or Spanish comandante, all from late Latin commandare ‘to command ’ (see command ).

command-driven

com mand-driv en |kəˈmænd ˈdrɪvən | ▶adjective Computing (of a program or computer ) operated by means of commands keyed in by the user or issued by another program or computer.

command economy

com mand e con o my |kəˈmænd iˈkɑnəmi | ▶noun an economy in which production, investment, prices, and incomes are determined centrally by a government.

commandeer

com man deer |ˌkämənˈdi (ə )r ˈˌkɑmənˈˌdɪ (ə )r | ▶verb [ with obj. ] officially take possession or control of (something ), esp. for military purposes: telegraph and telephone lines were commandeered by the generals. • take possession of (something ) without authority: he hoisted himself onto a table, commandeering it as a speaker's platform. • enlist (someone ) to help in a task, typically against the person's will: he commandeered the men to find a table. ORIGIN early 19th cent.: from Afrikaans kommandeer, from Dutch commanderen, from French commander ‘to command ’ (see command ).

commander

com mand er |kəˈmandər kəˈmændər |(abbr.: Comdr. ) ▶noun 1 a person in authority, esp. over a body of troops or a military operation: the commander of a paratroop regiment. • a naval officer of high rank, in particular (in the US Navy or Coast Guard ) an officer ranking above lieutenant commander and below captain. • (in certain metropolitan police departments ) the officer in charge of a division, district, precinct, or squad. 2 a member of a higher class in some orders of knighthood. DERIVATIVES com mand er ship |-ˌSHip |noun ORIGIN Middle English: from Old French comandeor, from late Latin commandare ‘to command ’ (see command ).

commander in chief

com mand er in chief (also Commander in Chief ) ▶noun ( pl. commanders in chief ) a head of state or officer in supreme command of a country's armed forces. • an officer in charge of a major subdivision of a country's armed forces, or of its forces in a particular area.

Commander of the Faithful

Com mand er of the Faith ful ▶noun one of the titles of a caliph.

commanding

com mand ing |kəˈmandiNG kəˈmændɪŋ | ▶adjective [ attrib. ] (in military contexts ) having a position of authority: a commanding officer. • (of an advantage or position ) controlling; superior: a commanding 13 -6 lead. • indicating or expressing authority; imposing: a man of commanding presence | her style is commanding. • (of a place or position ) dominating physically; giving a wide view: a commanding position looking out over the sea. DERIVATIVES com mand ing ly adverb

command language

com mand lan guage |kəˈmænd ˈlæŋɡwɪʤ | ▶noun Computing a computer programming language composed chiefly of a set of commands or operators, used esp. for communicating with the operating system of a computer.

command line

com |mand line ▶noun an interface for typing commands directly to a computer's operating system.

commandment

com mand ment |kəˈmandmənt kəˈmæn (d )mənt | ▶noun a divine rule, esp. one of the Ten Commandments. • a rule to be observed as strictly as one of the Ten Commandments. ORIGIN Middle English: from Old French comandement, from comander ‘to command ’ (see command ).

command module

com mand mod ule |kəˈmænd ˈmɑʤul |(abbr.: CM ) ▶noun the detachable control portion of a manned spacecraft.

commando

com man do |kəˈmandō kəˈmænˌdoʊ | ▶noun ( pl. commandos ) a soldier specially trained to carry out raids. • a unit of such troops. PHRASES go commando humorous wear no underpants. ORIGIN late 18th cent. (denoting a militia, originally consisting of Boers in South Africa ): from Portuguese (earlier form of comando ), from commandar ‘to command, ’ from late Latin commandare (see command ).

commando knife

com |mando knife ▶noun a long, slender knife suitable for hand-to-hand combat.

Command Paper

Command Paper ▶noun (in the UK ) a document laid before Parliament by order of the Crown, though in practice by the government.

command performance

com mand per for mance |kəˈmænd pərˈfɔrməns | ▶noun a presentation of a play, concert, opera, or other show at the request of royalty.

command post

com mand post ▶noun the place from which a military unit is commanded.

command sergeant major

com mand ser geant ma jor ▶noun a noncommissioned officer in the US Army ranking above first sergeant.

comme ci, comme ça

comme ci, comme ça |kôm ˈsē kômˈsä kəm ˈsi kəm ˌsɑ | ▶adverb & adjective (in answer to a question ) neither very good nor very bad; so-so. ORIGIN French, literally ‘like this, like that. ’

commedia dell'arte

com me dia dell'ar te |kəˈmādēə dəl ˈärtē kəmeɪdɪədelˈɑːrteɪ | ▶noun an improvised kind of popular comedy in Italian theaters in the 16th –18th centuries, based on stock characters. Actors adapted their comic dialogue and action according to a few basic plots (commonly love intrigues ) and to topical issues. ORIGIN Italian, ‘comedy of art. ’

comme il faut

comme il faut |ˌkôm ēl ˈfō ˌkɔm il ˈfoʊ | ▶adjective [ predic. ] correct in behavior or etiquette. ORIGIN mid 18th cent.: French, literally ‘as is necessary. ’

commemorate

com mem o rate |kəˈmeməˌrāt kəˈmɛməˌreɪt | ▶verb [ with obj. ] recall and show respect for (someone or something ) in a ceremony: a wreath-laying ceremony to commemorate the war dead. • serve as a memorial to: a stone commemorating a boy who died at sea. • celebrate (an event, a person, or a situation ) by doing or building something: it was a night commemorated in a song. DERIVATIVES com mem o ra tor |-ˌrātər |noun ORIGIN late 16th cent.: from Latin commemorat- ‘brought to remembrance, ’ from the verb commemorare, from com- ‘altogether ’ + memorare ‘relate ’ (from memor ‘mindful ’).

commemoration

com mem o ra tion |kəˌmeməˈrāSHən kəˌmɛməˈreɪʃən | ▶noun remembrance, typically expressed in a ceremony: solemn ceremonies of commemoration. • a ceremony or celebration in which a person or event is remembered: VJ-Day commemorations in August. PHRASES in commemoration as a reminder, esp. a ritual or official one: the window was ordered by the duchess in commemoration of her son. ORIGIN late Middle English: from Latin commemoratio (n- ), from the verb commemorare ‘bring to remembrance ’ (see commemorate ).

commemorative

com mem o ra tive |kəˈmem (ə )rətiv, kəˈmeməˌrātiv kəˈmɛməˌreɪdɪv | ▶adjective acting as a memorial or mark of an event or person: a commemorative plaque. ▶noun an object such as a stamp or coin made to mark an event or honor a person. Compare with definitive.

commemoratory

com mem o ra to ry |kəˈmemərəˌtôrē kəˈmɛmərətɔri | ▶adjective serving to commemorate; commemorative.

commence

com mence |kəˈmens kəˈmɛns | ▶verb begin; start: [ with obj. ] : his design team commenced work | [ no obj. ] : a public inquiry is due to commence on the 16th. ORIGIN Middle English: from Old French commencier, comencier, based on Latin com- (expressing intensive force ) + initiare ‘begin. ’

commencement

com mence ment |kəˈmensmənt kəˈmɛnsmənt | ▶noun 1 [ usu. in sing. ] a beginning or start: at the commencement of training. 2 a ceremony in which degrees or diplomas are conferred on graduating students: [ as modifier ] : a commencement address. ORIGIN Middle English: from Old French, from the verb commencier (see commence ).

commend

com mend |kəˈmend kəˈmɛnd | ▶verb [ with obj. ] 1 praise formally or officially: he was commended by the judge for his courageous actions. • present as suitable for approval or acceptance; recommend: I commend her to you without reservation. • cause to be acceptable or pleasing: this recording has a lot to commend it. 2 (commend someone /something to ) entrust someone or something to: I commend them to your care. PHRASES commend me to archaic remember me kindly to (someone ): commend me to my son, and bid him rule better than I. ORIGIN Middle English: from Latin commendare, from com- (expressing intensive force ) + mandare ‘commit, entrust. ’ Compare with command .

commendable

com mend a ble |kəˈmendəbəl kəˈmɛndəbəl | ▶adjective deserving praise: commendable restraint. DERIVATIVES com mend a bly |-blē |adverb ORIGIN late Middle English: via Old French from Latin commendabilis, from commendare (see commend ).

commendation

com men da tion |ˌkämənˈdāSHən, -ˌen- ˌkɑmənˈdeɪʃən | ▶noun praise: the film deserved the highest commendation | commendations for their kindness. • an award involving special praise: the detectives received commendations for bravery. ORIGIN Middle English: from Old French, from Latin commendatio (n- ), from commendare ‘commit to the care of ’ (see commend ). Originally (in the plural ) the term denoted a liturgical office ending with a prayer commending the souls of the dead to God.

Commendatore

Commendatore |kɒˌmɛndəˈtɔːreɪ | ▶noun ( pl. Commendatori |-ri | ) a knight of an Italian order of chivalry. ORIGIN Italian, from Latin commendator, based on commendare ‘entrust ’.

commendatory

com mend a to ry |kəˈmendəˌtôrē kəˈmɛndətɔri | ▶adjective archaic serving to commend; recommending. ORIGIN mid 16th cent.: from late Latin commendatorius, from Latin commendare ‘commit to the care of ’ (see commend ).

commensal

com men sal |kəˈmensəl kəˈmɛnsəl | ▶adjective Biology of, relating to, or exhibiting commensalism. ▶noun Biology a commensal organism, such as many bacteria. DERIVATIVES com men sal i ty |ˌkämenˈsalitē |noun ORIGIN late 19th cent.: from medieval Latin commensalis, from com- ‘sharing ’ + mensa ‘a table. ’

commensalism

com men sal ism |kəˈmensəˌlizəm kəˈmɛnsəˌlɪzəm | ▶noun Biology an association between two organisms in which one benefits and the other derives neither benefit nor harm.

commensurable

com men su ra ble |kəˈmensərəbəl, kəˈmenSHərəbəl kəˈmɛnsərəbəl | ▶adjective 1 measurable by the same standard: the finite is not commensurable with the infinite. 2 (commensurable to ) rare proportionate to. 3 Mathematics (of numbers ) in a ratio equal to a ratio of integers. DERIVATIVES com men su ra bil i ty |kəˌmensərəˈbilətē, -ˌmenSHə - |noun, com men su ra bly |-blē |adverb ORIGIN mid 16th cent.: from late Latin commensurabilis, from com- ‘together ’ + mensurabilis, from mensurare ‘to measure. ’

commensurate

com men su rate |kəˈmensərət, -ˈmenSHə -kəˈmɛn (t )ʃ (ə )rət | ▶adjective corresponding in size or degree; in proportion: salary will be commensurate with experience | such heavy responsibility must receive commensurate reward. DERIVATIVES com men su rate ly adverb ORIGIN mid 17th cent.: from late Latin commensuratus, from com- ‘together ’ + mensuratus, past participle of mensurare ‘to measure. ’

comment

com ment |ˈkämˌent ˈkɑˌmɛnt | ▶noun a verbal or written remark expressing an opinion or reaction: you asked for comments on the new proposals. • discussion, esp. of a critical nature, of an issue or event: the plans were not sent to the council for comment. • an indirect expression of the views of the creator of an artistic work: their second single is a comment on the commercial nature of raves. • an explanatory note in a book or other written text. • archaic a written explanation or commentary. • Computing a piece of specially tagged text placed within a program to help other users to understand it, which the computer ignores when running the program. ▶verb [ with obj. ] express (an opinion or reaction ): the review commented that the book was agreeably written | [ no obj. ] : the company would not comment on the venture | “He's an independent soul, ” she commented. • [ with obj. ] Computing place a piece of specially tagged explanatory text within (a program ) to assist other users. • Computing turn (part of a program ) into a comment so that the computer ignores it when running the program: you could try commenting out that line. PHRASES no comment used in refusing to answer a question, esp. in a sensitive situation. DERIVATIVES com ment er noun ORIGIN late Middle English (in the senses ‘expository treatise ’ and ‘explanatory note ’): from Latin commentum ‘contrivance ’ (in late Latin also ‘interpretation ’), neuter past participle of comminisci ‘devise. ’

commentariat

com men tar i at |ˌkämənˈte (ə )rēət ˌkɒmənˈtɛrɪət | ▶noun members of the news media considered as a class. ORIGIN late 20th cent.: blend of commentary and proletariat .

commentary

com men tar y |ˈkämənˌterē ˈkɑmənˌtɛri | ▶noun ( pl. commentaries ) an expression of opinions or offering of explanations explanations about an event or situation: an editorial commentary | narrative overlaid with commentary. • a descriptive spoken account (esp. on a broadcast ) of an event or performance as it happens. • a set of explanatory or critical notes on a text: a commentary on the Old Testament. ORIGIN late Middle English: from Latin commentarius, commentarium (adjective, used as a noun ), from commentari, frequentative of comminisci ‘devise. ’

commentate

com men tate |ˈkämənˌtāt ˈkɑmənˌteɪt | ▶verb [ no obj. ] report on an event as it occurs, esp. for a news or sports broadcast; provide a commentary. ORIGIN mid 19th cent.: back-formation from commentator .

commentator

com men ta tor |ˈkämənˌtātər ˈkɑmənˌteɪdər | ▶noun a person who comments on events or on a text. • a person who delivers a live commentary on an event or performance.

commerce

com merce |ˈkämərs ˈkɑmərs |(abbr.: comm. ) ▶noun 1 the activity of buying and selling, esp. on a large scale: the possible increase of commerce by a great railroad. 2 dated social dealings between people: outside the normal commerce of civilized life. 3 archaic sexual intercourse. ORIGIN mid 16th cent. ( sense 2 ): from French, or from Latin commercium ‘trade, trading, ’ from com- ‘together ’ + mercium (from merx, merc- ‘merchandise ’).

commercial

com mer cial |kəˈmərSHəl kəˈmərʃəl |(abbr.: comm. ) ▶adjective 1 concerned with or engaged in commerce: a commercial agreement. 2 making or intended to make a profit: commercial products. • having profit, rather than artistic or other value, as a primary aim: their work is too commercial. 3 (of television or radio ) funded by the revenue from broadcast advertisements. 4 (of chemicals ) supplied in bulk and not of the highest purity. ▶noun a television or radio advertisement. DERIVATIVES com mer ci al i ty |kəˌmərSHēˈalitē |noun, com mer cial ly adverb

commercial art

com mer cial art ▶noun art used in advertising and selling.

commercial bank

com mer cial bank ▶noun a bank that offers services to the general public and to companies.

commercial bill

com |mer ¦cial bill ▶noun a bill of exchange issued by a commercial organization to raise money for short-term needs.

commercial break

com mer cial break ▶noun an interruption in the transmission of broadcast programming during which advertisements are broadcast.

commercialism

com mer cial ism |kəˈmərSHəˌlizəm kəˈmərʃəˌlɪzəm | ▶noun emphasis on the maximizing of profit: deficits prompted efforts for greater commercialism. • derogatory practices and attitudes that are concerned with the making of profit at the expense of quality: the issue of creeping commercialism in schools.

commercialize

com mer cial ize |kəˈmərSHəˌlīz kəˈmərʃəˌlaɪz | ▶verb [ with obj. ] manage or exploit (an organization, activity, etc. ) in a way designed to make a profit: the museum has been commercialized. DERIVATIVES com mer cial i za tion |kəˌmərSHələˈzāSHən |noun

commercialized

com mer cial ized |kəˈmərSHəˌlīzd kəˈmɜːrʃlaɪzd | ▶adjective designed principally for financial gain; profit-oriented: commercialized resort areas.

commercial paper

com mer cial pa per ▶noun short-term unsecured promissory notes issued by companies.

commercial space

com mer cial space ▶noun see space ( sense 1 of the noun ).

commercial traveler

com mer cial trav el er ▶noun dated a traveling sales representative.

commercial vehicle

com mer cial ve hi cle ▶noun a vehicle used for carrying goods or fare-paying passengers.

commère

commère |ˈkɒmɛː | ▶noun Brit. a female compère. ORIGIN early 20th cent.: French, literally ‘godmother ’, feminine of compère .

commie

com mie |ˈkämē ˈkɑmi |(also Commie ) informal, derogatory ▶noun ( pl. commies ) a communist. ▶adjective communist. ORIGIN 1940s: abbreviation.

commination

com mi na tion |ˌkäməˈnāSHən ˌkɑməˈneɪʃən | ▶noun the action of threatening divine vengeance. • the recital of divine threats against sinners in the Anglican Liturgy for Ash Wednesday. ORIGIN late Middle English: from Latin comminatio (n- ), from the verb comminari, from com- (expressing intensive force ) + minari ‘threaten. ’

comminatory

com min a to ry |ˈkämənəˌtôrē, kəˈminə -ˈkɑmənətɔri | ▶adjective threatening, punitive, or vengeful. ORIGIN early 16th cent.: from medieval Latin comminatorius, from comminat- ‘threatened, ’ from the verb comminari (see commination ).

commingle

com min gle |kəˈmiNGgəl, kä -kəˈmɪŋɡəl | ▶verb mix; blend: [ no obj. ] : the dust had commingled with the rain | [ with obj. ] : publicly reproved for commingling funds. ORIGIN early 17th cent.: from com- ‘together ’ + mingle .

comminuted

com mi nut ed |ˈkäməˌn (y )o͞otəd ˈkɑmənjudəd | ▶adjective technical reduced to minute particles or fragments. • Medicine (of a fracture ) producing multiple bone splinters. ORIGIN early 17th cent.: past participle of comminute, from Latin comminut- ‘broken into pieces, ’ from the verb comminuere, from com- ‘together ’ + minuere ‘lessen. ’

comminution

com mi nu tion |ˌkäməˈn (y )o͞oSHən ˌkɑməˈn (j )uʃən | ▶noun technical the action of reducing a material, an ore, to minute particles or fragments.

commis

com mis |ˈkämē, kô -ˈkɑːmi |(also commis chef ) ▶noun ( pl. same ) a junior chef. ORIGIN 1930s: from French, ‘deputy, clerk, ’ past participle of commettre ‘entrust, ’ from Latin committere (see commit ).

commiserate

com mis er ate |kəˈmizəˌrāt kəˈmɪzəˌreɪt | ▶verb [ no obj. ] express or feel sympathy or pity; sympathize: she went over to commiserate with Rose on her unfortunate circumstances. • [ with obj. ] archaic feel, show, or express pity for (someone ): she did not exult in her rival's fall, but, on the contrary, commiserated her. DERIVATIVES com mis er a tive |-rətiv |adjective ORIGIN late 16th cent.: from Latin commiserat- ‘commiserated, ’ from the verb commiserari, from com- ‘with ’ + miserari ‘to lament ’ (from miser ‘wretched ’).

commiseration

com mis er a tion |kəˌmizəˈrāSHən kəmɪzəˈreɪʃn | ▶noun sympathy and sorrow for the misfortunes of others; compassion: the other actors offered him clumsy commiseration. (commiserations ) expressions of sympathy and sorrow for another: our commiserations to those who didn't win.

commish

com mish |kəˈmiSH kəˌmɪʃ | ▶noun informal 1 short for commissioner. 2 short for commission: out of commish.

commissaire

com mis saire |ˌkômiˈse (ə )r ˈkɑməsɛr | ▶noun a senior police officer in France. • an official at a bicycle race or other sporting event. ORIGIN mid 18th cent.: French.

commissar

com mis sar |ˈkäməˌsär, ˌkäməˈsär ˌkɑməˈsɑr | ▶noun an official of the Communist Party, esp. in the former Soviet Union or present-day China, responsible for political education and organization. • a head of a government department in the former Soviet Union before 1946. • a strict or prescriptive figure of authority: our academic commissars. ORIGIN early 20th cent. (Russian Revolution ): from Russian komissar, from French commissaire, from medieval Latin commissarius (see commissary ).

commissariat

com mis sar i at |ˌkäməˈse (ə )rēit ˌkɑməˈsɛriət | ▶noun 1 chiefly Military a department for the supply of food and equipment. 2 a government department of the Soviet Union before 1946. ORIGIN late 16th cent. (as a Scots legal term denoting the jurisdiction of a commissary, often spelled commissariot ): from French commissariat, reinforced by medieval Latin commissariatus, both from medieval Latin commissarius ‘person in charge, ’ from Latin committere ‘entrust. ’

commissary

com mis sar y |ˈkäməˌserē ˈkɑməˌsɛri | ▶noun ( pl. commissaries ) 1 a restaurant in a movie studio, military base, prison, or other institution. 2 a deputy or delegate. DERIVATIVES com mis sar i al |ˌkäməˈse (ə )rēəl |adjective ORIGIN late Middle English: from medieval Latin commissarius ‘person in charge, ’ from Latin commiss- ‘joined, entrusted, ’ from the verb committere (see commit ).

commission

com mis sion |kəˈmiSHən kəˈmɪʃən |(abbr.: comm. ) ▶noun 1 an instruction, command, or duty given to a person or group of people: his commission to redesign the building | he received a commission to act as an informer. • an order for something, esp. a work of art, to be produced: Mozart at last received a commission to write an opera. • a work produced in response to such an order. • archaic the authority to perform a task or certain duties. 2 a group of people officially charged with a particular function: the United Nations High Commission for Refugees. 3 an amount of money, typically a set percentage of the value involved, paid to an agent in a commercial transaction: foreign banks may charge a commission | he sold cosmetics on commission . 4 a warrant conferring the rank of officer in an army, navy, or air force: he has resigned his commission. 5 the action of committing a crime or offense: use of a deadly weapon in the commission of a felony. ▶verb [ with obj. ] 1 give an order for or authorize the production of (something such as a building, piece of equipment, or work of art ). • order or authorize (a person or organization ) to do or produce something: they commissioned an architect to manage the building project. 2 bring (something newly produced, such as a factory or machine ) into working condition: we had a few hiccups getting the heating equipment commissioned. • bring (a warship ) into readiness for active service: the aircraft carrier Midway was commissioned in 1945. 3 appoint (someone ) to the rank of officer in the armed services: he was commissioned after attending midshipman school | (as adj. commissioned ) : a commissioned officer. PHRASES in commission (of a ship, vehicle, machine, etc. ) in use or in service. out of commission not in service; not in working order. • (of a person ) unable to work or function normally, esp. through illness or injury. DERIVATIVES com mis sion a ble adjective ORIGIN Middle English: via Old French from Latin commissio (n- ), from committere ‘entrust ’ (see commit ).

commission agent

com ¦mis |sion agent ▶noun Brit. a person who transacts business on commission, typically on behalf of a principal from another country.

commissionaire

com mis sion aire |kəˌmiSHəˈne (ə )r kəˌmɪʃəˈnɛ (ə )r | ▶noun chiefly Brit. a uniformed door attendant at a hotel, theater, or other building. ORIGIN mid 17th cent.: from French, from medieval Latin commissarius ‘person in charge, ’ from Latin committere ‘entrust ’ (see commit ).

commissioner

com mis sion er |kəˈmiSH (ə )nər kəˈmɪʃənər |(abbr.: comm. ) ▶noun a person appointed to a role on or by a commission: the traffic commissioner | the New York State Health Commissioner. • a person appointed to regulate a particular sport: the baseball commissioner. • a representative of the supreme authority in an area. DERIVATIVES com mis sion er ship |-ˌSHip |noun ORIGIN late Middle English: from medieval Latin commissionarius, from Latin commissio (see commission ).

commissioner for oaths

com |mis ¦sion ¦er for oaths ▶noun Brit. a solicitor authorized to administer an oath to a person making an affidavit.

commission of the peace

com ¦mis |sion of the peace ▶noun Brit., chiefly historical the Justices of the Peace in a particular jurisdiction considered collectively.

commissure

com mis sure |ˈkäməˌSHo͝or ˈkɑməˌʃʊ (ə )r | ▶noun Anatomy 1 the joint between two bones. 2 a band of nerve tissue connecting the hemispheres of the brain, the two sides of the spinal cord, etc. 3 the line where the upper and lower lips or eyelids meet. DERIVATIVES com mis su ral |ˌkäməˈSHo͝orəl |adjective ORIGIN late Middle English: from Latin commissura ‘junction, ’ from committere ‘join ’ (see commit ).

commit

com mit |kəˈmit kəˈmɪt | ▶verb ( commits, committing , committed ) [ with obj. ] 1 carry out or perpetrate (a mistake, crime, or immoral act ): he committed an uncharacteristic error. 2 pledge or bind (a person or an organization ) to a certain course or policy: they were reluctant to commit themselves to an opinion | the treaty commits each party to defend the other | try it out before you commit to a purchase. • pledge or set aside (resources ) for future use: manufacturers will have to commit substantial funds to developing new engines. • (be committed to ) be in a long-term emotional relationship with (someone ). • (be committed to ) be dedicated to (something ): we must be committed to peace. 3 send, entrust, or consign, in particular: • consign (someone ) officially to prison, esp. on remand: he was committed to prison for contempt of court. • send (a person or case ) for trial. • send (someone ) to be confined in a psychiatric hospital: he had been committed for treatment. • (commit something to ) transfer something to (a state or place ): he composed a letter but didn't commit it to paper | she committed each tiny feature to memory | committed to the flames. • refer (a legislative bill ) to a committee. DERIVATIVES com mit ta ble adjective, com mit ter noun ORIGIN late Middle English: from Latin committere ‘join, entrust ’ (in medieval Latin ‘put into custody ’), from com- ‘with ’ + mittere ‘put or send. ’

commitment

com mit ment |kəˈmitmənt kəˈmɪtmənt | ▶noun 1 the state or quality of being dedicated to a cause, activity, etc.: the company's commitment to quality. • a pledge or undertaking: I cannot make such a commitment at the moment. 2 (usu. commitments ) an engagement or obligation that restricts freedom of action: business commitments | young people delay major commitments including marriage and children.

commitment ceremony

com mit ment cer e mo ny ▶noun a ceremony to mark the spousal union of two people who are not legally allowed to marry, such as gay people.

commitment order

com mit ment or der ▶noun an order authorizing the admission and detention of a patient in a psychiatric hospital.

committal

com mit tal |kəˈmitl kəˈmɪdl | ▶noun 1 the action of sending a person to an institution, esp. prison or a psychiatric hospital: his committal to prison | [ as modifier ] : committal proceedings. 2 the burial of a corpse.

committed

com mit ted |kəˈmitid kəˈmɪdɪd | ▶adjective feeling dedication and loyalty to a cause, activity, or job; wholeheartedly dedicated: a committed reformer.

committee

com mit tee |kəˈmitē kəˈmɪdi | ▶noun 1 [ treated as sing. or pl. ] a group of people appointed for a specific function, typically consisting of members of a larger group: the housing committee | [ as modifier ] : a committee meeting. • such a body appointed by a legislature to consider the details of proposed legislation: there was much scrutiny in committee . 2 |kəˈmɪti |Law a person who has been judicially committed to the charge of another because of insanity or mental retardation. • Brit. a person entrusted with the charge of another person or another person's property. ORIGIN late 15th cent. (in the general sense ‘person to whom something has been entrusted ’): from commit + -ee .

committeeman

com mit tee man |kəˈmitēmən, -ˌman kəˈmɪdimən | ▶noun ( pl. committeemen ) (in the US ) a male local political party leader.

Committee of Public Safety

Committee of Public Safety a French governing body set up in April 1793, during the Revolution. Under the influence of Robespierre it initiated the Terror but it was dissolved in 1795.

committee of the whole

com mit tee of the whole the entire membership of a legislative body when sitting as a committee.

committee stage

com ¦mit |tee stage |kəˈmɪtisteɪʤ | ▶noun Brit. the third of five stages of a bill's progress through Parliament when it may be debated and amended.

committeewoman

com mit tee wom an |kəˈmitēˌwo͝omən kəˈmɪdiˌwʊmən | ▶noun ( pl. committeewomen ) (in the US ) a female local political party leader.

commix

com mix |kəˈmiks kəˈmɪks | ▶verb [ with obj. ] archaic mix; mingle: beat them till they be thoroughly commixed. DERIVATIVES com mix ture |kəˈmiksCHər |noun ORIGIN late Middle English (as the past participle commixt ): from Latin commixtus, from com- ‘together with ’ + mixtus ‘mixed. ’

commo

com mo |ˈkämō ˈkɑmoʊ | ▶noun informal communication, esp. as a departmental function in an organization.

commode

com mode |kəˈmōd kəˈmoʊd | ▶noun 1 a piece of furniture containing a concealed chamber pot. • a toilet. • historical a movable washstand. 2 a chest of drawers or chiffonier of a decorative type popular in the 18th century. ORIGIN mid 18th cent. ( sense 2 ): from French, literally ‘convenient, suitable, ’ from Latin commodus. Sense 1 dates from the early 19th cent.

commodify

com mod i fy |kəˈmädəˌfī kəˈmɑdəfaɪ | ▶verb ( commodifies, commodifying, commodified ) [ with obj. ] turn into or treat as a commodity: (as adj. commodified ) : art has become commodified. DERIVATIVES com mod i fi ca tion |kəˌmädəfəˈkāSHən |noun ORIGIN 1980s: from commodity + -fy .

commodious

com mo di ous |kəˈmōdēəs kəˈmoʊdiəs | ▶adjective 1 formal (esp. of furniture or a building ) roomy and comfortable. 2 archaic convenient. DERIVATIVES com mo di ous ly adverb, com mo di ous ness noun ORIGIN late Middle English (in the sense ‘beneficial, useful ’): from French commodieux or medieval Latin commodiosus, based on Latin commodus ‘convenient. ’

commoditize

com mod i tize |kəˈmädiˌtīz kəˈmɑdətaɪz | ▶verb another term for commodify. DERIVATIVES com mod i ti za tion |kəˌmäditəˈzāSHən |noun

commodity

com mod i ty |kəˈmäditē kəˈmɑdədi | ▶noun ( pl. commodities ) a raw material or primary agricultural product that can be bought and sold, such as copper or coffee. • a useful or valuable thing, such as water or time. ORIGIN late Middle English: from Old French commodite or Latin commoditas, from commodus (see commodious ).

commodore

com mo dore |ˈkäməˌdôr ˈkɑməˌdɔ (ə )r | ▶noun a naval officer of high rank, in particular an officer in the US Navy or Coast Guard ranking above captain and below rear admiral. • the president of a yacht club. • the senior captain of a shipping line. ORIGIN late 17th cent.: probably from Dutch komandeur, from French commandeur ‘commander. ’

common

com mon |ˈkämən ˈkɑmən | ▶adjective ( commoner , commonest ) 1 occurring, found, or done often; prevalent: salt and pepper are the two most common seasonings | it's common for a woman to be depressed after giving birth. • (of an animal or plant ) found or living in relatively large numbers; not rare. • ordinary; of ordinary qualities; without special rank or position: the dwellings of common people | a common soldier. • (of a quality ) of a sort or level to be generally expected: common decency. • of the most familiar type: the common or vernacular name. • denoting the most widespread or typical species of an animal or plant: the common blue spruce. 2 showing a lack of taste and refinement; vulgar. 3 shared by, coming from, or done by more than one: the two republics' common border | problems common to both communities. • belonging to, open to, or affecting the whole of a community or the public: common land. • Mathematics belonging to two or more quantities. 4 Grammar (in Latin and certain other languages ) of or denoting a gender of nouns that are conventionally regarded as masculine or feminine, contrasting with neuter. • (in English ) denoting a noun that refers to individuals of either sex (e.g., teacher ). 5 Prosody (of a syllable ) able to be either short or long. 6 Law (of a crime ) of relatively minor importance: common assault. ▶noun 1 a piece of open land for public use, esp. in a village or town. 2 (in the Christian Church ) a form of service used for each of a group of occasions. PHRASES the common good the benefit or interests of all: it is time our elected officials stood up for the common good. common ground opinions or interests shared by each of two or more parties: artists from different cultural backgrounds found common ground. common knowledge something known by most people. common or garden Brit. informal of the usual or ordinary type: a yak is your basic common or garden cow, only bigger, hairier, and wilder. common property a thing or things held jointly. • something known by most people. the common touch the ability to get along with or appeal to ordinary people. in common 1 in joint use or possession; shared: car engines have nothing in common with aircraft engines. 2 of joint interest: the two men had little in common. See also tenancy in common. in common with in the same way as: in common with other officers, I had to undertake guard duties. DERIVATIVES com mon ness noun ORIGIN Middle English: from Old French comun (adjective ), from Latin communis.

commonable

com mon a ble |ˈkämənəbəl ˈkɑmənəbəl | ▶adjective Brit. chiefly historical (of land ) allowed to be jointly used or owned. • (of an animal ) allowed to be pastured on public land: these Acts exclude the deer and commonable cattle. ORIGIN early 17th cent.: from obsolete common ‘to exercise right of common ’ + -able .

commonage

com mon age |ˈkämənij ˈkɑmənɪʤ | ▶noun 1 chiefly Brit. the right of pasturing animals on common land. • land held in common. 2 the common people; the commonalty.

Common Agricultural Policy

Com mon Ag ri cul tur al Pol i cy (abbr.: CAP ) the system in the EU for establishing common prices for most agricultural products within the European Union, a single fund for price supports, and levies on imports.

commonality

com mon al i ty |ˌkämənˈalitē ˌkɑmənˈælədi | ▶noun ( pl. commonalities ) 1 the state of sharing features or attributes: a commonality of interest ensures cooperation. • a shared feature or attribute: we discern the commonalities between these writers. 2 (the commonality ) another term for commonalty. ORIGIN late Middle English (in sense 2: variant of commonalty. Sense 1 dates from the mid 16th cent. , but was rarely used before the 1950s.

commonalty

com mon al ty |ˈkämənl -tē ˈkɑmənəlti | ▶noun (treated as pl. the commonalty ) chiefly historical people without special rank or position; common people: a petition by the earls, barons, and commonalty of the realm. • the general body of a group. ORIGIN Middle English: from Old French comunalte, from medieval Latin communalitas, from Latin communis ‘common, general ’ (see common ).

common carrier

com mon car ri er ▶noun a person or company that transports goods or passengers on regular routes at set rates. • a company providing public telecommunications facilities.

common chord

com mon chord ▶noun Music a triad containing a root, a major or minor third, and a perfect fifth.

common cold

com mon cold |ˈkɑmən koʊld | ▶noun (the common cold ) another term for cold ( sense 2 of the noun ).

common council

com mon coun cil ▶noun a town or city council in some parts of the US and Canada, and in London.

common denominator

com mon de nom i na tor |ˈkɑmən dəˈnɑməˌneɪdər | ▶noun Mathematics a shared multiple of the denominators of several fractions. See also lowest common denominator. • a feature shared by all members of a group: the common denominator for the fevers was the bite of a tick.

common divisor

com mon di vi sor ▶noun Mathematics a number that can be divided into all of the other numbers of a given set without any remainder. Also called common factor.

Common Entrance

Common Entrance |kɒmənˈɛntrəns | ▶noun Brit. an examination taken, usually at 13, by pupils wishing to enter public schools.

commoner

com mon er |ˈkämənər ˈkɑmənər | ▶noun 1 an ordinary person, without rank or title. 2 a person who has the right of common (commonage ). 3 (at some British universities ) an undergraduate who does not have a scholarship. ORIGIN Middle English (denoting a citizen or burgess ): from medieval Latin communarius, from communa, communia ‘community, ’ based on Latin communis (see common ).

Common Era

Com mon E ra |ˈkɑmən ˈɛrə | ▶noun (the Common Era ) another term for Christian era.

common fraction

com mon frac tion ▶noun a fraction expressed by a numerator and a denominator, not decimally.

common gender

com mon gen der ▶noun 1 the gender of those nouns in English that are not limited to either sex, such as cousin or spouse. 2 in some languages, such as Latin, the gender of those nouns that may be either masculine or feminine but not neuter. 3 in some languages, such as modern Danish, the gender of those nouns derived from the earlier masculine and feminine genders that do not belong to the neuter gender.

common gull

com ¦mon gull ▶noun a migratory gull with greenish-grey legs, found locally in northern and eastern Eurasia and NW North America. ●Larus canus, family Laridae.

commonhold

com ¦mon |hold |ˈkɒmənhəʊld | ▶noun [ mass noun ] Brit. a system of freehold tenure of a unit within a multi-occupancy building, but with shared responsibility for common services.

common jury

com ¦mon jury ▶noun Brit. historical a jury for which no qualification of property or social standing was required. Compare with special jury.

common law

com mon law |ˈkɑmən ˈˌlɔ | ▶noun the part of English law that is derived from custom and judicial precedent rather than statutes. Often contrasted with statutory law. • the body of English law as adopted and modified separately by the different states of the US and by the federal government. Compare with civil law. • [ as modifier ] denoting a partner in a marriage by common law (which recognized unions created by mutual agreement and public behavior ), not by a civil or ecclesiastical ceremony: a common-law husband. • [ as modifier ] denoting a partner in a long-term relationship of cohabitation.

common logarithm

com mon log a rithm ▶noun a logarithm to the base 10.

commonly

com mon ly |ˈkämənlē ˈkɑmənli | ▶adverb very often; frequently: BSE, commonly called mad cow disease | a commonly used industrial chemical.

common market

com mon mar ket |ˈkɑmən ˈmɑrkət | ▶noun a group of countries imposing few or no duties on trade with one another and a common tariff on trade with other countries. • ( the Common Market ) a name for the European Economic Community or European Union, used esp. in the 1960s and 1970s.

common meter

com mon me ter (also common measure ) (abbr.: CM ) ▶noun a metrical pattern for hymns in which the stanzas have four lines containing eight and six syllables alternately rhyming abcb or abab.

common multiple

com mon mul ti ple ▶noun Mathematics a number into which each number in a given set may be evenly divided.

common noun

com mon noun |ˈkɑmən naʊn | ▶noun Grammar a noun denoting a class of objects or a concept as opposed to a particular individual. Often contrasted with proper noun.

commonplace

com mon place |ˈkämənˌplās ˈkɑmənˌpleɪs | ▶adjective not unusual; ordinary: unemployment was commonplace in his profession. • not interesting or original; trite: the usual commonplace remarks. ▶noun 1 a usual or ordinary thing: bombing has become almost a commonplace of public life there. • a trite saying or topic; a platitude: it is a commonplace to talk of the young being alienated. 2 a notable quotation copied into a commonplace book. DERIVATIVES com mon place ness noun ORIGIN mid 16th cent. (originally common place ): translation of Latin locus communis, rendering Greek koinos topos ‘general theme. ’

commonplace book

com mon place book |ˈkɑmənˌpleɪs ˌbʊk | ▶noun a book into which notable extracts from other works are copied for personal use.

Common Pleas

Com mon Pleas (in full Court of Common Pleas ) Law (in some jurisdictions ) a court for hearing civil cases between citizens.

common porpoise

com mon por poise another term for harbor porpoise.

Common Prayer

Com mon Prayer the liturgy of the Anglican Communion, originally set forth in the Book of Common Prayer of Edward VI (1549 ).

common rat

com mon rat |ˈkɑmən ræt | ▶noun another term for brown rat.

common room

com mon room |ˈkɑmən ˌrum | ▶noun a room in a school, college, or other institution for use of students or staff outside teaching hours.

commons

com mons |ˈkämənz ˈkɑmənz | ▶plural noun 1 a dining hall in a residential school or college. 2 [ treated as sing. ] land or resources belonging to or affecting the whole of a community. 3 ( the Commons ) short for House of Commons. • historical the common people regarded as a part of a political system, esp. in Britain. 4 archaic provisions shared in common; rations. PHRASES short commons archaic insufficient allocation of food: for two weeks we have been on short commons. ORIGIN Middle English: plural of common .

common salt

com mon salt ▶noun see salt ( sense 1 of the noun ).

common seal

common seal 1 ▶noun a seal with a mottled grey-brown coat and a concave profile, found along North Atlantic and North Pacific coasts. ●Phoca vitulina, family Phocidae.

common seal

common seal 2 ▶noun an official seal of a corporate body.

common sense

Common Serjeant

Com ¦mon Ser |jeant ▶noun (in the UK ) a circuit judge of the Central Criminal Court with duties in the City of London.

common soldier

com mon sol dier ▶noun see soldier ( sense 1 of the noun ).

common stock

com mon stock ▶plural noun (also common stocks ) shares entitling their holder to dividends that vary in amount and may even be missed, depending on the fortunes of the company: the company announced a public offering of 3.5 million shares of common stock. Compare with preferred stock.

common time

com mon time ▶noun Music a rhythmic pattern in which there are four beats, esp. four quarter notes, in a measure. This pattern occurs often in classical music and is the norm in rock, jazz, country, and bluegrass.

commonweal

com mon weal |ˈkämənˌwēl ˈkɑmənwil | ▶noun (the commonweal ) the welfare of the public.

commonwealth

com mon wealth |ˈkämənˌwelTH ˈkɑmənˌwɛlθ | ▶noun 1 an independent country or community, esp. a democratic republic. • an aggregate or grouping of countries or other bodies. • a community or organization of shared interests in a nonpolitical field: the Christian commonwealth | the commonwealth of letters. • a self-governing unit voluntarily grouped with the US, such as Puerto Rico. • a formal title of some of the states of the US, esp. Kentucky, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. • the title of the federated Australian states. • ( the Commonwealth ) the republican period of government in Britain between the execution of Charles I in 1649 and the Restoration of Charles II in 1660. 2 ( the Commonwealth ) (in full the Commonwealth of Nations ) an international association consisting of the UK together with states that were previously part of the British Empire, and dependencies. The British monarch is the symbolic head of the Commonwealth. 3 (the commonwealth ) archaic the general good. ORIGIN late Middle English (originally as two words, denoting public welfare; compare with commonweal ): from common + wealth .

Commonwealth Day

Commonwealth Day |ˈkɒmənwɛlθdeɪ | ▶noun the second Monday in March, on which the British Commonwealth is celebrated. It was instituted to commemorate assistance given to Britain by the colonies during the Boer War (1899 –1902 ). Formerly called Empire Day.

Commonwealth Games

Com mon wealth Games an amateur sports competition held every four years between member countries of the Commonwealth of Nations.

Commonwealth of Independent States

Com mon wealth of In de pend ent States (abbr.: CIS ) a confederation of independent states that were formerly constituent republics of the Soviet Union, established in 1991. Member states are Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.

Common Worship

Com mon Wor ship ▶noun a book containing the public liturgy of the Church of England, published in 2000 to replace the Alternative Service Book.

commotion

com mo tion |kəˈmōSHən kəˈmoʊʃən | ▶noun a state of confused and noisy disturbance: she was distracted by a commotion across the street | figure out what all the commotion is about. • civil insurrection: damage caused by civil commotion. ORIGIN late Middle English: from Latin commotio (n- ), from com- ‘altogether ’ + motio (see motion ).

commove

com move |kəˈmo͞ov kəˈmuv | ▶verb [ with obj. ] move violently; agitate or excite.

comms

comms ▶plural noun [ usu. as modifier ] communications: comms software.

communal

com mu nal |kəˈmyo͞onl, ˈkämyənəl ˈkɑːmjənl | ▶adjective 1 shared by all members of a community; for common use: a communal bathroom and kitchen. • of, relating to, or done by a community: communal achievement. • involving the sharing of work and property: communal living. 2 (of conflict ) between different communities, esp. those having different religions or ethnic origins: violent communal riots. DERIVATIVES com mu nal i ty |ˌkämyəˈnalitē |noun, com mu nal ly adverb ORIGIN early 19th cent. (in the sense ‘relating to a commune, esp. the Paris Commune ’): from French, from late Latin communalis, from communis (see common ).

communalism

com mu nal ism |kəˈmyo͞onlˌizəm, ˈkämyənəˌlizm ˈkɑːmjənəlɪzəm | ▶noun 1 a principle of political organization based on federated communes. • the principle or practice of living together and sharing possessions and responsibilities. 2 allegiance to one's own ethnic group rather than to the wider society. DERIVATIVES com mu nal ist adjective & noun, com mu nal is tic |kəˌmyo͞onlˈistik |adjective

communalize

com mu nal ize |kəˈmyo͞onlˌīz kəˈmjunəlaɪz | ▶verb [ with obj. ] rare organize (something ) on the basis of shared ownership: attempts to communalize farming. DERIVATIVES com mu nal i za tion |kəˌmyo͞onl -əˈzāSHən |noun

communard

com mu nard |ˌkämyəˈnär (d ) ˈkɑmjənɑrd | ▶noun a member of a commune. • ( Communard ) historical a supporter of the Paris Commune. ORIGIN late 19th cent.: from French, from commune 1 .

commune

com mune 1 |ˈkämˌyo͞on ˈkɑˌmjun | ▶noun 1 a group of people living together and sharing possessions and responsibilities. • a communal settlement in a communist country. 2 the smallest French territorial division for administrative purposes. • a similar division elsewhere. 3 (the Commune ) the group that seized the municipal government of Paris in the French Revolution and played a leading part in the Reign of Terror until suppressed in 1794. • (also the Paris Commune ) the municipal government organized on communalistic principles elected in Paris in 1871. It was soon brutally suppressed by government troops. ORIGIN late 17th cent. ( sense 2 ): from French, from medieval Latin communia, neuter plural of Latin communis (see common ).

commune

com mune 2 |kəˈmyo͞on kəˈmjun | ▶verb [ no obj. ] 1 (commune with ) share one's intimate thoughts or feelings with (someone or something ), esp. when the exchange is on a spiritual level: the purpose of praying is to commune with God. • feel in close spiritual contact with: he spent an hour communing with nature on the bank of a stream. 2 receive Holy Communion. ORIGIN Middle English: from Old French comuner ‘to share, ’ from comun (see common ).

communicable

com mu ni ca ble |kəˈmyo͞onikəbəl kəˈmjunəkəbəl | ▶adjective able to be communicated to others: the value of the product must be communicable to the potential consumers. • (of a disease ) able to be transmitted from one sufferer to another; contagious or infectious. DERIVATIVES com mu ni ca bil i ty |kəˌmyo͞onikəˈbilitē |noun, com mu ni ca bly |-blē |adverb ORIGIN late Middle English (in the sense ‘communicating, having communication ’): from Old French, from late Latin communicabilis, from the verb communicare ‘to share ’ (see communicate ).

communicant

com mu ni cant |kəˈmyo͞onikənt kəˈmjunəkənt | ▶noun 1 Christian Church a person who receives Holy Communion. 2 archaic a person who imparts information. ORIGIN mid 16th cent.: from Latin communicant- ‘sharing, ’ from the verb communicare (see communicate ).

communicate

com mu ni cate |kəˈmyo͞onəˌkāt kəˈmjunəˌkeɪt | ▶verb 1 [ no obj. ] share or exchange information, news, or ideas: the prisoner was forbidden to communicate with his family. • [ with obj. ] impart or pass on (information, news, or ideas ): he communicated his findings to the inspector. • [ with obj. ] convey or transmit (an emotion or feeling ) in a nonverbal way: the ability of good teachers to communicate their own enthusiasm | his sudden fear communicated itself . • succeed in conveying one's ideas or in evoking understanding in others: a politician must have the ability to communicate. • (of two people ) be able to share and understand each other's thoughts and feelings. • [ with obj. ] (usu. be communicated ) pass on (an infectious disease ) to another person or animal. • [ with obj. ] transmit (heat or motion ): the heat is communicated through a small brass grating. • (often as adj. communicating ) (of two rooms ) have a common connecting door: he went into the communicating room to pick up the phone. 2 [ no obj. ] Christian Church receive Holy Communion. DERIVATIVES com mu ni ca tor |-ˌkātər |noun, com mu ni ca to ry |-kəˌtôrē |adjective ORIGIN early 16th cent.: from Latin communicat- ‘shared, ’ from the verb communicare, from communis (see common ).

communication

com mu ni ca tion |kəˌmyo͞onəˈkāSHən kəˌmjunəˈkeɪʃən | ▶noun 1 the imparting or exchanging of information or news: direct communication between the two countries will produce greater understanding | at the moment I am in communication with London. • a letter or message containing such information or news. • the successful conveying or sharing of ideas and feelings: there was a lack of communication between Pamela and her parents. • social contact: she gave him some hope of her return, or at least of their future communication. 2 (communications ) means of connection between people or places, in particular: • the means of sending or receiving information, such as telephone lines or computers: satellite communications | [ as modifier ] : a communications network. • the means of traveling or of transporting goods, such as roads or railroads: a city providing excellent road and rail communications. • [ treated as sing. ] the field of study concerned with the transmission of information by various means. PHRASES lines of communication the connections between an army in the field and its bases. • any system for communicating information or ideas: bureaucracies are characterized by established lines of communication. DERIVATIVES com mu ni ca tion al |-ˈkāSHənl |adjective ORIGIN late Middle English: from Old French comunicacion, from Latin communicatio (n- ), from the verb communicare ‘to share ’ (see communicate ).

communications satellite

com mu ni ca tions sat el lite (also communication satellite ) ▶noun a satellite placed in orbit around the earth in order to relay television, radio, and telephone signals.

communication theory

com mu ni ca tion the o ry (also communications theory ) ▶noun the branch of knowledge dealing with the principles and methods by which information is conveyed.

communicative

com mu ni ca tive |kəˈmyo͞onəˌkātiv, -nikətiv kəˈmjunəˌkeɪdɪv | ▶adjective ready to talk or impart information: the patient was alert and communicative. • relating to the conveyance or exchange of information: the communicative process in literary texts. DERIVATIVES com mu ni ca tive ly adverb ORIGIN late Middle English: from late Latin communicativus, from communicat- ‘shared, ’ from the verb communicare (see communicate ).

communion

com mun ion |kəˈmyo͞onyən kəˈmjunjən | ▶noun 1 the sharing or exchanging of intimate thoughts and feelings, esp. when the exchange is on a mental or spiritual level: in this churchyard communion with the dead was almost palpable. • common participation in a mental or emotional experience: popular festivals where all take part in joyous communion. 2 (often Communion or Holy Communion ) the service of Christian worship at which bread and wine are consecrated and shared. See Eucharist. • the consecrated bread and wine so administered and received: the priests gave him Holy Communion. 3 a relationship of recognition and acceptance between Christian churches or denominations, or between individual Christians or Christian communities and a church (signified by a willingness to give or receive the Eucharist ): the Eastern Churches are not in communion with Rome. • a group of Christian communities or churches that recognize one another's ministries or that of a central authority. See also Anglican Communion. PHRASES make one's communion receive bread and wine that has been consecrated at a Eucharist, as a sacramental, spiritual, or symbolic act of receiving the presence of Christ. ORIGIN late Middle English: from Latin communio (n- ), from communis (see common ).

communion of saints

com mun ion of saints ▶noun [ in sing. ] a fellowship between Christians living and dead.

communiqué

com mu ni qué |kəˌmyo͞onəˈkā, kəˈmyo͞onəˌkā kəˈmjunəkeɪ |(also communique ) ▶noun an official announcement or statement, esp. one made to the media. ORIGIN mid 19th cent.: from French, past participle of communiquer ‘communicate. ’

communism

com mu nism |ˈkämyəˌnizəm ˈkɑmjəˌnɪzəm |(often Communism ) ▶noun a political theory derived from Karl Marx, advocating class war and leading to a society in which all property is publicly owned and each person works and is paid according to their abilities and needs. See also Marxism. The most familiar form of communism is that established by the Bolsheviks after the Russian Revolution of 1917, and it has generally been understood in terms of the system practiced by the former Soviet Union and its allies in eastern Europe, in China since 1949, and in some developing countries such as Cuba, Vietnam, and North Korea. Communism embraced a revolutionary ideology in which the state would wither away after the overthrow of the capitalist system. In practice, however, the state grew to control all aspects of communist society. Communism in eastern Europe collapsed in the late 1980s and early 1990s against a background of failure to meet people's economic expectations, a shift to more democracy in political life, and increasing nationalism such as that which led to the breakup of the Soviet Union. ORIGIN mid 19th cent.: from French communisme, from commun (see common ).

Communism Peak

Com mu nism Peak former name (1962 –98 ) for Ismail Samani Peak.

communist

com mu nist |ˈkämyənist ˈkɑːmjənɪst | ▶noun a person who supports or believes in the principles of communism: I was very left-wing, but I was never a communist. ▶adjective adhering to or based on the principles of communism: a French communist writer. DERIVATIVES com mu nis tic |ˌkämyəˈnistik |adjective

communitarianism

com mu ni tar i an ism |kəˌmyo͞oniˈte (ə )rēəˌnizəm kəˌmjunɪˈtɛ (ə )riəˌnɪzəm | ▶noun a theory or system of social organization based on small self-governing communities. • an ideology that emphasizes the responsibility of the individual to the community and the social importance of the family unit. DERIVATIVES com mu ni tar i an adjective & .noun ORIGIN mid 19th cent.: from community + -arian, on the pattern of words such as unitarian .

community

com mu ni ty |kəˈmyo͞onitē kəˈmjunədi | ▶noun ( pl. communities ) 1 a group of people living in the same place or having a particular characteristic in common: Rhode Island's Japanese community | the scientific community. • a group of people living together in one place, esp. one practicing common ownership: a community of nuns. • a particular area or place considered together with its inhabitants: a rural community. • a body of nations or states unified by common interests: [ in names ] : the European Community | the African Economic Community. • (the community ) the people of a district or country considered collectively, esp. in the context of social values and responsibilities; society: preparing prisoners for life back in the community. • [ as modifier ] denoting a worker or resource designed to serve the people of a particular area: community health services. 2 a feeling of fellowship with others, as a result of sharing common attitudes, interests, and goals: the sense of community that organized religion can provide. • [ in sing. ] a similarity or identity: writers who shared a community of interests. • joint ownership or liability: a commitment to the community of goods. 3 Ecology a group of interdependent organisms of different species growing or living together in a specified habitat: communities of insectivorous birds. PHRASES the international community the countries of the world considered collectively. ORIGIN late Middle English: from Old French comunete, reinforced by its source, Latin communitas, from communis (see common ).

community antenna television

com mu ni ty an ten na tel e vi sion (abbr.: CATV ) ▶noun another term for cable television.

community architect

com mu ni ty ar chi tect ▶noun an architect working in consultation with local inhabitants in designing housing and other amenities. DERIVATIVES com mu ni ty ar chi tec ture noun

community bank

com mu ni ty bank ▶noun a commercial bank that derives funds from and lends to the community where it operates, and is not affiliated with a multibank holding company.

community card

community card ▶noun (in some forms of poker ) each of a number of cards dealt or turned face up for all active players to use.

community care

community care (also care in the community ) ▶noun [ mass noun ] long-term care for people who are mentally ill, elderly, or disabled which is provided within the community rather than in hospitals or institutions, especially as implemented in the UK under the National Health Service and Community Care Act of 1990.

community center

com mu ni ty cen ter ▶noun a place where people from a particular community can meet for social, educational, or recreational activities.

community charge

com |mu ¦nity charge ▶noun [ mass noun ] (in the UK ) a tax, introduced by the Conservative government in 1990 (1989 in Scotland ), levied locally on every adult in a community. It was replaced in 1993 by the council tax. Informally called poll tax.

community chest

com mu ni ty chest ▶noun a fund for charitable activities among the people in a particular area.

community college

com mu ni ty col lege |kəˈmjunədi ˈkɑlɪʤ | ▶noun a nonresidential junior college offering courses to people living in a particular area.

community home

com |mu ¦nity home ▶noun Brit. a centre for housing young offenders and other young people in need of custodial care.

community hospital

com |mu ¦nity hos |pital ▶noun a non-specialized hospital serving a local area.

community medicine

com |mu ¦nity medi |cine ▶noun [ mass noun ] a branch of medicine dealing with health care issues affecting communities as a whole.

community of property

com |mu ¦nity of prop |erty ▶noun [ mass noun ] (in South Africa ) a marriage contract in which the possessions of the partners are merged in a joint estate and disposed of by means of a joint will.

community order

com |mu ¦nity order ▶noun English Law a non-custodial sentence which requires an offender to perform community service, observe a curfew, undergo treatment for drug or alcohol addiction, etc. , instead of going to prison.

community policing

com mu ni ty po lic ing |kəmjuːnətipəˈliːsɪŋ | ▶noun the system of allocating police officers to particular areas so that they become familiar with the local inhabitants.

community property

com mu ni ty pro per ty |kəˈmjunədi ˈprɑpərdi | ▶noun property owned jointly by a husband and wife.

community sentence

com |mu ¦nity sen |tence ▶noun English Law a sentence whereby an offender is required to perform community service.

community service

com mu ni ty serv ice |kəˈmjunədi ˈsərvəs | ▶noun voluntary work intended to help people in a particular area. • Law unpaid work, intended to be of social use, that an offender is required to do instead of going to prison: sentenced to 600 hours of community service.

community singing

com |mu ¦nity sing |ing ▶noun [ mass noun ] singing by a large crowd or group, especially of old popular songs or hymns.

community spirit

com |mu ¦nity spirit ▶noun [ mass noun ] a feeling of involvement in and concern for one's local community: there has been a loss of community spirit.

community-supported agriculture

com mu ni ty-sup port ed ag ri cul ture (also chiefly Canadian community-shared agriculture ) ▶noun a system in which a farm operation is supported by shareholders within the community who share both the benefits and risks of food production.

community worker

com |mu ¦nity work ¦er ▶noun a person who works among the people of a particular area to promote their welfare.

communiversity

com mu ni ver si ty |kəˌmyo͞onəˈvərsitē kəˌmjunəˈvərsəti | ▶noun an organization representing a liaison between a college or university and the community where it is located: [ as modifier ] : a communiversity theater. ORIGIN 1990s: blend of community and university .

communize

com mu nize |ˈkämyəˌnīz ˈkɑmjənaɪz | ▶verb [ with obj. ] cause (a country, people, or economic activity ) to be organized on the principles of communism. DERIVATIVES com mu ni za tion |ˌkämyənəˈzāSHən |noun ORIGIN late 19th cent.: from Latin communis (see common ) + -ize .

commutable

com mut a ble |kəˈmyo͞otəbəl kəˈmjudəbəl | ▶adjective 1 (of a place or journey ) allowing regular commuting to and from work. 2 rare capable of being exchanged or converted. DERIVATIVES com mut a bil i ty |kəˌmyo͞otəˈbilitē |noun

commutate

com mu tate |ˈkämyəˌtāt ˈkɑmjuteɪt | ▶verb [ with obj. ] regulate or reverse the direction of (an alternating electric current ), esp. to make it a direct current. ORIGIN late 19th cent.: from Latin commutat- ‘changed altogether, exchanged, interchanged, ’ from the verb commutare (see commute ).

commutation

com mu ta tion |ˌkämyəˈtāSHən ˌkɑmjəˈteɪʃən | ▶noun 1 action or the process of commuting a judicial sentence. • the conversion of a legal obligation or entitlement into another form, e.g., the replacement of an annuity or series of payments by a single payment. 2 the process of commutating an electric current. 3 Mathematics the property of having a commutative relation. ORIGIN late Middle English (in the sense ‘exchange, barter, ’ later ‘alteration ’): from Latin commutatio (n- ), from commutare ‘exchange, interchange ’ (see commute ). Sense 1 dates from the late 16th cent.

commutation ticket

com mu ta tion tick et ▶noun a ticket issued at a reduced rate by a railroad or bus company, entitling the holder to travel a given route a fixed number of times or during a specified period.

commutative

com mu ta tive |ˈkämyəˌtātiv, kəˈmyo͞otətiv kəˈmjudədɪv | ▶adjective Mathematics involving the condition that a group of quantities connected by operators gives the same result whatever the order of the quantities involved, e.g., a × b = b × a. • rare relating to or involving substitution or exchange. ORIGIN mid 16th cent. (in the sense ‘relating to transactions between people ’): from French commutatif, -ive or medieval Latin commutativus, from commutat- ‘exchanged, ’ from the verb commutare (see commute ).

commutator

com mu ta tor |ˈkämyəˌtātər ˈkɑmjəˌteɪdər | ▶noun an attachment, connected to the armature of a motor or generator, through which electrical connection is made and which ensures that the current flows as direct current. • a device for reversing the direction of flow of electric current.

commute

com mute |kəˈmyo͞ot kəˈmjut | ▶verb 1 [ no obj. ] travel some distance between one's home and place of work on a regular basis: she commuted from Westport in to Grand Central Station. 2 [ with obj. ] reduce (a judicial sentence, esp. a sentence of death ) to one less severe: the governor recently commuted the sentences of dozens of women convicted of killing their husbands. • (commute something for /into ) change one kind of payment or obligation for (another ). • replace (an annuity or other series of payments ) with a single payment: if he had commuted some of his pension, he would have received $330,000. 3 [ no obj. ] Mathematics (of two operations or quantities ) have a commutative relationship. ▶noun a regular journey of some distance to and from one's place of work. ORIGIN late Middle English (in the sense ‘interchange (two things )’): from Latin commutare, from com- ‘altogether ’ + mutare ‘to change. ’ Sense 1 of the verb originally meant to buy and use a commutation ticket, a dated term for ‘a season ticket ’ (because the daily fare is commuted to a single payment ).

commuter

com mut er |kəˈmyo͞otər kəˈmjuːtər | ▶noun a person who travels some distance to work on a regular basis. the company provides showers and lockers for bicycle commuters.

commuter belt

com mut er belt ▶noun the area surrounding a city from which a large number of people travel to work each day.

Oxford Dictionary

comm

comm |kɒm | ▶noun short for communication: [ as modifier ] : a comm link. See also comms.

comma

comma |ˈkɒmə | ▶noun 1 a punctuation mark (,) indicating a pause between parts of a sentence or separating items in a list. 2 Music a minute interval or difference of pitch. 3 (also comma butterfly ) a widespread butterfly that has orange and brown wings with ragged edges, and a white comma-shaped mark on the underside of the hindwing. ●Polygonia c-album, subfamily Nymphalinae, family Nymphalidae. . ORIGIN late 16th cent. (originally as a term in rhetoric denoting a group of words shorter than a colon; see colon 1 ): via Latin from Greek komma ‘piece cut off, short clause ’, from koptein ‘cut ’.

Commager, Henry Steele

command

com |mand |kəˈmɑːnd | ▶verb 1 [ reporting verb ] give an authoritative or peremptory order: [ with obj. and infinitive ] : a gruff voice commanded us to enter | [ with direct speech ] : ‘Stop arguing! ’ he commanded | [ with clause ] : he commanded that work should cease | [ with obj. ] : my mother commands my presence. • [ with obj. ] Military have authority over; be in charge of (a unit ). • [ with obj. ] archaic control or restrain (oneself or one's feelings ): he commanded himself with an effort. 2 [ with obj. ] dominate (a strategic position ) from a superior height: the fortress commands the shortest Channel crossing. 3 [ with obj. ] be in a strong enough position to have or secure: they command a majority in Parliament | he commanded considerable personal loyalty. ▶noun 1 an authoritative order: he obeyed her commands without question. • [ mass noun ] authority, especially over armed forces: an officer took command | who's in command? • [ treated as sing. or pl. ] Military a group of officers exercising control over a particular group or operation. • Military a body of troops or a district under the control of a particular officer. 2 [ in sing. ] the ability to use or control something: he had a brilliant command of English. 3 Computing an instruction or signal causing a computer to perform one of its basic functions. PHRASES at someone's command at someone's disposal to use or instruct: I shall defend myself with all the eloquence at my command. word of command Military an order for a movement in a drill. • a prearranged spoken signal for the start of an operation. ORIGIN Middle English: from Old French comander ‘to command ’, from late Latin commandare, from com- (expressing intensive force ) + mandare ‘commit, command ’. Compare with commend .

command and control

com |mand and con |trol ▶noun [ mass noun ] [ usu. as modifier ] chiefly Military the running of an armed force or other organization: a command-and-control bunker.

commandant

commandant |ˌkɒmənˈdant, ˈkɒmənˌdant, -dɑːnt | ▶noun an officer in charge of a particular force or institution: the camp commandant. ORIGIN late 17th cent.: from French commandant, or Italian or Spanish commandante, all from late Latin commandare ‘to command ’ (see command ).

command chain

command chain ▶noun another term for chain of command.

command-driven

command-driven ▶adjective Computing (of a program or computer ) operated by means of commands keyed in by the user or issued by another program or computer.

command economy

com |mand econ |omy ▶noun another term for planned economy.

commandeer

commandeer |ˌkɒmənˈdɪə | ▶verb [ with obj. ] officially take possession or control of (something ), especially for military purposes: a nearby house had been commandeered by the army. • take possession of (something ) by force: the truck was commandeered by a mob. • [ with obj. and infinitive ] enlist (someone ) to help in a task: he commandeered the men to find a table. ORIGIN early 19th cent.: from Afrikaans kommandeer, from Dutch commanderen, from French commander ‘to command ’ (see command ).

commander

com |mand ¦er |kəˈmɑːndə | ▶noun 1 a person in authority, especially over a body of troops or a military operation: the commander of a paratroop regiment. • a rank of naval officer, above lieutenant commander and below captain. • an officer in charge of a Metropolitan Police district in London. 2 a member of a higher class in some orders of knighthood. See also knight commander. DERIVATIVES commandership noun ORIGIN Middle English: from Old French comandeor, from late Latin commandare (see command ).

commander-in-chief

commander-in-chief ▶noun ( pl. commanders-in-chief ) an officer in charge of all of the armed forces of a country, or a major subdivision of them. • a politician or head of state in supreme command of a country's armed forces.

Commander of the Faithful

Commander of the Faithful ▶noun one of the titles of a caliph.

commanding

com ¦mand |ing |kəˈmɑːndɪŋ | ▶adjective 1 (in military contexts ) having a position of authority: a commanding officer. • indicating or expressing authority; imposing: a man of commanding presence | her style is commanding. • possessing or giving superior strength: a commanding 13 –6 lead. 2 (of a place or position ) dominating from above; giving a wide view of an area. DERIVATIVES commandingly adverb

command language

com |mand lan |guage ▶noun Computing a source language composed chiefly of a set of commands or operators, used especially for communicating with the operating system of a computer.

command line

com |mand line ▶noun an interface for typing commands directly to a computer's operating system.

commandment

com ¦mand |ment |kəˈmɑːndmənt | ▶noun a divine rule, especially one of the Ten Commandments. • humorous a rule to be observed as strictly as one of the Ten Commandments. ORIGIN Middle English: from Old French comandement, from comander ‘to command ’ (see command ).

command module

com |mand mod ¦ule ▶noun the detachable control compartment of a manned spacecraft.

commando

com |mando |kəˈmɑːndəʊ | ▶noun ( pl. commandos ) a soldier specially trained for carrying out raids. • a unit of commandos. PHRASES go commando informal wear no underpants. ORIGIN late 18th cent. (denoting a militia, originally consisting of Boers in South Africa ): from Portuguese (earlier form of comando ), from commandar ‘to command ’, from late Latin commandare (see command ).

commando knife

com |mando knife ▶noun a long, slender knife suitable for hand-to-hand combat.

Command Paper

Command Paper ▶noun (in the UK ) a document laid before Parliament by order of the Crown, though in practice by the government.

command performance

command performance (also Royal Command Performance ) ▶noun (in the UK ) a presentation of a play, concert, film, or other show at the request of royalty, who usually attend.

command post

com |mand post ▶noun the place from which a unit commander controls a military unit.

command sergeant major

com mand ser geant ma jor ▶noun a noncommissioned officer in the US Army ranking above first sergeant.

comme ci, comme ça

comme ci, comme ça |kɒm ˌsiː kɒm ˈsɑː, French kɔm si kɔm sa | ▶adverb & adjective used, especially in answer to a question, to convey that something is neither very good nor very bad. ORIGIN French, literally ‘like this, like that ’.

commedia dell'arte

commedia dell'arte |kɒˈmeɪdɪə dɛlˈɑːteɪ, Italian kəɔmˈmɛdja delˈlarte | ▶noun [ mass noun ] an improvised kind of popular comedy in Italian theatres in the 16th –18th centuries, based on stock characters. Actors adapted their comic dialogue and action according to a few basic plots (commonly love intrigues ) and to topical issues. ORIGIN Italian, ‘comedy of art ’.

comme il faut

comme il faut |ˌkɒm iːl ˈfəʊ, French kɔm il fəɔ | ▶adjective correct in behaviour or etiquette. ORIGIN French, literally ‘as is necessary ’.

commemorate

com |mem ¦or |ate |kəˈmɛməreɪt | ▶verb [ with obj. ] recall and show respect for (someone or something ): a wreath-laying ceremony to commemorate the war dead | a stone commemorating a boy who died at sea. • mark or celebrate (an event or person ) by doing or producing something: the victory was commemorated in songs. DERIVATIVES commemorator noun ORIGIN late 16th cent.: from Latin commemorat- ‘brought to remembrance ’, from the verb commemorare, from com- ‘altogether ’ + memorare ‘relate ’ (from memor ‘mindful ’).

commemoration

com |mem ¦or |ation |kəmɛməˈreɪʃ (ə )n | ▶noun [ mass noun ] the action or fact of commemorating a dead person or past event: local martyrs received public commemoration | the window was ordered by the duchess in commemoration of her son. • [ count noun ] a ceremony or celebration in which a person or event is remembered. ORIGIN late Middle English: from Latin commemoratio (n- ), from the verb commemorare ‘bring to remembrance ’ (see commemorate ).

commemorative

com |mem ¦ora |tive |kəˈmɛm (ə )rətɪv | ▶adjective acting as a memorial of an event or person. ▶noun an object such as a stamp or coin made to mark an event or honour a person.

commemoratory

com mem o ra to ry |kəˈmemərəˌtôrē kəˈmɛmərətɔri | ▶adjective serving to commemorate; commemorative.

commence

com |mence |kəˈmɛns | ▶verb begin: [ with obj. ] : his design team commenced work | [ no obj. ] : a public inquiry is due to commence on the 16th. ORIGIN Middle English: from Old French commencier, comencier, based on Latin com- (expressing intensive force ) + initiare ‘begin ’.

commencement

com ¦mence |ment |kəˈmɛnsm (ə )nt | ▶noun 1 the beginning of something: the commencement of the trial | [ mass noun ] : the date of commencement. 2 N. Amer. a ceremony in which degrees or diplomas are conferred on university or high-school students: [ as modifier ] : a commencement address. ORIGIN Middle English: from Old French, from the verb commencier (see commence ).

commend

com |mend |kəˈmɛnd | ▶verb [ with obj. ] 1 praise formally or officially: he was commended by the judge for his courageous actions. 2 present as suitable for approval or acceptance; recommend: I commend her to you without reservation. • make (something ) acceptable or pleasing: the emphasis on peace will commend itself to all | most one-roomed flats have little to commend them. 3 (commend someone /thing to ) archaic or formal entrust someone or something to: as they set out on their journey I commend them to your care. • (commend someone to ) pass on someone's good wishes to. PHRASES highly commended Brit. failing to win a prize but nevertheless considered meritorious. ORIGIN Middle English: from Latin commendare, from com- (expressing intensive force ) + mandare ‘commit, entrust ’. Compare with command .

commendable

com ¦mend |able |kəˈmɛndəb (ə )l | ▶adjective deserving praise: he showed commendable restraint. DERIVATIVES commendably adverb ORIGIN late Middle English: via Old French from Latin commendabilis, from commendare (see commend ).

commendation

com |men |da ¦tion |kɒmɛnˈdeɪʃ (ə )n | ▶noun [ mass noun ] formal or official praise: the film deserved the highest commendation | [ count noun ] : the book gives commendations for initiative. • [ count noun ] an award given for very good performance: the detectives received commendations for bravery. • [ count noun ] a very good result in an examination or competition. ORIGIN Middle English: from Old French, from Latin commendatio (n- ), from commendare ‘commit to the care of ’ (see commend ). Originally (in the plural ) the term denoted a liturgical office ending with a prayer commending the souls of the dead to God.

Commendatore

Commendatore |kɒˌmɛndəˈtɔːreɪ | ▶noun ( pl. Commendatori |-ri | ) a knight of an Italian order of chivalry. ORIGIN Italian, from Latin commendator, based on commendare ‘entrust ’.

commendatory

commendatory |kɒˈmɛndət (ə )ri | ▶adjective archaic serving to present something as suitable for approval or acceptance. ORIGIN mid 16th cent.: from late Latin commendatorius, from Latin commendare ‘commit to the care of ’ (see commend ).

commensal

commensal |kəˈmɛns (ə )l |Biology ▶adjective relating to or exhibiting commensalism. ▶noun a commensal organism, such as many bacteria. DERIVATIVES commensality |kɒmənˈsalɪti |noun ORIGIN late 19th cent.: from medieval Latin commensalis, from com- ‘sharing ’ + mensa ‘a table ’.

commensalism

com |mens ¦al |ism |kəˈmɛns (ə )lɪz (ə )m | ▶noun [ mass noun ] Biology an association between two organisms in which one benefits and the other derives neither benefit nor harm.

commensurable

commensurable |kəˈmɛnʃ (ə )rəb (ə )l, -sjə -| ▶adjective 1 measurable by the same standard: the finite is not commensurable with the infinite. 2 (commensurable to ) rare proportionate to. 3 Mathematics (of numbers ) in a ratio equal to a ratio of integers. DERIVATIVES commensurability |-ˈbɪlɪti |noun, commensurably adverb ORIGIN mid 16th cent.: from late Latin commensurabilis, from com- ‘together ’ + mensurabilis, from mensurare ‘to measure ’.

commensurate

commensurate |kəˈmɛnʃ (ə )rət, -sjə -| ▶adjective corresponding in size or degree; in proportion: salary will be commensurate with age and experience | such heavy responsibility must receive commensurate reward. DERIVATIVES commensurately adverb ORIGIN mid 17th cent.: from late Latin commensuratus, from com- ‘together ’ + mensuratus, past participle of mensurare ‘to measure ’.

comment

com |ment |ˈkɒmɛnt | ▶noun a verbal or written remark expressing an opinion or reaction: you asked for comments on the new proposals | [ mass noun ] : the plans were sent to the council for comment. • [ mass noun ] discussion, especially of a critical nature, of an issue or event: the exhibition has aroused comment. • an indirect expression of the views of the writer of a play, book, film, etc.: she denies that the film is a comment on the perils of celebrity. • an explanatory note in a book or other written text. • archaic a written explanation or commentary. • Computing a piece of text placed within a program to help other users to understand it, which the computer ignores when running the program. ▶verb [ reporting verb ] express an opinion or reaction in speech or writing: [ with clause ] : teachers commented that children of all abilities would benefit | [ no obj. ] : the company would not comment on the venture | [ with direct speech ] : ‘She's an independent soul, ’ he commented. • [ with obj. ] Computing place a piece of explanatory text within (a program ) to assist other users. • [ with obj. ] Computing turn (part of a program ) into a comment so that the computer ignores it when running the program: you could try commenting out that line. PHRASES no comment used in refusing to answer a question, especially in a sensitive situation. DERIVATIVES commenter noun ORIGIN late Middle English (in the senses ‘expository treatise ’ and ‘explanatory note ’): from Latin commentum ‘contrivance ’ (in late Latin also ‘interpretation ’), neuter past participle of comminisci ‘devise ’.

commentariat

commentariat |ˌkɒmənˈtɛːrɪət | ▶noun chiefly N. Amer. members of the news media considered as a class. ORIGIN late 20th cent.: blend of commentary and proletariat .

commentary

com |men |tary |ˈkɒmənt (ə )ri | ▶noun ( pl. commentaries ) an expression of opinions or offering of explanations about an event or situation: a biting social commentary about the divide between rich and poor | an editorial commentary | [ mass noun ] : a narrative overlaid with commentary. • a descriptive spoken account (especially on a broadcast ) of an event or performance as it happens: a live commentary on radio. • a set of explanatory or critical notes on a text: a commentary on the Old Testament. ORIGIN late Middle English: from Latin commentarius, commentarium (adjective, used as a noun ), from commentari, frequentative of comminisci ‘devise ’.

commentate

com |men |tate |ˈkɒmənteɪt | ▶verb [ no obj. ] Brit. report on an event as it occurs, especially for a news or sports broadcast; provide a commentary: they commentate on live Monday matches. ORIGIN mid 19th cent.: back-formation from commentator .

commentator

com |men |ta ¦tor |ˈkɒmənteɪtə | ▶noun a person who comments on events or on a text. • a person who commentates on a sports match or other event.

commerce

com |merce |ˈkɒməːs | ▶noun [ mass noun ] 1 the activity of buying and selling, especially on a large scale: the changes in taxation are of benefit to commerce. 2 dated social dealings between people. 3 archaic sexual intercourse. ORIGIN mid 16th cent. (in sense 2 ): from French, or from Latin commercium ‘trade, trading ’, from com- ‘together ’ + mercium (from merx, merc- ‘merchandise ’).

commercial

com |mer ¦cial |kəˈməːʃ (ə )l | ▶adjective 1 concerned with or engaged in commerce: a commercial agreement. 2 making or intended to make a profit: commercial products. • having profit rather than artistic or other value as a primary aim: their work is too commercial. 3 (of television or radio ) funded by the revenue from broadcast advertisements. 4 (of chemicals ) supplied in bulk and not of the highest purity. ▶noun 1 a television or radio advertisement. 2 Brit. dated a travelling sales representative. DERIVATIVES commerciality |-ʃɪˈalɪti |noun, commercially adverb

commercial art

com |mer ¦cial art ▶noun [ mass noun ] art used in advertising and selling.

commercial bank

com |mer ¦cial bank ▶noun a bank that offers services to the general public and to companies.

commercial bill

com |mer ¦cial bill ▶noun a bill of exchange issued by a commercial organization to raise money for short-term needs.

commercial break

com |mer ¦cial break ▶noun an interruption in the transmission of a broadcast programme, or an intermission between programmes, during which advertisements are broadcast.

commercialism

com |mer ¦cial |ism |kəˈməːʃ (ə )lɪz (ə )m | ▶noun [ mass noun ] emphasis on the maximizing of profit: concern about state enterprise deficits prompted efforts for greater commercialism. • derogatory concern with the making of profit at the expense of artistic or other value: the cut-throat commercialism of the Paris art world.

commercialize

commercialize |kəˈməːʃ (ə )lʌɪz |(also commercialise ) ▶verb [ with obj. ] manage or exploit (an organization, activity, etc. ) in a way designed to make a profit: the museum has been commercialized. DERIVATIVES commercialization |-ˈzeɪʃ (ə )n |noun

commercialized

com |mer ¦cial |ized |kəˈməːʃəlʌɪzd | ▶adjective designed principally for financial gain; profit-orientated: Christmas is overly commercialized.

commercial paper

com |mer ¦cial paper ▶noun [ mass noun ] short-term unsecured promissory notes issued by companies.

commercial space

com |mer ¦cial space ▶noun see space ( sense 1 of the noun ).

commercial traveller

com |mer ¦cial trav ¦el |ler ▶noun Brit. dated a travelling sales representative.

commercial vehicle

com |mer ¦cial ve ¦hicle ▶noun a vehicle used for carrying goods or fare-paying passengers.

commère

commère |ˈkɒmɛː | ▶noun Brit. a female compère. ORIGIN early 20th cent.: French, literally ‘godmother ’, feminine of compère .

commie

commie |ˈkɒmi | informal, derogatory ▶noun ( pl. commies ) a communist. ▶adjective communist. ORIGIN 1940s: abbreviation.

commination

commination |ˌkɒmɪˈneɪʃ (ə )n | ▶noun [ mass noun ] the action of threatening divine vengeance. • the recital of divine threats against sinners in the Anglican Liturgy for Ash Wednesday. • [ count noun ] the church service that includes the commination. ORIGIN late Middle English: from Latin comminatio (n- ), from the verb comminari, from com- (expressing intensive force ) + minari ‘threaten ’.

comminatory

comminatory |ˈkɒmɪnəˌt (ə )ri | ▶adjective rare threatening, punitive, or vengeful. ORIGIN early 16th cent.: from medieval Latin comminatorius, from comminat- ‘threatened ’, from the verb comminari (see commination ).

commingle

commingle |kɒˈmɪŋg (ə )l | ▶verb literary mix; blend: [ no obj. ] : the part of the brain where the senses commingle | [ with obj. ] : his humanitarian stance was commingled with a desire for survival. ORIGIN early 17th cent.: from com- ‘together ’ + mingle .

comminuted

comminuted |ˈkɒmɪnjuːtɪd | ▶adjective technical reduced to minute particles or fragments. • Medicine (of a fracture ) producing multiple bone splinters. ORIGIN early 17th cent.: past participle of comminute, from Latin comminut- ‘broken into pieces ’, from the verb comminuere, from com- ‘together ’ + minuere ‘lessen ’.

comminution

comminution |ˌkɒmɪˈnjuːʃ (ə )n | ▶noun [ mass noun ] technical the action of reducing a material, especially a mineral ore, to minute particles or fragments.

commis

commis |ˈkɒmi |(also commis chef ) ▶noun ( pl. same |ˈkɒmi, ˈkɒmɪz | ) a junior chef. ORIGIN 1930s: from French, ‘deputy, clerk ’, past participle of commettre ‘entrust ’, from Latin committere (see commit ).

commiserate

commiserate |kəˈmɪzəreɪt | ▶verb [ no obj. ] express or feel sympathy or pity; sympathize: she went over to commiserate with Rose on her unfortunate circumstances. • [ with obj. ] archaic feel or express pity for (someone ): she did not exult in her rival's fall, but, on the contrary, commiserated her. DERIVATIVES commiserative |-rətɪv |adjective ORIGIN late 16th cent.: from Latin commiserat- ‘commiserated ’, from the verb commiserari, from com- ‘with ’ + miserari ‘to lament ’ (from miser ‘wretched ’).

commiseration

commiseration |kəˌmɪzəˈreɪʃn | ▶noun [ mass noun ] sympathy and sorrow for the misfortunes of others; compassion: the other actors offered him clumsy commiseration. • (commiserations ) expressions of sympathy and sorrow for another: our commiserations to those who didn't win.

commish

commish |kəˈmɪʃ | ▶noun N. Amer. informal short for commissioner.

commissaire

commissaire |ˌkɒmɪˈsɛː, French kɔmisɛʀ | ▶noun a senior police officer in France. • (in France ) an official at a cycle race or other sporting event. ORIGIN French.

commissar

commissar |ˌkɒmɪˈsɑː | ▶noun an official of the Communist Party, especially in the former Soviet Union or present-day China, responsible for political education and organization. • a head of a government department in the former Soviet Union before 1946. • a strict or prescriptive figure of authority: our academic commissars. ORIGIN early 20th cent. (Russian Revolution ): from Russian komissar, from French commissaire, from medieval Latin commissarius (see commissary ).

commissariat

commissariat |ˌkɒmɪˈsɛːrɪət | ▶noun 1 chiefly Military a department for the supply of food and equipment. 2 a government department of the USSR before 1946. ORIGIN late 16th cent. (as a Scots legal term denoting the jurisdiction of a commissary, often spelled commissariot ): from French commissariat, reinforced by medieval Latin commissariatus, both from medieval Latin commissarius ‘person in charge ’, from Latin committere ‘entrust ’.

commissary

commissary |ˈkɒmɪs (ə )ri | ▶noun ( pl. commissaries ) 1 a deputy or delegate. • a representative or deputy of a bishop. 2 N. Amer. a restaurant or food store in a military base, prison, or other institution. DERIVATIVES commissarial |-ˈsɛːrɪəl |adjective ORIGIN late Middle English: from medieval Latin commissarius ‘person in charge ’, from Latin commiss- ‘joined, entrusted ’, from the verb committere (see commit ).

commission

com ¦mis |sion |kəˈmɪʃ (ə )n | ▶noun 1 an instruction, command, or role given to a person or group: one of his first commissions was to redesign the Great Exhibition building | [ with infinitive ] : he received a commission to act as an informer. • an order for something, especially a work of art, to be produced specially. • a work produced in response to a commission. • [ mass noun ] archaic the authority to perform a task or certain duties: the divine Commission of Christ. 2 a group of people entrusted by a government or other official body with authority to do something: a commission was appointed to investigate allegations of police violence. 3 a sum, typically a set percentage of the value involved, paid to an agent in a commercial transaction: foreign banks may charge a commission | he sold cosmetics on commission . 4 a warrant conferring the rank of officer in an army, navy, or air force. 5 [ mass noun ] the action of committing a crime or offence. ▶verb [ with obj. ] 1 order or authorize the production of (something ): the portrait was commissioned by his widow in 1792. • [ with obj. and infinitive ] order or authorize (a person or organization ) to do or produce something: they commissioned an architect to manage the building project | he was commissioned to do a series of drawings. 2 bring (something newly produced ) into working condition: we had a few hiccups getting the heating equipment commissioned | the aircraft carrier was commissioned in 1945. 3 appoint (someone ) to the rank of officer in an army, navy, or air force: he was commissioned into the Royal Fusiliers | (as adj. commissioned ) : a commissioned officer. PHRASES in commission in use or in service. out of commission not in service; not in working order. • (of a person ) unable to work or function normally, especially through illness or injury. ORIGIN Middle English: via Old French from Latin commissio (n- ), from committere ‘entrust ’ (see commit ).

commission agent

com ¦mis |sion agent ▶noun Brit. a person who transacts business on commission, typically on behalf of a principal from another country.

commissionaire

commissionaire |kəˌmɪʃəˈnɛː | ▶noun Brit. a uniformed door attendant at a hotel, theatre, or other building. ORIGIN mid 17th cent.: from French, from medieval Latin commissarius ‘person in charge ’, from Latin committere ‘entrust ’ (see commit ).

commissioner

com |mis ¦sion ¦er |kəˈmɪʃ (ə )nə | ▶noun a person appointed to a role on or by a commission. • a representative of the supreme authority in an area. • the head of the Metropolitan Police in London. • N. Amer. a person appointed to regulate a particular sport: a baseball commissioner. ORIGIN late Middle English: from medieval Latin commissionarius, from Latin commissio (see commission ).

commissioner for oaths

com |mis ¦sion ¦er for oaths ▶noun Brit. a solicitor authorized to administer an oath to a person making an affidavit.

commission of the peace

com ¦mis |sion of the peace ▶noun Brit., chiefly historical the Justices of the Peace in a particular jurisdiction considered collectively.

commissure

commissure |ˈkɒmɪsjʊə | ▶noun Anatomy 1 the joint between two bones. 2 a band of nerve tissue connecting the hemispheres of the brain, the two sides of the spinal cord, etc. 3 the line where the upper and lower lips or eyelids meet. DERIVATIVES commissural |ˌkɒmɪˈsjʊər (ə )l |adjective ORIGIN late Middle English: from Latin commissura ‘junction ’, from committere ‘join ’ (see commit ).

commit

com ¦mit |kəˈmɪt | ▶verb ( commits, committing, committed ) [ with obj. ] 1 perpetrate or carry out (a mistake, crime, or immoral act ): he committed an uncharacteristic error. 2 pledge or bind (a person or an organization ) to a certain course or policy: they were reluctant to commit themselves to an opinion | [ with obj. and infinitive ] : the treaty commits each party to defend the other | [ no obj. ] : try it out before you commit to a purchase. • (be committed to ) be dedicated to (something ): we are committed to the fundamental principles of democracy. • pledge or set aside (resources ) for future use: manufacturers will have to commit substantial funds to developing new engines. • (commit oneself to ) resolve to remain in a long-term emotional relationship with (someone ): she didn't love him enough to commit herself to him | [ no obj. ] : once I commit I tend to get scared. • (be committed to ) be in a long-term emotional relationship with (someone ). 3 (commit something to ) transfer something to (a state or place where it can be kept or preserved ): he composed a letter but didn't commit it to paper | she committed each tiny feature to memory. • consign (someone ) officially to prison, especially on remand: he was committed to prison for contempt of court. • send (a person or case ) for trial in a higher court: the magistrate decided to commit him for trial . • send (someone ) to be confined in a psychiatric hospital. • refer (a parliamentary or legislative bill ) to a committee. DERIVATIVES committable adjective, committer noun ORIGIN late Middle English: from Latin committere ‘join, entrust ’ (in medieval Latin ‘put into custody ’), from com- ‘with ’ + mittere ‘put or send ’.

commitment

com ¦mit |ment |kəˈmɪtm (ə )nt | ▶noun 1 [ mass noun ] the state or quality of being dedicated to a cause, activity, etc.: the company's commitment to quality | I could not fault my players for commitment. • [ count noun ] a pledge or undertaking: I cannot make such a commitment at the moment. 2 an engagement or obligation that restricts freedom of action: with so many business commitments time for recreation was limited.

commitment ceremony

com mit ment cer e mo ny ▶noun a ceremony to mark the spousal union of two people who are not legally allowed to marry, such as gay people.

commitment order

com mit ment or der ▶noun an order authorizing the admission and detention of a patient in a psychiatric hospital.

committal

com ¦mit |tal |kəˈmɪt (ə )l | ▶noun [ mass noun ] 1 the action of sending a person to prison or a psychiatric hospital: his committal to prison | [ count noun ] : the high level of committals | [ as modifier ] : committal proceedings. 2 the burial of a dead body.

committed

com ¦mit |ted |kəˈmɪtɪd | ▶adjective 1 pledged or bound to a certain course or policy; dedicated: a committed environmentalist. 2 in or denoting a long-term emotional relationship: a committed relationship | Esther has a committed boyfriend.

committee

com ¦mit |tee ▶noun 1 |kəˈmɪti | [ treated as sing. or pl. ] a group of people appointed for a specific function by a larger group and typically consisting of members of that group: the housing committee | [ as modifier ] : a committee meeting. • (in the UK ) a committee appointed by Parliament to consider the details of proposed legislation: there was much scrutiny in committee . • ( Committee of the whole House ) (in the UK ) the whole House of Commons when sitting as a committee. 2 |ˌkɒmɪˈtiː |Law a person entrusted with the charge of another person or another person's property. • chiefly US a person who has been judicially committed to the charge of another because of insanity or mental disability. ORIGIN late 15th cent. (in the general sense ‘person to whom something has been entrusted ’): from commit + -ee .

committeeman

committeeman |kəˈmɪtimən |(or committeewoman ) ▶noun ( pl. committeemen or committeewomen ) (in the US ) a local political party leader.

Committee of Public Safety

Committee of Public Safety a French governing body set up in April 1793, during the Revolution. Under the influence of Robespierre it initiated the Terror but it was dissolved in 1795.

committee of the whole

com mit tee of the whole the entire membership of a legislative body when sitting as a committee.

committee stage

com ¦mit |tee stage |kəˈmɪtisteɪʤ | ▶noun Brit. the third of five stages of a bill's progress through Parliament when it may be debated and amended.

commix

commix |kɒˈmɪks | ▶verb [ with obj. ] archaic mix; mingle: beat them till they be thoroughly commixed. DERIVATIVES commixture noun ORIGIN late Middle English (as the past participle commixt ): from Latin commixtus, from com- ‘together with ’ + mixtus ‘mixed ’.

commo

commo |ˈkɒməʊ | ▶noun [ mass noun ] US informal communication.

commode

com |mode |kəˈməʊd | ▶noun 1 a piece of furniture containing a concealed chamber pot. • N. Amer. a toilet. • N. Amer. historical a movable washstand. 2 a chest of drawers or chiffonier of a decorative type popular in the 18th century. ORIGIN mid 18th cent. (in sense 2 ): from French, literally ‘convenient, suitable ’, from Latin commodus. Sense 1 dates from the early 19th cent.

commodify

commodify |kəˈmɒdɪfʌɪ | ▶verb ( commodifies, commodifying, commodified ) [ with obj. ] turn into or treat as a mere commodity: (as adj. commodified ) : art has become commodified. DERIVATIVES commodification |kəˌmɒdɪfɪˈkeɪʃ (ə )n |noun ORIGIN 1980s: from commodity + -fy .

commodious

commodious |kəˈməʊdɪəs | ▶adjective 1 formal roomy and comfortable: they moved to a more commodious dwelling. 2 archaic convenient. DERIVATIVES commodiously adverb, commodiousness noun ORIGIN late Middle English (in the sense ‘beneficial, useful ’): from French commodieux or medieval Latin commodiosus, based on Latin commodus ‘convenient ’.

commoditize

commoditize |kəˈmɒdɪtʌɪz |(also commoditise ) ▶verb another term for commodify. DERIVATIVES commoditization noun

commodity

commodity |kəˈmɒdɪti | ▶noun ( pl. commodities ) a raw material or primary agricultural product that can be bought and sold, such as copper or coffee. • a useful or valuable thing: water is a precious commodity. ORIGIN late Middle English: from Old French commodite or Latin commoditas, from commodus (see commodious ).

commodore

commodore |ˈkɒmədɔː | ▶noun a naval rank above captain and below rear admiral, generally given temporarily to an officer commanding a squadron or division of a fleet. • the president of a yacht club. • the senior captain of a shipping line. ORIGIN late 17th cent.: probably from Dutch komandeur, from French commandeur ‘commander ’.

common

com ¦mon |ˈkɒmən | ▶adjective ( commoner, commonest ) 1 occurring, found, or done often; prevalent: salt and pepper are the two most common seasonings | it's common for a woman to be depressed after giving birth. • (of an animal or plant ) found or living in relatively large numbers; not rare. • denoting the most widespread or typical species of an animal or plant: the common gull. • ordinary; of ordinary qualities; without special rank or position: the dwellings of common people | a common soldier. • (of a quality ) of a sort or level to be generally expected: common decency. • of the most familiar type: the common or vernacular name. 2 shared by, coming from, or done by two or more people, groups, or things: the two republics' common border | problems common to both communities. • belonging to or involving the whole of a community or the public at large: common land. • Mathematics belonging to two or more quantities. 3 Brit. showing a lack of taste and refinement supposedly typical of the lower classes; vulgar: she's so common. 4 Grammar (in Latin, Dutch, and certain other languages ) of or denoting a gender of nouns that are conventionally regarded as masculine or feminine, contrasting with neuter. • (in English ) denoting a noun that refers to individuals of either sex (e.g. teacher ). 5 Prosody (of a syllable ) able to be either short or long. 6 Law (of a crime ) of lesser severity: common assault. ▶noun 1 a piece of open land for public use. 2 Brit. informal common sense. 3 (in the Christian Church ) a form of service used for each of a group of occasions. 4 (also right of common ) English Law a person's right over another's land, e.g. for pasturage or mineral extraction. PHRASES common currency 1 a system of money shared by two or more countries. 2 something shared by different groups: a shared humanity is the common currency. common form what is usually done; accepted procedure. the common good the benefit or interests of all: it is time our elected officials stood up for the common good. common ground opinions or interests shared by each of two or more parties: artists from different cultural backgrounds found common ground. common knowledge something known by most people. common or garden Brit. informal of the usual or ordinary type: a common or garden family saloon car. common property a thing or things held jointly. • something known by most people. common thread a theme or characteristic found in various stories or situations: a common thread through most of the stories is the support from the family. the common touch the ability to get on with or appeal to ordinary people. have something in common have a specified amount or degree of shared interests or characteristics: they had one thing in common, an obsession with rock and roll. in common in joint use or possession; shared: a sect that had wives in common. • Law held or owned by two or more people each having undivided possession but with distinct, separately transferable interests. in common with in the same way as: in common with other officers I had to undertake guard duties. out of the common Brit. rarely occurring; unusual. DERIVATIVES commonness |ˈkɒmənnɪs |noun ORIGIN Middle English: from Old French comun (adjective ), from Latin communis.

commonable

com ¦mon |able |ˈkɒmənəb (ə )l | ▶adjective Brit., chiefly historical (of land ) allowed to be jointly used or owned. • (of an animal ) allowed to be pastured on public land. ORIGIN early 17th cent.: from obsolete common ‘to exercise right of common ’ + -able .

commonage

com ¦mon |age |ˈkɒmənɪdʒ | ▶noun [ mass noun ] chiefly Brit. 1 the right of pasturing animals on common land. • land held in common. 2 the common people; the commonalty.

Common Agricultural Policy

Common Agricultural Policy the system in the EU for establishing common prices for most agricultural products within the European Union, a single fund for price supports, and levies on imports.

commonality

com ¦mon |al ¦ity |kɒməˈnalɪti | ▶noun ( pl. commonalities ) 1 [ mass noun ] the state of sharing features or attributes: the explanations show a high degree of commonality in their reasoning | [ in sing. ] : a commonality of interest ensures cooperation. • [ count noun ] a shared feature or attribute: we discern the commonalities between these writers. 2 (the commonality ) another term for commonalty. ORIGIN late Middle English (in sense 2 ): variant of commonalty. Sense 1 dates from the mid 16th cent. , but was rarely used before the 1950s.

commonalty

commonalty |ˈkɒmən (ə )lti | ▶noun [ treated as pl. ] (the commonalty ) chiefly historical people without special rank or position, usually viewed as an estate of the realm: a petition by the earls, barons, and commonalty of the realm. • the general body of a group: the expression seems to be spreading from teenagers to the broad commonalty. ORIGIN Middle English: from Old French comunalte, from medieval Latin communalitas, from Latin communis ‘common, general ’ (see common ).

common carrier

com ¦mon car |rier ▶noun a person or company undertaking to transport any goods or passengers on regular routes at agreed rates. • N. Amer. a company providing public telecommunications facilities.

common chord

com ¦mon chord ▶noun Music a triad containing a root, a major or minor third, and a perfect fifth.

common cold

com ¦mon cold ▶noun (the common cold ) another term for cold ( sense 2 of the noun ).

common council

com ¦mon coun |cil ▶noun a town or city council, now only in London and some parts of Canada and the US.

common denominator

com ¦mon de |nom ¦in |ator ▶noun Mathematics a common multiple of the denominators of several fractions. See also lowest common denominator, least common denominator. • a feature shared by all members of a group: the common denominator in these companies is the awareness of the importance of quality.

common divisor

com mon di vi sor ▶noun Mathematics a number that can be divided into all of the other numbers of a given set without any remainder. Also called common factor.

Common Entrance

Common Entrance |kɒmənˈɛntrəns | ▶noun Brit. an examination taken, usually at 13, by pupils wishing to enter public schools.

commoner

com |mon ¦er |ˈkɒmənə | ▶noun 1 one of the ordinary or common people, as opposed to the aristocracy or to royalty. 2 a person who has a right over another's land, e.g. for pasturage or mineral extraction. 3 (at some British universities ) an undergraduate who does not have a scholarship. ORIGIN Middle English (denoting a citizen or burgess ): from medieval Latin communarius, from communa, communia ‘community ’, based on Latin communis (see common ).

Common Era

Common Era ▶noun (the Common Era ) another term for Christian era.

common fraction

com mon frac tion ▶noun a fraction expressed by a numerator and a denominator, not decimally.

common gender

common gull

com ¦mon gull ▶noun a migratory gull with greenish-grey legs, found locally in northern and eastern Eurasia and NW North America. ●Larus canus, family Laridae.

commonhold

com ¦mon |hold |ˈkɒmənhəʊld | ▶noun [ mass noun ] Brit. a system of freehold tenure of a unit within a multi-occupancy building, but with shared responsibility for common services.

common jury

com ¦mon jury ▶noun Brit. historical a jury for which no qualification of property or social standing was required. Compare with special jury.

common law

com ¦mon law ▶noun 1 [ mass noun ] the part of English law that is derived from custom and judicial precedent rather than statutes. Compare with case law, statute law. • the body of English law as adopted and adapted by the different States of the US. Compare with civil law. 2 [ as modifier ] denoting a partner in a marriage recognized in some jurisdictions (excluding the UK ) as valid by common law, though not brought about by a civil or ecclesiastical ceremony: a common-law husband. • denoting a partner in a relationship in which a man and woman cohabit for a period long enough to suggest stability.

common logarithm

com ¦mon loga |rithm ▶noun a logarithm to the base 10.

commonly

com |mon ¦ly |ˈkɒmənli | ▶adverb very often; frequently: a commonly used industrial chemical | shift workers commonly complain of not getting enough sleep.

common market

com ¦mon mar ¦ket ▶noun a group of countries imposing few or no duties on trade with one another and a common tariff on trade with other countries. • ( the Common Market ) a name for the European Economic Community or European Union, used especially in the 1960s and 1970s.

common metre

com ¦mon metre ▶noun [ mass noun ] a metrical pattern for hymns in which the stanzas have four lines containing eight and six syllables alternately.

common multiple

com mon mul ti ple ▶noun Mathematics a number into which each number in a given set may be evenly divided.

common noun

com ¦mon noun ▶noun Grammar a noun denoting a class of objects or a concept as opposed to a particular individual. Often contrasted with proper noun.

commonplace

com ¦mon |place |ˈkɒmənpleɪs | ▶adjective not unusual; ordinary: unemployment was commonplace in his trade. • not interesting or original; trite: the usual commonplace remarks. ▶noun 1 a usual or ordinary thing: bombing has become almost a commonplace of public life there. • a trite saying or topic; a platitude: it is a commonplace to talk of the young being alienated. 2 a notable passage in a work copied into a commonplace book. DERIVATIVES commonplaceness noun ORIGIN mid 16th cent. (originally common place ): translation of Latin locus communis, rendering Greek koinos topos ‘general theme ’.

commonplace book

com ¦mon |place book ▶noun a book into which notable extracts from other works are copied for personal use.

Common Pleas

Common Pleas (in full Court of Common Pleas ) Law, historical a court for hearing civil cases between subjects or citizens not involving Crown or state.

Common Prayer

Common Prayer the Church of England liturgy, originally set forth in the Book of Common Prayer of Edward VI (1549 ) and revised in 1662.

common rat

com ¦mon rat ▶noun another term for brown rat.

common room

com ¦mon room ▶noun chiefly Brit. a room in a school or college for use of students or staff outside teaching hours.

commons

com |mons |ˈkɒmənz | ▶plural noun 1 ( the Commons ) short for House of Commons. • historical the common people regarded as a part of a political system, especially in Britain. 2 [ treated as sing. ] land or resources belonging to or affecting the whole of a community. • US a dining hall in a school or college. 3 archaic provisions shared in common; rations. PHRASES short commons archaic insufficient allocation of food: a life of short commons. ORIGIN Middle English: plural of common .

common salt

com ¦mon salt ▶noun see salt ( sense 1 of the noun ).

common seal

common seal 1 ▶noun a seal with a mottled grey-brown coat and a concave profile, found along North Atlantic and North Pacific coasts. ●Phoca vitulina, family Phocidae.

common seal

common seal 2 ▶noun an official seal of a corporate body.

common sense

com ¦mon sense ▶noun [ mass noun ] good sense and sound judgement in practical matters: it is all a matter of common sense | [ as modifier ] : a common-sense approach. DERIVATIVES commonsensical adjective

Common Serjeant

Com ¦mon Ser |jeant ▶noun (in the UK ) a circuit judge of the Central Criminal Court with duties in the City of London.

common soldier

com ¦mon sol |dier ▶noun see soldier ( sense 1 of the noun ).

common stock

com ¦mon stock ▶plural noun (also common stocks ) [ mass noun ] N. Amer. ordinary shares.

common time

com ¦mon time ▶noun [ mass noun ] Music a rhythmic pattern in which there are two or four beats, especially four crotchets, in a bar.

commonweal

commonweal |ˈkɒmənwiːl | ▶noun (the commonweal ) archaic the welfare of the public.

commonwealth

com ¦mon |wealth |ˈkɒmənwɛlθ | ▶noun 1 an independent state or community, especially a democratic republic. • an aggregate or grouping of states or other bodies. • a community of shared interests in a non-political field: the Christian commonwealth | the commonwealth of letters. • a self-governing unit voluntarily grouped with the US, such as Puerto Rico. • a formal title of some of the states of the US, especially Kentucky, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. • the title of the federated Australian states. • ( the Commonwealth ) the republican period of government in Britain between the execution of Charles I in 1649 and the Restoration of Charles II in 1660. 2 ( the Commonwealth ) (in full the Commonwealth of Nations ) an international association consisting of the UK together with states that were previously part of the British Empire, and dependencies. 3 (the commonwealth ) archaic the general good. ORIGIN late Middle English (originally as two words, denoting public welfare; compare with commonweal ): from common + wealth .

Commonwealth Day

Commonwealth Games

Commonwealth Games an amateur sports competition held every four years between member countries of the Commonwealth.

Commonwealth of Independent States

Commonwealth of Independent States (abbrev.: CIS ) a confederation of independent states, formerly constituent republics of the Soviet Union, established in 1991. The member states are Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.

Common Worship

Com mon Wor ship ▶noun a book containing the public liturgy of the Church of England, published in 2000 to replace the Alternative Service Book.

Common Worship

Common Worship ▶noun a book containing the public liturgy of the Church of England, published in 2000 to replace the Alternative Service Book.

commotion

com |mo ¦tion |kəˈməʊʃ (ə )n | ▶noun a state of confused and noisy disturbance: she was distracted by a commotion across the street | [ mass noun ] : they set off firecrackers to make a lot of commotion. • [ mass noun ] civil insurrection: damage caused by civil commotion. ORIGIN late Middle English: from Latin commotio (n- ), from com- ‘altogether ’ + motio (see motion ).

commove

com move |kəˈmo͞ov kəˈmuv | ▶verb [ with obj. ] move violently; agitate or excite.

comms

comms ▶plural noun [ usu. as modifier ] communications: comms software.

communal

communal |ˈkɒmjʊn (ə )l, kəˈmjuː -| ▶adjective 1 shared by all members of a community; for common use: a communal bathroom and kitchen. • involving the sharing of work and property: communal living. • relating to or done by a community: communal pride in impressive local buildings. 2 (of conflict ) between different communities, especially those having different religions or ethnic origins: violent communal riots. DERIVATIVES communality |-ˈnalɪti |noun, communally adverb ORIGIN early 19th cent. (in the sense ‘relating to a commune, especially the Paris Commune ’): from French, from late Latin communalis, from communis (see common ).

communalism

com |mu ¦nal |ism |ˈkɒmjʊn (ə )lɪz (ə )m | ▶noun [ mass noun ] 1 a principle of political organization based on federated communes. • the principle or practice of living together and sharing possessions and responsibilities. 2 allegiance to one's own ethnic group rather than to the wider society. DERIVATIVES communalist adjective & noun, communalistic |-ˈlɪstɪk |adjective

communalize

communalize |ˈkɒmjʊn (ə )lʌɪz, kəˈmjuːnəlʌɪz |(also communalise ) ▶verb [ with obj. ] rare organize (something ) on the basis of shared ownership: attempts to communalize farming. DERIVATIVES communalization |-ˈzeɪʃ (ə )n |noun

communard

communard |ˈkɒmjʊnɑːd | ▶noun a member of a commune. • ( Communard ) historical a supporter of the Paris Commune. ORIGIN late 19th cent.: from French, from commune 1 .

commune

commune 1 |ˈkɒmjuːn | ▶noun 1 a group of people living together and sharing possessions and responsibilities. • a communal settlement in a communist country. 2 the smallest French territorial division for administrative purposes. • a territorial division similar to a French commune in other countries. 3 (the Commune ) the group which seized the municipal government of Paris in the French Revolution and played a leading part in the Reign of Terror until suppressed in 1794. • (also the Paris Commune ) the municipal government organized on communalistic principles that was elected in Paris in 1871. It was soon brutally suppressed by government troops. ORIGIN late 17th cent. (in sense 2 ): from French, from medieval Latin communia, neuter plural of Latin communis (see common ).

commune

commune 2 |kəˈmjuːn | ▶verb [ no obj. ] (commune with ) share one's intimate thoughts or feelings with (someone ), especially on a spiritual level: the purpose of praying is to commune with God. • feel in close spiritual contact with: he spent an hour communing with nature on the bank of a stream. ORIGIN Middle English: from Old French comuner ‘to share ’, from comun (see common ).

communicable

com |mu ¦nic |able |kəˈmjuːnɪkəb (ə )l | ▶adjective able to be communicated to others: the value of the product must be communicable to the potential consumers. • (of a disease ) able to be transmitted from one sufferer to another; contagious or infectious. DERIVATIVES communicability |-ˈbɪlɪti |noun, communicably adverb ORIGIN late Middle English (in the sense ‘communicating, having communication ’): from Old French, from late Latin communicabilis, from the verb communicare ‘to share ’ (see communicate ).

communicant

com |mu ¦ni |cant |kəˈmjuːnɪk (ə )nt | ▶noun 1 a person who receives Holy Communion. 2 archaic a person who imparts information. ORIGIN mid 16th cent.: from Latin communicant- ‘sharing ’, from the verb communicare (see communicate ).

communicate

com |mu ¦ni |cate |kəˈmjuːnɪkeɪt | ▶verb [ no obj. ] 1 share or exchange information, news, or ideas: the prisoner was forbidden to communicate with his family. • [ with obj. ] impart or pass on (information, news, or ideas ): he communicated his findings to the inspector. • [ with obj. ] convey or transmit (an emotion or feeling ) in a non-verbal way: the ability of good teachers to communicate their own enthusiasm | his sudden fear communicated itself . • succeed in conveying one's ideas or in evoking understanding in others: a politician must have the ability to communicate. • (of two people ) be able to share and understand each other's thoughts and feelings: we don't seem to be communicating —we need a break from each other. 2 [ with obj. ] pass on (an infectious disease ) to another person or animal. • transmit (heat or motion ): the heat is communicated through a small brass grating. 3 (often as adj. communicating ) (of two rooms ) have a common connecting door: he went into the communicating room to pick up the phone. 4 receive Holy Communion. DERIVATIVES communicator noun, communicatory adjective ORIGIN early 16th cent.: from Latin communicat- ‘shared ’, from the verb communicare, from communis (see common ).

communication

com |mu ¦ni |ca ¦tion |kəmjuːnɪˈkeɪʃ (ə )n | ▶noun 1 [ mass noun ] the imparting or exchanging of information by speaking, writing, or using some other medium: television is an effective means of communication | at the moment I am in communication with London. • [ count noun ] a letter or message containing information or news. • the successful conveying or sharing of ideas and feelings: there was a lack of communication between Pamela and her parents. • social contact: she gave him some hope of her return, or at least of their future communication. 2 (communications ) means of sending or receiving information, such as telephone lines or computers: satellite communications | [ as modifier ] : a communications network. • [ treated as sing. ] the field of study concerned with the transmission of information. 3 (communications ) means of travelling or of transporting goods, such as roads or railways: a city providing excellent road and rail communications. DERIVATIVES communicational adjective ORIGIN late Middle English: from Old French comunicacion, from Latin communicatio (n- ), from the verb communicare ‘to share ’ (see communicate ).

communication cord

com |mu ¦ni |ca ¦tion cord ▶noun Brit. another term for emergency cord.

communications satellite

communications satellite (also communication satellite ) ▶noun a satellite placed in orbit round the earth in order to relay television, radio, and telephone signals.

communication theory

communication theory (also communications theory ) ▶noun [ mass noun ] the branch of knowledge dealing with the principles and methods by which information is conveyed.

communicative

com |mu ¦ni |ca ¦tive |kəˈmjuːnɪkətɪv | ▶adjective willing, eager, or able to talk or impart information: Lew was a very communicative chap. • relating to the conveyance or exchange of information: the communicative process in literary texts. DERIVATIVES communicatively adverb ORIGIN late Middle English: from late Latin communicativus, from communicat- ‘shared ’, from the verb communicare (see communicate ).

communion

com |mu ¦nion |kəˈmjuːnjən | ▶noun 1 [ mass noun ] the sharing or exchanging of intimate thoughts and feelings, especially on a mental or spiritual level: in this churchyard communion with the dead was almost palpable | [ in sing. ] : for a moment there was a blessed communion between them. • shared participation in a mental or spiritual experience: the Coronation marked a high spot of national communion. 2 (often Communion or Holy Communion ) the service of Christian worship at which bread and wine are consecrated and shared. See Eucharist. • the consecrated bread and wine administered and received at Communion: the priests gave him Holy Communion. 3 a relationship of recognition and acceptance between Christian Churches or denominations, or between individual Christians or Christian communities and a Church: the Eastern Churches are not in communion with Rome. • [ count noun ] a group of Christian communities or Churches which recognize one another's ministries or that of a central authority. See also Anglican Communion. ORIGIN late Middle English: from Latin communio (n- ), from communis (see common ).

communion of saints

com |mu ¦nion of saints ▶noun a fellowship between Christians living and dead.

communiqué

communiqué |kəˈmjuːnɪkeɪ |(also communique ) ▶noun an official announcement or statement, especially one made to the media. ORIGIN mid 19th cent.: from French, past participle of communiquer ‘communicate ’.

communism

com |mun ¦ism |ˈkɒmjʊnɪz (ə )m | ▶noun [ mass noun ] a theory or system of social organization in which all property is owned by the community and each person contributes and receives according to their ability and needs. See also Marxism. The most familiar form of communism is that established by the Bolsheviks after the Russian Revolution of 1917, and it has generally been understood in terms of the system practised by the former Soviet Union and its allies in eastern Europe, in China since 1949, and in some developing countries such as Cuba, Vietnam, and North Korea. In this form of communism it was held that the state would wither away after the overthrow of the capitalist system. In practice, however, the state grew to control all aspects of communist society. Communism in eastern Europe collapsed in the late 1980s and early 1990s against a background of failure to meet people's economic expectations, a shift to more democracy in political life, and increasing nationalism such as that which led to the break-up of the Soviet Union. ORIGIN mid 19th cent.: from French communisme, from commun (see common ).

Communism Peak

Communism Peak former name (1962 –98 ) for Ismail Samani Peak.

communist

com |mun ¦ist |ˈkɒmjʊnɪst | ▶noun a person who supports or believes in the principles of communism: I was very left-wing but I was never a communist. ▶adjective adhering to or based on the principles of communism: a French communist writer. DERIVATIVES communistic adjective

communitarianism

com |mu ¦ni |tar ¦ian |ism |kɛˌmjuːnɪˈtɛːrɪənɪz (ə )m | ▶noun [ mass noun ] a theory or system of social organization based on small self-governing communities. • an ideology which emphasizes the responsibility of the individual to the community and the social importance of the family unit. DERIVATIVES communitarian adjective & noun ORIGIN mid 19th cent.: from community + -arian, on the pattern of words such as unitarian .

community

com |mu ¦nity |kəˈmjuːnɪti | ▶noun ( pl. communities ) 1 a group of people living in the same place or having a particular characteristic in common: Montreal's Italian community | the gay community in London | the scientific community. • a group of people living together and practising common ownership: a community of nuns. • a particular area or place considered together with its inhabitants: a rural community | local communities. • a body of nations or states unified by common interests: [ in names ] : the European Community. • (the community ) the people of a district or country considered collectively, especially in the context of social values and responsibilities; society: preparing prisoners for life back in the community. • [ as modifier ] denoting a worker or resource designed to serve the people of a particular area: community health services. 2 [ mass noun ] the condition of sharing or having certain attitudes and interests in common: the sense of community that organized religion can provide. • [ in sing. ] a similarity or identity: the law presupposes a community of interest between an employer and employees. • joint ownership or liability: the community of goods. 3 Ecology a group of interdependent plants or animals growing or living together in natural conditions or occupying a specified habitat: communities of insectivorous birds. PHRASES the international community the countries of the world considered collectively. ORIGIN late Middle English: from Old French comunete, reinforced by its source, Latin communitas, from communis (see common ).

community architect

com |mu ¦nity archi |tect ▶noun an architect working in consultation with local inhabitants in designing housing and other amenities. DERIVATIVES community architecture noun

community bank

com mu ni ty bank ▶noun a commercial bank that derives funds from and lends to the community where it operates, and is not affiliated with a multibank holding company.

community card

community card ▶noun (in some forms of poker ) each of a number of cards dealt or turned face up for all active players to use.

community care

community centre

com |mu ¦nity centre ▶noun a place where people from a particular neighbourhood can meet for social events, education classes, or recreational activities.

community charge

community chest

com |mu ¦nity chest ▶noun a fund for charitable activities among the people in a particular area.

community college

com |mu ¦nity col |lege ▶noun 1 chiefly N. Amer. a college providing further and higher education for people living in a particular area. 2 Brit. a secondary school whose educational and recreational facilities are available to adults in the local community.

community home

com |mu ¦nity home ▶noun Brit. a centre for housing young offenders and other young people in need of custodial care.

community hospital

com |mu ¦nity hos |pital ▶noun a non-specialized hospital serving a local area.

community medicine

com |mu ¦nity medi |cine ▶noun [ mass noun ] a branch of medicine dealing with health care issues affecting communities as a whole.

community of property

community order

community policing

com |mu ¦nity po |licing |kəmjuːnətipəˈliːsɪŋ | ▶noun [ mass noun ] the system of allocating police officers to particular areas so that they become familiar with the local inhabitants.

community property

com mu ni ty pro per ty |kəˈmjunədi ˈprɑpərdi | ▶noun property owned jointly by a husband and wife.

community sentence

com |mu ¦nity sen |tence ▶noun English Law a sentence whereby an offender is required to perform community service.

community service

com |mu ¦nity ser |vice ▶noun [ mass noun ] voluntary work intended to help people in a particular area. • English Law unpaid work, intended to be of social use, that an offender is required to do instead of going to prison: [ as modifier ] : a community-service order.

community singing

com |mu ¦nity sing |ing ▶noun [ mass noun ] singing by a large crowd or group, especially of old popular songs or hymns.

community spirit

com |mu ¦nity spirit ▶noun [ mass noun ] a feeling of involvement in and concern for one's local community: there has been a loss of community spirit.

community-supported agriculture

community worker

com |mu ¦nity work ¦er ▶noun a person who works among the people of a particular area to promote their welfare.

communiversity

communize

communize |ˈkɒmjʊnʌɪz |(also communise ) ▶verb [ with obj. ] rare cause (a country or economic activity ) to be organized on the principles of communism. DERIVATIVES communization |-ˈzeɪʃ (ə )n |noun

commutable

commutable |kəˈmjuːtəb (ə )l | ▶adjective 1 (of a place or journey ) allowing regular commuting to and from work: commutable country homes. 2 rare capable of being exchanged or converted. DERIVATIVES commutability |-ˈbɪlɪti |noun

commutate

commutate |ˈkɒmjʊteɪt | ▶verb [ with obj. ] regulate or reverse the direction of (an alternating electric current ), especially to make it a direct current. ORIGIN late 19th cent.: from Latin commutat- ‘changed altogether, exchanged, interchanged ’, from the verb commutare (see commute ).

commutation

com ¦mu |ta ¦tion |kɒmjʊˈteɪʃ (ə )n | ▶noun [ mass noun ] 1 the action or process of commuting a judicial sentence. • the conversion of a legal obligation or entitlement into another form, e.g. the replacement of an annuity or series of payments by a single payment. 2 the process of commutating an electric current. 3 Mathematics the property of having a commutative relation. ORIGIN late Middle English (in the sense ‘exchange, barter ’, later ‘alteration ’): from Latin commutatio (n- ), from commutare ‘exchange, interchange ’ (see commute ). Sense 1 dates from the late 16th cent.

commutation ticket

com mu ta tion tick et ▶noun a ticket issued at a reduced rate by a railroad or bus company, entitling the holder to travel a given route a fixed number of times or during a specified period.

commutative

commutative |kəˈmjuːtətɪv, ˈkɒmjʊˌtətɪv | ▶adjective 1 Mathematics involving the condition that a group of quantities connected by operators gives the same result whatever the order of the quantities involved, e.g. a × b = b × a. 2 rare relating to or involving substitution or exchange. ORIGIN mid 16th cent. (in the sense ‘relating to transactions between people ’): from French commutatif, -ive or medieval Latin commutativus, from commutat- ‘exchanged ’, from the verb commutare (see commute ).

commutator

commutator |ˈkɒmjʊˌteɪtə | ▶noun an attachment, connected with the armature of a motor or dynamo, through which electrical connection is made and which ensures the current flows as direct current. • a device for reversing the direction of flow of electric current.

commute

com |mute |kəˈmjuːt | ▶verb 1 [ no obj. ] travel some distance between one's home and place of work on a regular basis: he commuted from Corby to Kentish Town. 2 [ with obj. ] reduce (a judicial sentence, especially a sentence of death ) to another less severe one: the governor commuted the sentence to fifteen years' imprisonment. • (commute something for /into ) change one kind of payment or obligation for (another ): tithes were commuted into an annual sum varying with the price of corn. • replace (an annuity or other series of payments ) with a single payment. 3 [ no obj. ] Mathematics (of two operations or quantities ) have a commutative relation: operators which do not commute with each other. ▶noun a regular journey of some distance to and from one's place of work. ORIGIN late Middle English (in the sense ‘interchange (two things ’)): from Latin commutare, from com- ‘altogether ’ + mutare ‘to change ’. Sense 1 of the verb originally meant to buy and use a commutation ticket, the US term for a season ticket (because the daily fare is commuted to a single payment ).

commuter

com |muter |kəˈmjuːtə (r )| ▶noun a person who travels some distance to work on a regular basis: a fault on the line caused widespread delays for commuters.

commuter belt

com |muter belt ▶noun Brit. the area surrounding a city from which a large number of people travel to work each day.

American Oxford Thesaurus

command

command verb 1 he commanded his men to retreat: order, tell, direct, instruct, call on, require; literary bid. 2 Jones commanded a tank squadron: be in charge of, be in command of, be the leader of; head, lead, control, direct, manage, supervise, oversee; informal head up. 3 they command great respect: receive, get, gain, secure. ▶noun 1 officers shouted commands: order, instruction, directive, direction, commandment, injunction, decree, edict, demand, stipulation, requirement, exhortation, bidding, request. 2 he had 160 men under his command: authority, control, charge, power, direction, dominion, guidance; leadership, rule, government, management, supervision, jurisdiction. 3 a brilliant command of Italian: knowledge, mastery, grasp, comprehension, understanding.

commandeer

commandeer verb dozens of private homes were commandeered by the army: seize, take, requisition, appropriate, expropriate, sequestrate, sequester, confiscate, annex, take over, claim, preempt; hijack, arrogate, help oneself to; informal walk off with; Law distrain.

commander

commander noun he is commander of an intelligence unit: leader, head, chief, overseer, controller; commander-in-chief, C in C, commanding officer, CO, officer; informal boss, boss man, skipper, numero uno, number one, top dog, kingpin, head honcho, big kahuna.

commanding

commanding adjective 1 a commanding position: dominant, dominating, controlling, superior, powerful, prominent, advantageous, favorable. 2 a commanding voice: authoritative, masterful, assertive, firm, emphatic, insistent, imperative; peremptory, imperious, dictatorial; informal bossy.

commemorate

commemorate verb an annual festival to commemorate the liberation of our town: celebrate, pay tribute to, pay homage to, honor, salute, toast; remember, recognize, acknowledge, observe, mark.

commemorative

commemorative adjective a commemorative coin to mark the Queen's 80th birthday: memorial, remembrance; celebratory.

commence

commence verb the meeting will commence at noon: begin, start; get the ball rolling, get going, get underway, get off the ground, set about, embark on, launch into, lead off; open, initiate, inaugurate; informal kick off, get the show on the road. ANTONYMS conclude.

commencement

commencement noun 1 the commencement of the festivities: beginning, start, opening, outset, onset, launch, initiation, inception, origin; informal kickoff. 2 commencement ceremonies: graduation, convocation.

commend

commend verb 1 we should commend him: praise, compliment, congratulate, applaud, salute, honor; sing the praises of, pay tribute to, take one's hat off to, pat on the back; formal laud. ANTONYMS criticize. 2 I commend her to you without reservation: recommend, suggest, propose; endorse, advocate, vouch for, speak for, support, back. 3 formal I commend them to your care: entrust, trust, deliver, commit, hand over, give, turn over, consign, assign.

commendable

commendable adjective he tackled the tests with commendable zeal: admirable, praiseworthy, creditable, laudable, estimable, meritorious, exemplary, noteworthy, honorable, respectable, fine, excellent. ANTONYMS reprehensible.

commendation

commendation noun 1 letters of commendation: praise, congratulation, appreciation; acclaim, credit, recognition, respect, esteem, admiration, homage, tribute. 2 a commendation for bravery: award, accolade, prize, honor, honorable mention, mention, citation.

commensurate

commensurate adjective 1 they had privileges but commensurate duties: equivalent, equal, corresponding, correspondent, comparable, proportionate, proportional. 2 a salary commensurate with your qualifications: appropriate to, in keeping with, in line with, consistent with, corresponding to, according to, relative to; dependent on, based on.

comment

comment noun 1 their comments on her appearance: remark, observation, statement, utterance; pronouncement, judgment, reflection, opinion, view; criticism. 2 a great deal of comment: discussion, debate; interest. 3 a comment in the margin: note, annotation, footnote, gloss, commentary, explanation. ▶verb 1 they commented on the food: remark on, speak about, talk about, discuss, mention. 2 “It will soon be night, ” he commented: remark, observe, reflect, say, state, declare, announce; interpose, interject.

commentary

commentary noun 1 the soccer commentary: narration, description, account, report, review. 2 textual commentary: explanation, elucidation, interpretation, exegesis, analysis; assessment, appraisal, criticism; notes, comments.

commentator

commentator noun 1 a television commentator: narrator, announcer, presenter, anchor, anchorman, anchorwoman; reporter, journalist, newscaster, sportscaster; informal talking head. 2 a political commentator: analyst, pundit, monitor, observer; writer, speaker.

commerce

commerce noun 1 industry and commerce: trade, trading, buying and selling, business, dealing, traffic; (financial ) transactions, dealings. 2 dated human commerce: relations, dealings, socializing, communication, association, contact, intercourse.

commercial

commercial adjective 1 a vessel built for commercial purposes: trade, trading, business, private enterprise, mercantile, sales. 2 a commercial society: profit-oriented, money-oriented, materialistic, mercenary. ▶noun a TV commercial: advertisement, promotion, display; informal ad, plug, infomercial.

commercialized

commercialized adjective the art world became increasingly commercialized: profit-oriented, money-oriented, commercial, materialistic, mercenary.

commiserate

commiserate verb the pastor sat down and commiserated with them after Lester's funeral: offer sympathy to, be sympathetic to, offer condolences to, condole with, sympathize with, empathize with, feel pity for, feel sorry for, feel for; comfort, console.

commiseration

commiseration noun a little commiseration may be the most important thing you can offer: condolence (s ), sympathy, pity, comfort, solace, consolation; compassion, understanding.

commission

commission noun 1 the dealer's commission: percentage, brokerage, share, portion, dividend, premium, fee, consideration, bonus; informal cut, take, rake-off, slice. 2 the commission of building a palace: task, employment, job, project, mission, assignment, undertaking; duty, charge, responsibility; informal marching orders. 3 items made under state commission: warrant, license, sanction, authority. 4 an independent commission: committee, board, council, panel, directorate, delegation. 5 the commission of an offense: perpetration, committing, committal, execution. ▶verb 1 he was commissioned to paint a portrait: engage, contract, charge, employ, hire, recruit, retain, appoint, enlist, book, sign up. 2 they commissioned a sculpture: order; authorize; formal bespeak. PHRASES in commission the new bathrooms are now in commission: in service, in use; working, functional, operative, up and running, in operation, in working order. out of commission more than half of our original computers are out of commission: not in service, not in use, unserviceable; not working, inoperative, out of order, malfunctioning, broken, down.

commit

commit verb 1 he committed a murder: carry out, do, perpetrate, engage in, enact, execute, effect, accomplish; be responsible for; informal pull off. 2 she was committed to their care: entrust, consign, assign, deliver, give, hand over, relinquish; formal commend. 3 they committed themselves to the project: pledge, devote, apply, give, dedicate. 4 the judge committed him to prison: consign, send, deliver, confine. 5 her husband had her committed: hospitalize, confine, institutionalize, put away; certify.

commitment

commitment noun 1 the pressure of his commitments: responsibility, obligation, duty, tie, liability; task; engagement, arrangement. 2 her commitment to her students: dedication, devotion, allegiance, loyalty, faithfulness, fidelity. 3 he made a commitment: vow, promise, pledge, oath; contract, pact, deal; decision, resolution.

committed

committed adjective a committed family man: devout, devoted, dedicated, loyal, faithful, staunch, firm, steadfast, unwavering, wholehearted, keen, passionate, ardent, fervent, sworn, pledged; dutiful, diligent; informal card-carrying, hard-core, true blue. ANTONYMS apathetic.

committee

committee noun she appointed a committee to look into the busing issue: board, council, brain trust.

commodious

commodious adjective formal a commodious armchair: roomy, capacious, spacious, ample, generous, sizable, large, big, extensive. ANTONYMS cramped.

commodity

commodity noun the prices of basic commodities have risen again: item, material, product, article, object; import, export.

common

common adjective 1 the common folk: ordinary, normal, average, unexceptional; simple. 2 a very common art form: usual, ordinary, familiar, regular, frequent, recurrent, everyday; standard, typical, conventional, stock, commonplace, run-of-the-mill; informal garden variety. ANTONYMS unusual. 3 a common belief: widespread, general, universal, popular, mainstream, prevalent, prevailing, rife, established, conventional, traditional, orthodox, accepted. ANTONYMS rare. 4 the common good: collective, communal, community, public, popular, general; shared, combined. ANTONYMS individual, private. 5 they are far too common: uncouth, vulgar, coarse, rough, boorish, unladylike, ungentlemanly, ill-bred, uncivilized, unrefined, unsophisticated; lowly, low-born, low-class, inferior, proletarian, plebeian. ANTONYMS refined. WORD TOOLKIT See typical . Word Toolkits illustrate the difference between close synonyms by means of words typically used with them. CHOOSE THE RIGHT WORD See prevalent . These notes show fine distinctions in meaning between closely related synonyms to help you find the best word.

commonly

commonly adverb the hairy woodpecker is commonly mistaken for a downy woodpecker: often, frequently, regularly, repeatedly, time and (time ) again, all the time, routinely, habitually, customarily, oftentimes.

commonplace

commonplace adjective 1 a commonplace writing style: ordinary, run-of-the-mill, unremarkable, unexceptional, average, mediocre, pedestrian, prosaic, lackluster, dull, bland, uninteresting, mundane; hackneyed, trite, banal, clichéd, predictable, stale, tired, unoriginal; informal by-the-numbers, boilerplate, plain-vanilla, dime a dozen, bush-league. ANTONYMS original, outstanding. 2 a commonplace occurrence: common, normal, usual, ordinary, familiar, routine, standard, everyday, daily, regular, frequent, habitual, typical. ANTONYMS unusual. ▶noun 1 early death was a commonplace: everyday event, routine. 2 a great store of commonplaces: platitude, cliché, truism, hackneyed phrase, trite phrase, old chestnut, banality; dated bromide.

common sense

common sense noun I had the common sense to phone an ambulance instead of yelling at him to get up: good sense, sense, native wit, sensibleness, judgment, levelheadedness, prudence, discernment, canniness, astuteness, shrewdness, wisdom, insight, perception, perspicacity; practicality, capability, resourcefulness, enterprise; informal horse sense, gumption, savvy, smarts, street smarts. ANTONYMS folly.

commonsensical

commonsensical adjective the commonsensical thing would have been to check the supply cabinet before ordering more paper: sensible, reasonable, rational, prudent, smart, practical, realistic, levelheaded.

commotion

commotion noun what's all that commotion in the parking lot? disturbance, uproar, tumult, rumpus, ruckus, brouhaha, hoopla, furor, hue and cry, fuss, stir, storm; turmoil, disorder, confusion, chaos, mayhem, havoc, pandemonium; unrest, fracas, riot, breach of the peace, donnybrook; informal ruction, ballyhoo, hoo-ha, to-do, hullabaloo.

communal

communal adjective 1 the kitchen was communal: shared, joint, common. ANTONYMS private. 2 they farm on a communal basis: collective, cooperative, community, communalist, combined. ANTONYMS individual.

commune

commune noun she lives in a commune: collective, cooperative, communal settlement, kibbutz. ▶verb 1 a desire to commune with family and friends: communicate, speak, talk, converse, interface. 2 she likes to commune with nature: empathize with, identify with, have a rapport with, feel at one with; relate to, feel close to.

communicable

communicable adjective the spread of communicable diseases: contagious, infectious, transmittable, transmissible, transferable, spreadable; informal catching.

communicate

communicate verb 1 he communicated the news to his boss: convey, tell, impart, relay, transmit, pass on, announce, report, recount, relate, present; divulge, disclose, mention; spread, disseminate, promulgate, broadcast. 2 they communicate daily: be in touch, be in contact, have dealings, interface, interact, commune, meet, liaise; talk, speak, converse; informal have a confab, powwow. 3 learn how to communicate better: get one's message across, explain oneself, be understood, get through to someone. 4 the disease is communicated easily: transmit, transfer, spread, carry, pass on. 5 each bedroom communicates with a bathroom: connect with, join up with, open on to, lead into.

communication

communication noun 1 the communication of news: transmission, conveyance, divulgence, disclosure; dissemination, promulgation, broadcasting. 2 there was no communication between them: contact, dealings, relations, connection, association, socializing, intercourse; correspondence, dialogue, talk, conversation, discussion. 3 an official communication: message, statement, announcement, report, dispatch, communiqué, letter, bulletin, correspondence.

communicative

communicative adjective we find that teenage boys tend to be less communicative: forthcoming, expansive, expressive, unreserved, uninhibited, vocal, outgoing, frank, open, candid; talkative, chatty, loquacious; informal gabby.

communion

communion noun 1 a sense of communion with others: affinity, fellowship, kinship, friendship, fellow feeling, togetherness, closeness, harmony, understanding, rapport, connection, communication, empathy, accord, unity. 2 the breaking of the bread during Communion: the Eucharist, Holy Communion, the Lord's Supper, Mass. CHOOSE THE RIGHT WORD See conversation . These notes show fine distinctions in meaning between closely related synonyms to help you find the best word.

communiqué

communiqué noun a communiqué from the surgeon general is expected this morning: official communication, press release, bulletin, message, missive, dispatch, statement, report, announcement, declaration, proclamation, advisory; informal memo.

communist

communist noun & adjective he describes himself as a communist | communist countries: collectivist, leftist, (radical ) socialist; Soviet, Bolshevik, Bolshevist, Marxist, Leninist, Trotskyist, Trotskyite, Maoist; informal, derogatory commie, red, lefty, Bolshie.

community

community noun 1 work done for the community: public, general public, populace, people, citizenry, population, collective; residents, inhabitants, citizens. 2 a suburban community: district, region, zone, area, locality, locale, neighborhood; informal neck of the woods, hood. 3 concerns in the immigrant community: group, body, set, circle, clique, faction; informal gang, bunch. 4 a monastic community: brotherhood, sisterhood, fraternity, sorority, sodality; order, congregation, abbey, convent.

commute

commute verb 1 they commute by train: travel to and from work, travel to and fro, travel back and forth. 2 his sentence was commuted: reduce, lessen, lighten, shorten, cut, attenuate, moderate. ANTONYMS increase, uphold. 3 his jail sentence was commuted to a fine: exchange, change, substitute, swap, trade, switch.

commuter

commuter noun commuters may see an increase in train fares this spring: daily traveler, traveler, passenger; informal straphanger.

Oxford Thesaurus

command

command verb 1 he commanded his men to retreat: order, give orders to, give the order to, tell, direct, instruct, call on, enjoin, adjure, charge, require, prescribe; literary bid. 2 he commanded a tank unit: be in charge of, be in command of, have charge of, have control of, be the leader of, be the boss of, preside over, be in authority over, hold sway over; head, lead, rule, govern, control, direct, guide, manage, supervise, superintend, oversee; be in the driver's seat, be in the saddle, be at the helm, take the chair; informal head up, run the show, call the shots, call the tune. 3 the clergy command great respect from the population: receive, be given, get, gain, obtain, secure. ▶noun 1 the officers shouted their commands: order, instruction, directive, direction, commandment, injunction, demand, stipulation, requirement, exhortation, bidding, request; decree, dictate, diktat, edict, ruling, resolution, pronouncement, ordinance, mandate, fiat, precept; literary behest; archaic hest; rare rescript. 2 he had sixteen men under his command: authority, control, charge, power, direction, dominion, domination, influence, sway, guidance; leadership, mastery, rule, government, management, supervision, superintendence, administration, jurisdiction. 3 she had a brilliant command of English: knowledge, mastery, grasp, grip, comprehension, understanding; ability in, fluency in.

commandeer

commandeer verb everything surrounding the base was commandeered by the army: seize, take, take possession of, take away, requisition, appropriate, expropriate, sequestrate, sequester, confiscate, annex, take over, claim, lay claim to, pre-empt, secure; hijack, arrogate, arrogate to oneself, help oneself to, carry off, loot, grab; informal walk off with; Law distrain, attach, disseize; Scottish Law poind.

commander

commander noun he was commander of a special force combating drug trafficking: leader, head, headman, boss, chief, director, manager, overseer, controller, master; commander-in-chief, C.-in-C., commanding officer, CO, officer, captain; informal boss man, skipper, number one, top dog, kingpin, bigwig, Mr Big, big cheese; Brit. informal gaffer, guv'nor; N. Amer. informal numero uno, sachem, big white chief, big wheel, head honcho, honcho, big kahuna, high muckamuck.

commanding

commanding adjective 1 the world champion was in a commanding position: dominant, dominating, controlling, superior, powerful, prominent, advantageous, favourable, preferable, more desirable, most desirable; rare prepotent, prepollent. 2 his mother's voice was soft and commanding: authoritative, masterful, assertive, confident, firm, emphatic, insistent, imperative, imposing, impressive; bossy, peremptory, autocratic, imperious, magisterial, lordly, high-handed, overbearing, domineering, dictatorial, dominating, bullish, forceful; informal pushy, not backward in coming forward; rare pushful.

commemorate

commemorate verb the event commemorated the courage of the villagers: celebrate, pay tribute to, pay homage to, honour, salute, toast; remember, recognize, acknowledge, observe, mark, memorialize, immortalize, keep alive the memory of.

commemorative

commemorative adjective veterans of the battle will attend commemorative services: memorial, remembrance, celebratory, celebrative; in remembrance of …, in memory of …, in honour of ….

commence

commence verb formal the headmaster commenced his tour of inspection | the meeting commenced at 10am: begin, start, start off; get down to business, get the ball rolling, get going, get under way, get off the ground, make a start on, set about, go about, enter on, embark on, launch into, lead off, get down to, set in motion, ring up the curtain on, open, initiate, institute, inaugurate; go ahead; informal get cracking on, get stuck into, kick off, get the show on the road; Brit. informal get weaving (on ). ANTONYMS conclude.

commencement

commencement noun formal students shall enrol at the commencement of the academic session: beginning, start, starting point, opening, outset, onset, launch, initiation, inception, birth, dawn, origin; day one; informal kick-off. ANTONYMS conclusion.

commend

commend verb 1 we should commend him for his remarkable altruism: praise, compliment, congratulate, applaud, clap, cheer, toast, salute, admire, honour, glorify, extol, eulogize, sing the praises of, praise to the skies, heap praise on, go into raptures about, wax lyrical about, speak highly of, look on with favour, pay homage to, pay tribute to, take one's hat off to, pat on the back; N. Amer. informal ballyhoo; black English big someone up; dated cry someone up; archaic emblazon; rare laud, panegyrize. ANTONYMS criticize. 2 she's very hard-working —I commend her to you without reservation: recommend, suggest, put forward, propose, advance; approve, endorse, advocate, vouch for, speak for, stand up for, champion, support, back; informal plug, push. 3 formal I commend my students to your care: entrust, trust, deliver, commit, hand over, give, give over, turn over, consign, assign.

commendable

commendable adjective he tackled the tests with commendable zeal: admirable, praiseworthy, laudable, estimable, meritorious, creditable, exemplary, exceptional, noteworthy, notable, honourable, worthy, deserving, respectable, sterling, fine, excellent; worthy of commendation, worthy of admiration; rare applaudable. ANTONYMS reprehensible.

commendation

commendation noun 1 he received letters of commendation from the chief constable: praise, congratulation, appreciation, thanks; acclaim, acclamation, credit, recognition, regard, respect, esteem, admiration, adulation, approval, approbation, homage, tribute; eulogy, encomium, panegyric, paean; rare laudation, extolment, eulogium. ANTONYMS criticism. 2 he got a commendation for brave conduct: award, accolade, prize, honour, honourable mention, mention, citation, recognition; pat on the back, round of applause. ANTONYMS penalty.

commensurate

commensurate adjective 1 the clergy had privileges but they had commensurate duties: equivalent, equal, corresponding, correspondent, comparable, proportionate, proportional; rare commensurable. ANTONYMS disproportionate. 2 your initial salary will be commensurate with your qualifications and experience: appropriate to, in keeping with, in line with, consistent with, corresponding to, in accordance with, according to, relative to, in proportion with, proportionate to; dependent on, based on; rare commensurable with /to.

comment

comment noun 1 she was upset by their comments on her appearance: remark, observation, statement, utterance, pronouncement, judgement, reflection, opinion, view, criticism. 2 the story excited a great deal of comment: discussion, debate, mention, consideration, interest. 3 a comment had been inserted in the register for 1586: note, notation, annotation, footnote, gloss, commentary, explanation, explication, interpretation, elucidation, exposition, exegesis; marginalia; rare scholium. ▶verb 1 they commented on the quality of the water: remark on, speak about, talk about, write about, discuss, mention, give a mention to, make mention of, make remarks about, make a comment on, express an opinion on, say something about, touch on, allude to. 2 ‘It will soon be night, ’ he commented: remark, observe, reflect, say, state, declare, announce, pronounce, assert, interpose, interject; come out with; rare opine.

commentary

commentary noun 1 he spent the morning listening to the test match commentary: narration, description, account, report, review, analysis. 2 the second volume contains detailed textual commentary: explanation, explication, elucidation, exegesis, examination, interpretation, analysis; criticism, critical analysis, critique, assessment, appraisal, opinion; notes, footnotes, comments, weblog, blog; rare scholia.

commentator

commentator noun 1 he was a BBC television commentator for twenty-five years: narrator, commenter, reporter, correspondent, journalist; announcer, presenter, anchor, anchorman, anchorwoman, broadcaster, newscaster, sportscaster; informal talking head. 2 she was the ablest and most devastating political commentator: critic, analyst, pundit, commenter, monitor, observer, blogger, judge, evaluator, interpreter, exponent, expounder; writer, author, speaker; rare scholiast; (commentators ) the commentariat.

commerce

commerce noun Hong Kong was a perfect harbour for eastern commerce: trade, trading, buying and selling, business, bargaining, dealing, traffic, trafficking; (financial ) transactions, dealings, negotiations; archaic merchandising.

commercial

commercial adjective 1 the vessels were originally built for commercial purposes: trade, trading, business, private enterprise, mercantile, merchant, sales; archaic merchandising. 2 they help firms turn good ideas into commercial products: lucrative, moneymaking, money-spinning, profitable, profit-making, for-profit, remunerative, financially rewarding, fruitful, gainful, productive; viable, cost-effective, economic, successful, commercially successful. ANTONYMS loss-making. 3 public opinion was inward-looking and brashly commercial: profit-orientated, money-orientated, commercialized, materialistic, mercenary. ANTONYMS non-profit-making. ▶noun she appeared in a TV commercial for a brand of butter: advertisement, promotion, display; informal ad, push, plug; Brit. informal advert.

commercialized

commercialized adjective the art world became increasingly commercialized: profit-orientated, money-orientated, commercial, materialistic, mercenary. ANTONYMS uncommercial.

commiserate

commiserate verb he commiserated with them for their sufferings: offer sympathy to, be sympathetic to, express sympathy for, send condolences to, offer condolences to, condole with, sympathize with, empathize with, feel pity for, feel sorry for, feel for, be moved by, mourn for, sorrow for, grieve for; comfort, console, solace, give solace to; one's heart goes out to; archaic compassion, compassionate.

commiseration

commiseration noun the other actors offered him clumsy commiseration | our commiserations to those who didn't win: condolences, sympathy, pity, comfort, solace, consolation; compassion, feeling, fellow feeling, understanding, consideration.

commission

commission noun 1 the customer is unlikely to know about the dealer's commission: percentage, brokerage, share, portion, dividend, premium, fee, consideration, bonus, gratuity, tip, honorarium; informal cut, take, whack, rake-off, slice, slice of the cake, piece of the action; Brit. informal divvy; rare apportionment, quantum, moiety. 2 he accepted the commission of building a house for the queen: task, employment, job, work, piece of work, project, mission, assignment, undertaking, exercise, enterprise, endeavour; duty, charge, responsibility, burden; dated office. 3 the items are made under royal commission: warrant, licence, sanction, authority. 4 their plan requires approval by an independent commission: committee, board, board of commissioners, council, panel, directorate, advisory body, advisorate, convocation, delegation. 5 they did not participate in the commission of any offence: perpetration, committing, committal, execution, performance. PHRASES in commission the company had thirty-six vessels in commission: in service, in use, in employment, in action; working, functioning, functional, operative, going, running, up and running, in operation, in working order. out of commission five of the rescue vehicles were out of commission: not in service, unavailable for use, not in use, out of action, unserviceable; not working, not functioning, not functional, inoperative, not in operation, not in working order, out of order; down; Brit. informal U /S. ▶verb 1 he commissioned Van Dyck to paint his portrait: engage, contract, charge, employ, hire, recruit, retain, appoint, enlist, co-opt, book, sign up; authorize, empower; Military detail. 2 they decided to commission a sculpture of Molly Malone: order, put in an order for, place an order for, contract for, pay for; authorize; rare bespeak.

commit

commit verb 1 he was on trial for a murder he had not committed: carry out, do, perform, perpetrate, engage in, enact, execute, effect, accomplish; be responsible for, be to blame for, be guilty of; informal pull off; rare effectuate. 2 she was committed to the care of the local authority: entrust, trust, commend, consign, assign, deliver, give, give over, hand over, turn over, give up, relinquish. 3 local business leaders committed themselves to community projects: pledge, devote, apply, give, dedicate, bind, obligate. 4 the judge committed him to prison for eight months: consign, assign, send, deliver, confine. 5 her husband had her committed after her eccentricity became dangerous: hospitalize, confine, institutionalize, put away, lock away, lock up; certify. ANTONYMS release.

commitment

commitment noun 1 he resigned because of the pressure of other commitments: responsibility, obligation, duty, tie, charge, liability, burden, pressure; undertaking, task, engagement, arrangement. 2 her commitment to her students continued undiminished: dedication, devotion, allegiance, loyalty, faithfulness, fidelity, bond, adherence, attentiveness. 3 he made a commitment to carry on his father's work: vow, promise, pledge, oath; covenant, contract, pact, deal, undertaking; decision, resolution, resolve; guarantee, assurance, affirmation.

committed

committed adjective they are committed Christians: devout, devoted, loyal, dedicated, faithful, staunch, firm, steadfast, resolute, unwavering, sincere, wholehearted, keen, earnest, enthusiastic, zealous, passionate, ardent, fervent, active, sworn, pledged; dutiful, hard-working, diligent, studious, assiduous; French engagé; informal card-carrying, red-hot, true blue, mad keen, deep-dyed. ANTONYMS apathetic.

commodious

commodious adjective she was sitting in a commodious armchair: roomy, capacious, spacious, ample, substantial, generous, sizeable, large, big, broad, wide, extensive; rare spacey. ANTONYMS cramped.

commodity

commodity noun improving productivity will lower the cost of a commodity: item, material, type of produce, product, article, object, thing, artefact, piece of merchandise; import, export.

common

common adjective 1 he gained a massive following among the common folk: ordinary, normal, typical, average, unexceptional, run-of-the-mill, plain, simple. 2 this booklet answers the most common questions asked | a very common art form: usual, ordinary, customary, habitual, familiar, regular, frequent, repeated, recurrent, routine, everyday, daily, day-to-day, quotidian, standard, typical; conventional, stock, stereotyped, predictable, commonplace, mundane, run-of-the-mill; literary wonted. ANTONYMS unusual. 3 it is a common belief that elephants have long memories: widespread, general, universal, popular, mainstream, prevalent, prevailing, rife, established, well established, conventional, traditional, traditionalist, orthodox, accepted; in circulation, in force, in vogue. ANTONYMS rare. 4 they work together for the common good: collective, communal, community, public, popular, general; shared, joint, combined. ANTONYMS private, individual. 5 the fishermen's wives were far too common for my mother: uncouth, vulgar, coarse, rough, unsavoury, boorish, rude, impolite, ill-mannered, unladylike, ungentlemanly, ill-bred, uncivilized, unsophisticated, unrefined, philistine, primitive, savage, brutish, oafish, gross; lowly, low, low-born, low-ranking, low-class, inferior, humble, ignoble, proletarian, plebeian; informal plebby, slobbish, cloddish, clodhopping; Brit. informal common as muck; archaic baseborn. ANTONYMS refined; noble. ▶noun Brit. informal use a bit of common! See common sense. WORD TOOLKIT common See typical . Word Toolkits illustrate the difference between close synonyms by means of words typically used with them.

commonly

commonly adverb shift workers commonly complain of not being able to sleep: often, frequently, regularly, repeatedly, recurrently, time and again, time and time again, over and over, all the time, routinely, habitually, customarily; N. Amer. oftentimes; informal lots; literary oft, oft-times. ANTONYMS rarely.

commonplace

commonplace adjective 1 he had a tame and commonplace style of writing: ordinary, run-of-the-mill, middle-of-the-road, mainstream, unremarkable, unexceptional, undistinguished, uninspired, unexciting, unmemorable, forgettable, indifferent, average, so-so, mediocre, pedestrian, prosaic, lacklustre, dull, bland, uninteresting, mundane, everyday, quotidian, humdrum, hackneyed, trite, banal, clichéd, predictable, overused, overdone, overworked, stale, worn out, time-worn, tired, unoriginal, derivative; Brit. common or garden; N. Amer. garden variety; informal nothing to write home about, nothing to get excited about, no great shakes, not so hot, not up to much, vanilla, plain vanilla, bog-standard, a dime a dozen, old hat, corny, played out; Brit. informal not much cop, ten a penny; N. Amer. informal ornery, bush-league, cornball, dime-store; Austral. /NZ informal half-pie. ANTONYMS outstanding; original. 2 business trips abroad are now commonplace occurrences: common, normal, usual, ordinary, familiar, routine, standard, everyday, day-to-day, daily, regular, frequent, habitual, conventional, typical, unexceptional, unremarkable. ANTONYMS unusual. ▶noun 1 early death was a commonplace in those days: everyday thing /event; routine, nothing out of the ordinary. 2 he had a great store of commonplaces which he adapted to any subject: platitude, cliché, truism, hackneyed /trite /banal /overworked saying, stock phrase, old chestnut, banality, bromide.

common sense

common sense noun he is quick to praise her professionalism and common sense: good sense, sense, sensibleness, native wit, native intelligence, mother wit, wit, judgement, sound judgement, level-headedness, prudence, discernment, acumen, sharpness, sharp-wittedness, canniness, astuteness, shrewdness, judiciousness, wisdom, insight, intuition, intuitiveness, perceptiveness, perspicacity, vision, understanding, intelligence, reason, powers of reasoning; practicality, capability, initiative, resourcefulness, enterprise; informal horse sense, gumption, nous, savvy, know-how; Brit. informal common; N. Amer. informal smarts; rare sapience, arguteness. ANTONYMS folly.

commotion

commotion noun a commotion broke out in the street behind us: disturbance, racket, uproar, tumult, ruckus, clamour, brouhaha, furore, hue and cry, palaver, fuss, stir, to-do, storm, maelstrom, melee; turmoil, disorder, confusion, chaos, mayhem, havoc, pandemonium, upheaval, unrest, fracas, riot, breach of the peace, disruption, agitation, excitement, hurly-burly, hubbub, disquiet, ferment, bother, folderol, bustle, hustle and bustle; Irish, N. Amer., & Austral. donnybrook; Indian tamasha; W. Indian bangarang; informal song and dance, pantomime, production, rumpus, ruction, ructions, ballyhoo, hoo-ha, hullabaloo, aggro, argy-bargy; Brit. informal carry-on, kerfuffle, row, stink, splash, hoopla; N. Amer. informal foofaraw; NZ informal bobsy-die; Law, dated affray; archaic broil.

communal

communal adjective 1 the bathrooms and the kitchen were communal: shared, joint, common, general, public. ANTONYMS private. 2 the villagers farm on a communal basis: collective, cooperative, community, communalist, united, combined, pooled, mass. ANTONYMS individual.

commune

commune noun |(stress on the first syllable ) |she was brought up in a commune in Vancouver: collective, cooperative, co-op, community, communal settlement, kibbutz, fellowship. ▶verb |(stress on the second syllable ) | 1 the purpose of praying is to commune with God: communicate, speak, talk, converse, have a tête -à-tête, confer; be in touch, be in contact, interface. 2 spare half an hour each day to commune with nature: empathize, have a rapport, feel in close touch; feel at one, feel togetherness, identify, relate to, relate spiritually to, feel close to.

communicable

communicable adjective they are concerned about the spread of communicable diseases: contagious, infectious, transmittable, transmissible, transferable, conveyable, spreadable, spreading; informal catching; dated infective.

communicate

communicate verb 1 he communicated the bad news to his boss: convey, tell, impart, relay, transmit, pass on, hand on, transfer, make known, announce, report, recount, relate, set forth, present, divulge, disclose, mention; spread, disseminate, circulate, promulgate, proclaim, broadcast, make public; informal let on about. ANTONYMS withhold from; keep secret. 2 parents and teachers should communicate on a daily basis: liaise, be in touch, be in contact, be in communication, make contact, have dealings, interface, commune, meet, meet up; talk, speak, converse, chat, have a conversation, have a chat, have a discussion; N. Amer. visit; informal have a confab, chew the fat, chew the rag, powwow; Brit. informal have a chinwag; N. Amer. informal shoot the breeze, shoot the bull. 3 we have to learn how to communicate in an electronic environment: get one's ideas across, get one's message across, make oneself understood, explain oneself, get through to someone, have one's say; be articulate, be fluent, be eloquent. 4 the disease is communicated from one person to another: transmit, transfer, spread, carry, pass on, hand on, convey. 5 each bedroom communicated with a spacious bathroom: connect with, be connected to, join up with, link up with, open on to, lead into, give access to.

communication

communication noun 1 meetings are used for the communication of research results: transmission, imparting, conveying, reporting, presenting, passing on, handing on, relay, conveyance, divulgence, divulgation, disclosure; spreading, dissemination, promulgation, broadcasting, circulation, circulating. 2 there had been no communication between them for years: contact, dealings, relations, connection, association, communion, socializing, intercourse, social intercourse, social relations, interface, interchange, correspondence, dialogue, talk, conversation, discussion, speaking, talking, chatting, meeting, getting in touch; dated commerce; archaic traffic. 3 there has been no official communication regarding an appeal: message, statement, announcement, report, dispatch, communiqué, letter, bulletin, correspondence, news, word, information, intelligence, instruction; informal info, gen, low-down, dirt; literary tidings.

communications

communications plural noun the city has excellent road and rail communications: links, connections, services, routes.

communicative

communicative adjective she is always very pleasant and communicative: forthcoming, expansive, informative, expressive, unreserved, uninhibited, vocal, outgoing, frank, open, candid; talkative, conversational, chatty, gossipy, loquacious, garrulous, voluble, verbose, effusive, gushing; informal mouthy, gabby, windy, gassy; rare multiloquent, multiloquous. ANTONYMS uncommunicative.

communion

communion noun 1 we receive a strong sense of communion with others: affinity, fellowship, kinship, friendship, fellow feeling, community, togetherness, closeness, sharing, harmony, understanding, rapport, connection, communication, association, empathy, sympathy, agreement, accord, concord, unity. 2 he believed in Christ's presence among the faithful at Communion: Eucharist, Holy Communion, Lord's Supper, Mass.

communiqué

communiqué noun the foreign ministry issued a communiqué: official communication, press release, bulletin, message, missive, dispatch, statement, report, news flash, notification, announcement, declaration, proclamation, pronouncement; word, news, information; N. Amer. advisory; informal memo; literary tidings.

communism

communism noun the social and economic principles of communism: collectivism, state ownership, socialism, radical socialism; Sovietism, Bolshevism, Marxism, neo-Marxism, Leninism, Marxism –Leninism, Trotskyism, Maoism.

communist

communist noun & adjective I was very left-wing but I was never a communist | a French communist writer: collectivist, leftist, socialist, radical socialist; Soviet, Bolshevik, Bolshevist, Marxist, neo-Marxist, Leninist, Marxist –Leninist, Trotskyist, Trotskyite, Maoist; informal, derogatory commie, Bolshie, red, lefty.

community

community noun 1 we can work together for the good of the community: population, populace, people, citizenry, public, general public, body politic, collective; society, nation, state, country, realm, commonwealth, homeland, fatherland, motherland; residents, inhabitants, citizens; humorous denizens, burghers. 2 East Durham was very much a mining community: district, region, zone, area, local area, locality, locale, neighbourhood; informal neck of the woods; Brit. informal manor; N. Amer. informal hood, nabe, turf. 3 lesbians and gays are not one homogeneous community: group, section, body, company, set, circle, clique, coterie, ring, band, faction; informal gang, bunch. 4 the monastic community at Canterbury: brotherhood, sisterhood, fraternity, confraternity, sorority, colony, institution, order, body, circle, association, society, league; rare sodality. 5 they had a harmonious union based on a community of interests: similarity, similar nature, likeness, sameness, comparability, correspondence, agreement, alignment, parallel, parallelism, closeness, affinity; archaic semblance. ANTONYMS difference, incompatibility. 6 the community of goods: joint ownership, common ownership, shared possession; joint liability, joint participation.

commute

commute verb 1 they commute on a stuffy overcrowded train: travel to and from work, travel to and fro, travel back and forth, come and go, shuttle. 2 the death sentence was commuted to life imprisonment: reduce, lessen, lighten, shorten, cut, scale down, limit, curtail, attenuate, mitigate, moderate, modify, adjust. ANTONYMS increase; uphold. 3 military service was often commuted for a money payment: exchange, change, interchange, substitute, swap, trade, barter, switch; archaic truck.

commuter

commuter noun railway engineering works caused widespread delays for commuters: daily traveller, traveller, passenger; informal straphanger, suburbanite.

Duden Dictionary

Commedia dell'Arte

Com me dia dell'Ar te Substantiv, feminin , die |Comm e dia dell' A rte |die Commedia dell'Arte; Genitiv: der Commedia dell'Arte italienisch commedia dell'arte, eigentlich = Berufslustspiel (da sie von Berufsschauspielern aufgeführt wurde ), zu: commedia = Schauspiel, Lustspiel und arte = Handwerk, Beruf, eigentlich = Kunst < lateinisch ars (Genitiv: artis )volkstümliche italienische Stegreifkomödie des 16. bis 18. Jahrhunderts

Commercial

Com mer cial Substantiv, Neutrum Wirtschaft , das |kəˈməːʃl |das Commercial; Genitiv: des Commercials, Plural: die Commercials lateinisch-französisch -englisch Werbespot

Commission-Broker

Com mis sion-Bro ker, Com mis sion bro ker Substantiv, maskulin , der Commissionbroker |kɔˈmɪʃnbroʊkə kɔˈmɪʃnbroʊkə |der Commission-Broker; Genitiv: des Commission-Brokers, Plural: die Commission-Broker der Commissionbroker; Genitiv: des Commissionbrokers, Plural: die Commissionbroker englisch Börsenmakler, der ausschließlich Kundenaufträge durchführt

Commitment

Com mit ment Substantiv, Neutrum Jargon , das |kəˈmɪtmənt kɔˈmɪmɛnt |das Commitment; Genitiv: des Commitments, Plural: die Commitments englisch commitment, zu: to commit < mittellateinisch committere = in Obhut geben < lateinisch committere, Kommission das [Sich ]bekennen, [Sich ]verpflichten

committen

com mit ten schwaches Verb |comm i tten kɔˈmɪtn̩ |englisch sich committen: sich bekennen, verpflichten

commodo

com mo do Adverb |c o mmodo | comodo

Common Law

Com mon Law Substantiv, Neutrum Rechtswissenschaft , das |kɔmənˈlɔː |das Common Law; Genitiv: des Common Law englisch a das für alle Personen im englischen Königreich einheitlich geltende Recht im Unterschied zu den örtlichen Gewohnheitsrechten b das in England entwickelte Recht im Unterschied zu den aus dem römischen Recht abgeleiteten Rechtsordnungen; vgl. Statute Law

Common Prayer-Book

Com mon Pray er-Book Substantiv, Neutrum , das |kɔmən ˈprɛəbʊk |das Common Prayer-Book; Genitiv: des Common Prayer-Book zu englisch Common Prayer »Liturgie der anglikanischen Kirche «, als Kurzform von Book of Common Prayer »Allgemeines Gebetbuch «, dies zu common prayer »gemeinsames Gebet «Bekenntnis- und Kirchenordnungsgrundlage der anglikanischen Kirche

Common-Rail-System

Com mon-Rail-Sys tem Substantiv, Neutrum Technik , das |…ˈreːl …|englisch ; griechisch Einspritzsystem für Dieselmotoren mit nur einer Hochdruckpumpe für alle Düsen im Unterschied zum Pumpe-Düse -Prinzip

Common Sense

Com mon Sense , Com mon sense Substantiv, maskulin bildungssprachlich , der Commonsense |ˈkɔmən ˈsɛns auch ˈkɔmənsɛns ˈkɔmən ˈsɛns auch ˈkɔmənsɛns |der Common Sense; Genitiv: des Common Sense der Commonsense; Genitiv: des Commonsense englisch common sense, zu: sense = Sinn, Verstand < lateinisch sensus (sensuell ) gesunder Menschenverstand

Commonwealth

Com mon wealth Substantiv, Neutrum , das |ˈkɔmənwɛlθ |das Commonwealth; Genitiv: des Commonwealth englisch commonwealth, zu: wealth = Reichtum, Wohl (ergehen ), also eigentlich = Gemeinwohl lose Gemeinschaft der noch mit Großbritannien verbundenen Völker des ehemaligen britischen Weltreichs

Commune Sanctorum

Com mu ne Sanc to rum Substantiv, Neutrum , das |Comm u ne Sanct o rum |das Commune Sanctorum; Genitiv: des Commune Sanctorum lateinisch ; »das den Heiligen Gemeinsame «Sammlung von Mess- und Breviergebeten in der katholischen Liturgie für die Heiligenfeste, die keine [vollständigen ] Texte besitzen

Communio Sanctorum

Com mu nio Sanc to rum Substantiv, feminin , die |Comm u nio Sanct o rum |die Communio Sanctorum; Genitiv: der Communio Sanctorum die Gemeinschaft der Heiligen, d. h. der Gott Angehörenden im christlichen Glaubensbekenntnis

Communis Opinio

Com mu nis Opi nio |Comm u nis Op i nio |die Communis Opinio; Genitiv: der Communis Opinio allgemeine Meinung, herrschende Auffassung [der Gelehrten ]

Community

Com mu ni ty Substantiv, feminin Jargon , die |kɔˈmjuːniti |die Community; Genitiv: der Community, Plural: die Communitys Gemeinschaft, Gruppe von Menschen, die ein gemeinsames Ziel verfolgen, gemeinsame Interessen pflegen, sich gemeinsamen Wertvorstellungen verpflichtet fühlen; Gemeinde 3b (besonders der Nutzer im Internet )

French Dictionary

commandant

commandant commandante n. m. et f. nom masculin et féminin Personne qui a un commandement militaire. LOCUTION Commandant de bord. Pilote. : Elle est commandante de bord de cet avion.

commande

commande n. f. nom féminin 1 Demande de marchandises adressée à un fabricant, à un marchand. : Recevoir, livrer une commande de livres. 2 Organe de transmission. : La commande d ’une machine. Les leviers de commande. LOCUTIONS Bon de commande. Document servant à transmettre le nombre et la nature des produits que l ’on veut acheter. : Des bons de commande. Prendre les commandes. figuré Prendre la direction de quelque chose. Sur commande. Selon les désirs et à la demande d ’un client. : Un canapé fait sur commande. SYNONYME sur mesure . Sur commande. figuré Qui n ’est pas vrai, sincère. : Une joie sur commande. SYNONYME de commande . Tenir les commandes. figuré Diriger. FORMES FAUTIVES placer une commande. Calque de « to place an order » pour passer une commande. remplir une commande. Calque de « to fill an order » pour exécuter une commande.

commandement

commandement n. m. nom masculin 1 Ordre. : À mon commandement, plongez! Note Sémantique Ne pas confondre avec les noms suivants: • instruction, indication précise pour l ’exécution d ’un ordre; • précepte, règle de conduite; • prescription, ordre détaillé. 2 Règles du christianisme. : Les dix commandements.

commander

commander v. tr. , intr. , pronom. verbe transitif 1 Diriger. : Commander une attaque. SYNONYME conduire ; mener . 2 Ordonner. : Il lui a commandé de sauter en parachute. 3 Demander un produit, un service. : La marchande a commandé 100 paires de gants. verbe intransitif Avoir autorité. : C ’est la directrice qui commande. SYNONYME diriger ; mener . verbe pronominal 1 Se maîtriser. : Il ne se commandait plus. 2 Dépendre de la volonté. : L ’amour ne se commande pas. 3 Passer une commande pour soi. : Julie s ’est commandé un canapé de velours rouge. Note Grammaticale À la forme pronominale, le participe passé de ce verbe s ’accorde en genre et en nombre avec le complément direct si celui-ci le précède. La pizza que tu t ’es commandée. Le participe passé reste invariable si le complément direct suit le verbe. Ils se sont commandé du poulet rôti. S ’il n ’y a pas de complément direct, le participe passé s ’accorde avec le sujet du verbe. Ces meubles se sont commandés facilement par Internet. aimer

commandeur

commandeur n. m. nom masculin Grade élevé dans un ordre de chevalerie.

commanditaire

commanditaire n. m. et f. nom masculin et féminin Personne physique ou morale qui apporte un soutien matériel à une manifestation, à une personne, à un produit (par exemple, une émission de radiotélévision ) ou à une organisation en vue d ’en retirer des avantages publicitaires directs (Recomm. off. ). SYNONYME parrain . Note Technique En France, on utilise sponsor en ce sens.

commandite

commandite n. f. nom féminin Soutien matériel apporté à une manifestation, à une personne, à un produit ou à une organisation en vue d ’en retirer des avantages publicitaires directs (Recomm. off. ). SYNONYME parrainage . Note Technique En France, on utilise sponsorship en ce sens.

commanditer

commanditer v. tr. verbe transitif Apporter un soutien matériel à une manifestation, à une personne, à un produit ou à une organisation en vue d ’en retirer des avantages publicitaires directs (Recomm. off. ). : Le marathon est commandité par plusieurs sociétés. SYNONYME parrainer . Note Technique En France, on utilise sponsoriser en ce sens. aimer

commando

commando n. m. nom masculin Groupe de combat spécialement entraîné. : Des actions de commandos.

comme

comme adv. et conj. adverbe Combien, à quel point. : Comme il est gentil! conjonction Ainsi que, de la même manière que. : Lent comme une tortue. « Nos sourires dans nos gorges comme des anneaux de fiançailles » (Alain Grandbois , Les Îles de la nuit ). SYNONYME tel . Note Grammaticale Lorsque la conjonction comme introduit une comparaison, qui est généralement placée entre virgules, le verbe et l ’attribut sont au singulier. Paul, comme Pierre, est gentil. conjonction de subordination La conjonction comme introduit une proposition circonstancielle: 1 De manière. De la façon dont. : J ’ai planté ces fleurs comme vous le désiriez. 2 De cause. Puisque. : Comme il pleuvait, la promenade a été remise. SYNONYME parce que . 3 De temps. Tandis que. : Comme nous arrivions, le soleil se montra. Note Syntaxique Après le verbe considérer, l ’attribut est introduit par comme. Le directeur la considère comme compétente (et non *la considère compétente ). LOCUTIONS C ’est tout comme. C ’est tout à fait la même chose. : Il ne l ’a pas frappé, mais c ’est tout comme. Comme cela. Ainsi. : Elle a glissé comme cela, en escaladant la paroi. Comme ci comme ça. Tant bien que mal. : Il a peint le mur comme ci comme ça. Comme convenu, comme prévu. Comme il a été convenu, comme il a été prévu. Comme il faut. Comme il convient. : Fais tes devoirs comme il faut. SYNONYME bien . Comme tout. Au plus haut point. : Il est gentil comme tout. SYNONYME extrêmement . Tout comme. Exactement comme. : Il est tout comme son père et adore la pêche. FORME FAUTIVE comme par exemple. Pléonasme pour comme ou par exemple.

commedia dell’arte

commedia dell ’arte n. f. nom féminin invariable Comédie italienne improvisée sur canevas. : Pantaleone et Pedrolino sont des personnages de la commedia dell ’arte. Note Typographique En typographie soignée, les mots étrangers sont composés en italique. Dans des textes déjà en italique, la notation se fait en romain. Pour les textes manuscrits, on utilisera les guillemets. Prononciation Le premier et le dernier e se prononcent é, [kɔmedjadɛlarte ]

commémoratif

commémoratif , ive adj. adjectif Qui commémore. : Un monument commémoratif. Une fête commémorative. Note Orthographique co mm é m oratif.

commémoration

commémoration n. f. nom féminin Cérémonie célébrant le souvenir d ’un évènement. Note Orthographique co mm é m oration.

commémorer

commémorer v. tr. verbe transitif Rappeler par une cérémonie le souvenir d ’une personne ou d ’un évènement. : Le maire voudrait commémorer la fondation de la ville. Note Technique L ’expression *commémorer un anniversaire est un pléonasme. On commémore une naissance, une victoire, mais on célèbre un anniversaire. aimer Note Orthographique co mm é m orer.

commencement

commencement n. m. nom masculin 1 Début, premier moment. : Le commencement du monde. Ce jour marque le commencement de notre amitié. SYNONYME création ; origine . ANTONYME fin . Note Sémantique Ne pas confondre avec les noms suivants: • origine, ce qui sert de point de départ; • prélude, ce qui précède quelque chose; • principe, ce qui désigne la cause première. 2 Première partie. : Le commencement du livre n ’est pas très intéressant.

commencer

commencer v. tr. , intr. verbe transitif direct 1 Entreprendre. : Il commence ses devoirs à 16 heures. SYNONYME aborder ; démarrer . ANTONYME finir ; terminer . 2 Être au commencement de. : Le paragraphe qui commence le chapitre. verbe transitif indirect Commencer + à. Se mettre à. : L ’arbre commence à pousser. Note Technique En ce sens, le verbe donne l ’idée de progrès futurs. verbe intransitif 1 Débuter. : L ’année commence aujourd ’hui. Mesdames et Messieurs, le spectacle va commencer! Note Grammaticale Le verbe commencer se conjugue avec l ’auxiliaire avoir quand on veut insister sur l ’action et avec l ’auxiliaire être quand on veut exprimer l ’état. L ’été a commencé le 21 juin. L ’été est commencé depuis quelques jours. 2 Commencer + par. Ce tour insiste sur l ’ordre d ’une suite d ’actions ou d ’états. : Il commence par (et non *avec ) la consultation des ouvrages et rédige ensuite. avancer Conjugaison Le c prend une cédille devant les lettres a et o. Il commença, nous commençons.

commensal

commensal , ale , aux n. m. et f. nom masculin et féminin littéraire Personne qui mange habituellement à la même table qu ’une autre. : Des commensaux agréables.

comment

comment adv. et n. m. inv. adverbe interrogatif # De quelle façon, pourquoi? : Comment allez-vous? Comment l ’aurais-je su? adverbe exclamatif # 1 Pour marquer la surprise. : Comment, vous êtes venu! SYNONYME quoi . 2 Pour souligner un résultat. : L ’objectif est atteint, et comment! nom masculin invariable Manière. : Nous aimerions connaître les pourquoi et les comment de cette décision. LOCUTION N ’importe comment De façon négligente. : Il a fait son lit n ’importe comment.

commentaire

commentaire n. m. nom masculin Remarque, observation. : Ces commentaires nous seront utiles. LOCUTION Sans commentaire. Dans cette expression, qui indique qu ’un fait est évident, qu ’il se passe d ’explications ou que la personne préfère ne pas se prononcer, le nom commentaire s ’écrit au singulier. Le nom s ’écrit au pluriel ou non dans l ’expression cela se passe de commentaire (s ).

commentateur

commentateur commentatrice n. m. et f. nom masculin et féminin Personne dont la fonction est de formuler des commentaires. : Un commentateur sportif.

commenter

commenter v. tr. verbe transitif Faire des observations sur un évènement, une situation, un document, etc. : Ces spécialistes doivent commenter les exploits des athlètes. Note Syntaxique Le verbe se construit avec un complément. Le maire a refusé de commenter la situation, de faire des commentaires sur les résultats d ’une enquête (et non *a refusé de commenter ). aimer

commérage

commérage n. m. nom masculin familier Potin. SYNONYME bavardage ; cancan ; racontar ; ragot . Note Technique Le nom s ’emploie surtout au pluriel. N ’écoutez pas ces commérages. Note Orthographique co mm é r age.

commerçant

commerçant commerçante n. m. et f. nom masculin et féminin Personne qui fait du commerce. : L ’épicier et le pâtissier sont des commerçants. SYNONYME marchand .

commerce

commerce n. m. nom masculin 1 Fonction qui a pour objet de vendre aux consommateurs les divers produits dont ils ont besoin. : Le commerce de détail, le commerce de gros. SYNONYME point de vente . 2 Magasin. : Il y a de petits commerces dans ce quartier. 3 littéraire Relation (avec quelqu ’un ). : Ils sont d ’un commerce agréable. LOCUTIONS Commerce électronique. Ensemble des activités commerciales effectuées par l ’entremise des réseaux informatiques, tel le réseau Internet, incluant la promotion et la vente en ligne de produits et services, la vente d ’information, ainsi que l ’échange de correspondance électronique (GDT ). : La croissance du commerce électronique (et non *e-commerce ). Commerce électronique interentreprises. Type de commerce électronique favorisant, grâce au réseau Internet, aux extranets ou aux réseaux privés virtuels, la vente de produits et services entre les entreprises (GDT ). Commerce équitable. Commerce visant à assurer un revenu décent aux petits producteurs des pays émergents pour qu ’ils puissent développer leur activité à long terme, assurer des conditions de travail décentes et utiliser des techniques agricoles, manufacturières, etc. , respectueuses de l ’environnement. Commerce interentreprises. Ensemble des transactions commerciales entre différentes entreprises. : Le commerce interentreprises (et non *B2B ) prend de l ’expansion.

commercer

commercer v. intr. verbe intransitif Faire du commerce avec (un pays, une entreprise ). : Cette entreprise commerce avec les États-Unis. avancer Conjugaison Le c prend une cédille devant les lettres a et o. Il commerça, nous commerçons.

commercial

commercial , iale , iaux adj. et n. m. et f. adjectif 1 Qui est relatif au commerce. : Une entreprise commerciale. Des échanges commerciaux. 2 péjoratif Conçu à des fins essentiellement lucratives. : Un film commercial. nom masculin et féminin Personne chargée des relations commerciales dans une entreprise. FORME FAUTIVE commercial. Anglicisme au sens de message publicitaire, publicité.

commercialement

commercialement adv. adverbe Du point de vue commercial. : Commercialement, ce produit n ’est pas attrayant. Note Orthographique commercia l ement.

commercialisation

commercialisation n. f. nom féminin Ensemble des activités commerciales d ’une entreprise (études, recherches commerciales, communication, administration, logistique, service après -vente ). Note Sémantique Ne pas confondre avec le nom marketing, stratégie de l ’entreprise axée sur la satisfaction des besoins du consommateur. Note Orthographique commercia l isation.

commercialiser

commercialiser v. tr. verbe transitif Mettre en marché un produit. : Ce produit est commercialisé au Canada. SYNONYME distribuer ; vendre . aimer Note Orthographique commercia l iser.

commère

commère n. f. nom féminin Personne curieuse et bavarde. : Imagine les racontars des commères du quartier. Michel est une vraie commère: avec lui, on est certain de connaître tous les potins. Note Technique Ce nom ne comporte pas de forme masculine, mais il s ’emploie pour désigner une femme ou un homme très bavard.

commérer

commérer v. intr. verbe intransitif vieilli Faire des commérages. SYNONYME cancaner ; médire . posséder. Conjugaison Le é se change en è devant une syllabe contenant un e muet, sauf à l ’indicatif futur et au conditionnel présent. Je commère, mais je commérerai.

comme tel

comme tel loc. adj. locution adjective Dans les expressions comme tel, en tant que tel, tenir pour tel, considérer comme tel, etc. , l ’adjectif tel s ’accorde avec le nom auquel il se rapporte. : Je la considère comme telle.

commettre

commettre v. tr. , pronom. verbe transitif Accomplir un acte répréhensible. : Commettre une infraction. Note Technique Le verbe commettre ne s ’emploie que pour un acte blâmable. Commettre une faute, mais accomplir un exploit. verbe pronominal Se compromettre. : Il vaut mieux ne pas se commettre avec ces personnes. Note Grammaticale À la forme pronominale, le participe passé de ce verbe s ’accorde toujours en genre et en nombre avec son sujet. Elles s ’étaient commises avec des personnes mal intentionnées. FORME FAUTIVE se commettre. Impropriété au sens de se prononcer, prendre position. remettre INDICATIF PRÉSENT Je commets, tu commets, il commet, nous commettons, vous commettez, ils commettent. IMPARFAIT Je commettais. FUTUR Je commettrai. PASSÉ SIMPLE Je commis, nous commîmes. CONDITIONNEL PRÉSENT Je commettrais. IMPÉRATIF PRÉSENT Commets, commettons, commettez. SUBJONCTIF PRÉSENT Que je commette. PARTICIPE PRÉSENT Commettant. PASSÉ Commis, ise.

commis

commis n. m. et f. nom masculin et féminin Personne affectée à des tâches diverses dans un bureau, une entreprise. : Une commis dévouée. Note Orthographique commi s.

commisération

commisération n. f. nom féminin littéraire Pitié. : Nous avons beaucoup de commisération pour ces malades qui sont condamnés. SYNONYME compassion .

commissaire

commissaire n. m. et f. nom masculin et féminin 1 Officier de police. 2 Membre d ’une commission. : Les commissaires ont déposé leur rapport.

commissaire-priseur

commissaire-priseur commissaire-priseuse n. m. et f. (pl. commissaires-priseurs ) nom masculin et féminin Personne chargée de diriger les ventes aux enchères.

commissariat

commissariat n. m. nom masculin Bureau d ’un commissaire de police. : Un commissariat de police. Note Orthographique commissaria t.

commission

commission n. f. nom féminin 1 Ensemble de personnes désignées par une autorité pour prendre des décisions, pour étudier une question. : Une commission parlementaire. Une commission d ’enquête. SYNONYME comité . 2 Message. : Il l ’a chargé d ’une commission. 3 Pourcentage touché par un intermédiaire. : Le vendeur reçoit une commission de 10 \%. SYNONYME prime ; ristourne . 4 au pluriel Achats, courses pour usage courant. : Elle est allée faire des commissions. SYNONYME emplettes . LOCUTION Commission scolaire. Personne morale de droit public chargée de l ’administration des écoles élémentaires et secondaires d ’un quartier, d ’une région. : La Commission scolaire des Rives-du-Saguenay. Note Technique Le terme conseil scolaire conviendrait mieux selon le GDT.

Commission canadienne des droits de la personne

Commission canadienne des droits de la personne désignation Sigle CCDP (s ’écrit avec ou sans points ).

Commission de la santé et de la sécurité du travail

Commission de la santé et de la sécurité du travail désignation Sigle CSST (s ’écrit avec ou sans points ).

Commission de terminologie de l’Office de la langue française

Commission de terminologie de l ’Office de la langue française désignation Sigle CTOLF (s ’écrit avec ou sans points ). Note Technique La CTOLF a pris le nom de Comité d ’officialisation linguistique de l ’Office québécois de la langue française en 2002.

Commission de terminologie française

Commission de terminologie française désignation Sigle CTF (s ’écrit avec ou sans points ).

commissionnaire

commissionnaire n. m. et f. nom masculin et féminin Intermédiaire. : Un commissionnaire de transport.

Commission scolaire de Montréal

Commission scolaire de Montréal désignation Sigle CSDM (s ’écrit avec ou sans points ).

commissure

commissure n. f. nom féminin Point de jonction. : Les commissures des lèvres.

commis voyageur

commis voyageur n. m. (pl. commis voyageurs ) nom masculin vieilli Représentant. Note Technique Ce nom s ’écrit sans trait d ’union. Aujourd ’hui, on emploie plutôt le nom représentant, représentante.

commode

commode adj. et n. f. adjectif 1 Pratique, aisé. : Un trajet commode. ANTONYME malcommode . 2 N ’être pas commode. Avoir mauvais caractère, ne pas être conciliant. : Mon supérieur hiérarchique n ’est pas commode. Note Syntaxique En ce sens, l ’adjectif s ’emploie dans une tournure négative. nom féminin Meuble de rangement avec des tiroirs. : Mes chaussettes sont dans le premier tiroir de ma commode.

commodément

commodément adv. adverbe 1 Sans difficulté, facilement. : La banquette arrière se replie commodément pour le transport des vélos, des skis, etc. 2 D ’une manière agréable, confortable. : Les invités sont commodément logés dans un pavillon du jardin.

commotion

commotion n. f. nom féminin Choc grave. : Une commotion cérébrale. SYNONYME traumatisme .

commotionner

commotionner v. tr. verbe transitif Frapper d ’une commotion. : Cet incident tragique les a commotionnés. SYNONYME traumatiser . aimer

commuable

commuable ou commutable adj. adjectif Qui peut être commué. : Une peine commuable.

commuer

commuer v. tr. verbe transitif droit Transformer une peine sévère en peine moindre. aimer

commun

commun , une adj. et n. m. adjectif 1 Qui a peu de valeur. : Un papier commun (et non *cheap ). SYNONYME bon marché . 2 Qui appartient à plusieurs. : Des intérêts communs, des traits communs. SYNONYME identique ; semblable . ANTONYME individuel . 3 Ordinaire. : Ils sont d ’une gentillesse peu commune. SYNONYME courant ; habituel . ANTONYME extraordinaire . LOCUTIONS Dénominateur commun. figuré Trait partagé par plusieurs personnes, élément commun à des choses, à des situations, etc. En commun. En collaboration. : Nous devons établir ce plan en commun. SYNONYME ensemble . Fonds commun de placement. finances Fonds constitué de sommes mises en commun par des investisseurs en vue d ’un placement collectif selon des critères et des objectifs définis. Le commun des mortels. Le plus grand nombre. : Cette chose n ’est pas sue du commun des mortels. Lieu commun. Banalité, propos éculés. SYNONYME cliché ; poncif ; truisme . Nom commun. Nom qui désigne une personne, un animal, une chose qui appartient à une espèce. : Le nom arbre est un nom commun, tandis que Julie est un nom propre. tableau – nom. Sans commune mesure. Sans comparaison possible. Sens commun. Bon sens, jugement. Transports en commun. Transports publics. nom masculin La majorité, le plus grand nombre.

communal

communal , ale , aux adj. adjectif Qui appartient à une commune. : Des chemins communaux. Une forêt communale.

communautaire

communautaire adj. adjectif Qui est relatif à une communauté, à un groupe de personnes. : La vie communautaire. Un organisme communautaire.

communautarisme

communautarisme n. m. politique Système qui développe la formation de communautés (ethniques, religieuses …) et nuit à l ’intégration en divisant la nation. : Pour garantir l ’unité et la cohésion nationales, il importe de s ’élever avec force contre toutes les formes de communautarisme, c ’est-à -dire contre la volonté de soumettre à des régimes particuliers certaines catégories de citoyens, en raison de leur origine ou de leur religion.

communautariste

communautariste adj. politique Relatif au communautarisme. : Sur la scène internationale, l ’État français vole au secours de la lutte contre l ’homogénéisation culturelle dont serait porteuse la mondialisation, alors qu ’au niveau interne l ’homogénéisation se mue en vertu au nom de la lutte contre les dérives communautaristes.

communauté

communauté n. f. nom féminin Groupe de personnes qui vivent ensemble ou qui partagent les mêmes idées et poursuivent un même objectif. : Une communauté religieuse. Des communautés culturelles. SYNONYME collectivité .

Communauté d’États indépendants

Communauté d ’États indépendants désignation Sigle CÉI (s ’écrit avec ou sans points ).

Communauté européenne

Communauté européenne désignation Sigle CE (s ’écrit avec ou sans points ).

commune

commune n. f. nom féminin 1 En France, subdivision administrative d ’une municipalité. 2 Terrain utilisé en commun pour le pâturage, la culture ou d ’autres usages (GDT ). Note Technique Selon le GDT, la commune a été instituée sous le régime seigneurial et il en subsiste encore quelques-unes au Québec. LOCUTION Chambre des communes. Assemblée nationale, dans un régime parlementaire britannique. FORME FAUTIVE commune. Anglicisme au sens de communauté.

communément

communément adv. adverbe Habituellement. : Cet outil, communément nommé marteau. SYNONYME couramment ; généralement .

communiant

communiant , iante n. m. et f. nom masculin et féminin Personne qui communie. : Des premières communiantes.

communicabilité

communicabilité n. f. 1 Qualité de ce qui est communicable. : Cet expert examine la communicabilité de certaines pièces administratives à d ’anciens employés. 2 Aptitude à communiquer facilement avec autrui. : Le « pape allemand » n ’a ni la chaleur ni la communicabilité de son prédécesseur. On voit que, de la plus petite langue amérindienne ou africaine à l ’anglais, il existe de multiples chaînes de locuteurs bilingues ou multilingues qui garantissent la communicabilité de la périphérie au centre.

communicable

communicable adj. Qui peut être communiqué, transmis. : Les archives ne sont communicables qu ’après un délai de 30 à 60 ans, selon la nature des documents.

communicant

communicant , ante adj. adjectif Qui communique. : Des vases communicants. Note Sémantique Ne pas confondre avec le participe présent invariable communiquant. Des pièces communiquant entre elles.

communicateur

communicateur , trice n. m. et f. nom masculin et féminin Personne douée pour la communication. : C ’est une excellente communicatrice. Des communicateurs efficaces.

communication

communication n. f. nom féminin 1 Action de communiquer à l ’aide de paroles, de gestes ou de signes. : Une communication téléphonique. La qualité de la communication. 2 Information, message. : J ’ai une communication à vous transmettre. 3 Conférence. : Ce scientifique fera une communication sur un nouveau traitement. SYNONYME exposé . 4 Passage d ’un lieu à un autre. : Une porte, un couloir de communication. LOCUTION Moyen de communication. Ce qui permet de communiquer, d ’aller d ’un lieu à un autre. : Les routes, les fleuves sont des moyens de communication. SYNONYME route ; voie .

communier

communier v. intr. verbe intransitif Recevoir le sacrement de l ’eucharistie, la communion. : Il communie tous les dimanches. étudier Conjugaison Redoublement du i à la première et à la deuxième personne du pluriel de l ’indicatif imparfait et du subjonctif présent. (Que ) nous communiions, (que ) vous communiiez.

communion

communion n. f. nom féminin 1 Action de communier. : La communion du dimanche. 2 Union profonde. : Une parfaite communion. SYNONYME accord ; harmonie .

communiqué

communiqué n. m. nom masculin Avis transmis au public. : Un communiqué a été envoyé aux journalistes. Note Sémantique Ne pas confondre avec les noms suivants: • billet, lettre très concise; • circulaire, lettre d ’information adressée à plusieurs destinataires; • courrier, ensemble des lettres, des imprimés, etc. , acheminés par la poste; • dépêche, missive officielle, message transmis par voie rapide; • lettre, écrit transmis à un destinataire; • note, brève communication écrite, de nature administrative.

communiquer

communiquer v. tr. , intr. , pronom. verbe transitif Transmettre un message. : Il m ’a communiqué la nouvelle. SYNONYME informer ; parler de . verbe intransitif 1 Être en rapport avec. : Elle communique bien avec sa fille. 2 Être reliés ensemble. : Ces magasins communiquent par un passage vitré. verbe pronominal Se transmettre. : Le renseignement qu ’ils se sont communiqué. Cette maladie se communique facilement: elle est très contagieuse. Note Grammaticale À la forme pronominale, le participe passé de ce verbe s ’accorde en genre et en nombre avec le complément direct si celui-ci le précède. Les chiffres qu ’ils se sont communiqués. Le participe passé reste invariable si le complément direct suit le verbe. Elles se sont communiqué des données. S ’il n ’y a pas de complément direct, le participe passé s ’accorde avec le sujet du verbe. Ces consignes se sont communiquées en un rien de temps. aimer

communisme

communisme n. m. nom masculin Doctrine qui prône la mise en commun des moyens de production, la suppression des classes sociales. ANTONYME capitalisme . Note Typographique Les noms de doctrines s ’écrivent avec une minuscule.

communiste

communiste adj. et n. m. et f. adjectif Relatif au communisme. : Le parti communiste. nom masculin et féminin Partisan du communisme. : Un, une communiste. ANTONYME capitaliste . Note Typographique Les noms d ’adeptes de doctrine s ’écrivent avec une minuscule.

commutateur

commutateur n. m. nom masculin Interrupteur. : On appuie sur le commutateur, et la chambre s ’éclaire.

commutation

commutation n. f. nom féminin Substitution.

commuter

commuter v. tr. verbe transitif Modifier par une substitution. aimer

Spanish Dictionary

commedia

commedia Palabra que se usa en la locución commedia dell ’arte , sinónimo de comedia italiana (V.).

Sanseido Wisdom Dictionary

comma

com ma /kɑ́mə |kɔ́mə /名詞 C 1 コンマ, 読点〘,〙.2 〘楽〙コンマ, 小音程 .

command

com mand /kəmǽnd |-mɑ́ːnd /〖com (完全に )mand (任せる )〗(名 )commander 名詞複～s /-dz /1 C «…せよという /…という » 命令 , 指令 «to do /that 節 » ▸ Fire when I give the command .命令したら発砲せよ ▸ give [issue ] a command to retreat 撤退命令を出す ▸ obey [defy, disregard, violate ] the commands of an officer 将校の命令に従う [を無視する, に違反する ]2 C 〘コンピュ〙(コンピュータへの )コマンド ▸ enter [execute ] a command コマンドを入力 [実行 ]する .3 U (集団の )指揮 (権 ), 統率 ; (状況などの )掌握, 支配 ▸ Who is in command here? ここの指揮官はだれか ▸ The ship was under (the ) command of Admiral Roberts .その船はロバーツ提督の指揮下にあった ▸ He was second in the chain of command .彼は指揮系統で2番目にいる ▸ take command of the situation [ship ]事態を掌握し采配（さいはい）を振る [船の指揮をとる ]4 U 〖時にa ～〗【特に語学などの】運用力 , 自由に使える力 ; 【自分の感情を】抑制 [把握 ]する力 , 【状況を】把握する力 ; 【金銭を】自由に使うこと «of » ▸ have a good command of English 高い英語の運用能力を持つ 5 C U 〖時にC -〗〘軍〙管轄の部隊 [区域 ]; 司令部 ; (…)部隊 ▸ Bomber Command 爆撃機隊 6 U ｟今はまれ｠見晴らし , 展望 ; 【ある地域を】一望できること «of » (↓他動詞 5 ).at one's comm á nd 思いのままに操ることができる ▸ He has five languages at his command .彼は5か国語を自由に駆使する be at A's comm á nd ｟かたく｠A 〈人〉に従う用意がある ▸ I'm at your command .(依頼に応じて )何なりとお申し付けください in comm á nd of one s è lf 自分を抑えて, 感情をコントロールして ▸ Despite the pressure, he looked well in command of himself .プレッシャーにもかかわらず, 彼は自分をしっかりコントロールしているよう見受けられた動詞～s /-dz /; ～ed /-ɪd /; ～ing 他動詞 1 a. 〈しかるべき立場にある人が〉…を命令する , 命じる , 要求する (!権限を持った人が, 従わなければ罰することを前提とした命令を出すこと ) ▸ He commanded the destruction of the town .彼は町の破壊を命じた ▸ command silence 静粛を求める b. 〖command A to do 〗A 〈人〉に … するよう命ずる , 命令する ▸ The lieutenant commanded his men to attack .中尉は部下に攻撃を命じた c. 〖command that節〗…することを命ずる ; ｟書｠〖直接話法〗…と命令する (→say 他動詞 1a 語法 )▸ The authorities commanded that the restaurant (｟主に英｠should ) be closed on health grounds .当局は衛生上の理由でそのレストランの閉鎖を命じた (!that節内のshouldの省略については →suggest 他動詞語法 ) 2 〘軍〙〈部隊など〉を指揮する ; 〈軍隊国が〉〈場所〉を制する , 支配する (rule )▸ The armored corps was commanded by Rommel, ‘the Desert Fox. ’その機甲部隊は「砂漠の狐」ロンメルの指揮下にあった 3 (しかるべくして )〈尊敬注目支持など〉を受ける, 集める ; 〈高額高値〉に値する (!進行形受け身にしない ) ▸ He commands the respect of his staff .彼は部下の信望が厚い ▸ command a high price 高値を呼ぶ 4 制する , 支配する (control ) (!進行形受け身にしない ) ▸ command a comfortable majority in the Diet 国会での安定多数を得る 5 ｟かたく｠〈場所建物などが〉〈風景など〉を見渡す, 見下ろす ; 〈要害の地〉を占める (!進行形受け身にしない ) ▸ The castle commands a view of the meandering river .城は曲がりくねって流れる川を見下ろしている 6 ｟かたく｠〈物〉を自由にする , 思いのままにする ; 〈言葉など〉を使いこなす , 駆使する .7 〈ある値〉で売れる .自動詞 1 命令する , 命じる .2 (軍隊で )指揮する .Y ò urs to comm á nd ｟古｠敬具 .～̀ ec ó nomy 計画経済 (planned economy ).～́ m ò dule (宇宙船の )司令室 .～́ p à per ｟英｠(国王から議会に提出される )勅令書 .～̀ perf ó rmance 〖通例単数形で〗御前公演 .～́ p ò st (軍の )司令部 .

commandant

com man dant /kɑ́məndæ̀nt |kɔ́m -/名詞 C 〖時にC -〗(部隊地域の )司令官, 指揮官 ; (陸軍学校の )校長 .

commandeer

com man deer /kɑ̀məndɪ́ər |kɔ̀m -/動詞他動詞 1 (戦時に )〈軍隊が〉〈建物財産など〉を接収する, 徴発する ; 〈人〉を徴兵する .2 ｟非難して｠〈物〉を勝手に奪い取る .

commander

com mand er /kəmǽndə r |-mɑ́ːnd -/→command 名詞複～s /-z /C 1 〖時に呼びかけで〗(軍隊の )司令官 , 指揮官 ; (一般に )指揮する人, 指導者 ▸ a commander of NATO forces in Europe ヨーロッパ駐留のNATO軍司令官 2 〘海軍〙中佐 ; (軍艦の )副長 (｟略｠Cdr, Cmdr ).3 警察署長 ; 警察管区長 ; ｟英｠(ロンドン警察庁の )警視長 .4 (社交友愛団体の )上級勲爵士 .～̀ in ch í ef 〖時にC - in C- 〗(軍隊の )最高司令官 ; 〘陸軍〙総指揮官 ; 〘海軍〙司令長官 (｟略｠C in C ).C -̀ of the F á ithful 〖the ～〗〘イスラム〙大教主〘caliphの称号〙.～ship 名詞 U commanderの地位 .

commanding

com m á nd ing 形容詞〖通例名詞の前で〗1 (部隊を )指揮する, 命令を下す〈軍人〉; 命令的な〈声〉; (ある場所分野で )支配的な〈存在など〉.2 ｟ほめて｠威厳ある, 堂々とした〈態度声など〉.3 (周囲を )見渡せる, 見晴らしのよい〈眺め場所〉.4 (競技選挙などで )優位 [優勢 ]な〈形勢〉.～̀ ó fficer (部隊の )指揮官, 隊長 (｟略｠C.O.).

commandment

com m á nd ment 名詞 C 1 a. 〖通例C -〗(モーセの )十戒の1つ ▸ the Ten Commandments モーセの十戒〘旧約聖書で神がモーセに与えた殺人盗みなどに対する戒め〙.b. 戒め, 戒律 .2 ｟文｠命令 .

commando

com man do /kəmǽndoʊ |-mɑ́ːn -/〖＜ポルトガル〗名詞複～(e )s C 奇襲 [特攻 ]隊 (員 ); 〖時にC -〗(第2次大戦での )連合国特殊部隊, (英国海兵隊の )特別奇襲部隊 .go comm á ndo ｟米おどけて｠下着をはいていない, ノーパンの .

commemorate

com mem o rate /kəmémərèɪt /動詞～s /-ts /; ～d /-ɪd /; -rating 他動詞 1 〈人が〉…を記念する , 祝う, しのぶ , 追悼する ; 〈記念碑建造物式典などが〉…を記念する ▸ a ceremony to commemorate the 150th anniversary of independence 独立150周年記念式典 2 …を (文章演説で )賞賛する , ほめる .

commemoration

com m è m o r á tion 名詞 1 U 記念する [しのぶ ]こと ; 追悼 ▸ in commemoration of A Aを記念して 2 C (出来事故人を )記念する物 ; 記念式典 .

commemorative

com mem o ra tive /kəmém (ə )rətɪv, -ərèɪt -/形容詞記念の ; 〈切手などが〉 «…を » 記念した «of » .名詞 C 記念となるもの ; 記念切手 [硬貨 ].～̀ í ssue 記念発行物〘硬貨切手など〙.～̀ st á mp 記念切手 .

commence

com mence /kəméns /〖com (完全に )mence (始める )〗動詞～s /-ɪz /; ～d /-t /; -mencing ｟かたく｠自動詞〈行事行為が〉 «…で » 開始する , 始まる (begin, start ) «with » ; 〈人が〉 «…を » 開始する , 始める «with » ▸ The contest will commence in France in five days .競技は5日後にフランスで挙行される他動詞 1 〈人などが〉〈事行為など〉を開始する , 始める (begin, start ); 〖～ to do /doing 〗〈人などが〉…し始める ▸ commence negotiations 交渉を開始する ▸ commence to give [giving ] lectures 講義を始める .2 ｟英｠〈学位など〉を受ける .

commencement

com m é nce ment 名詞 1 C U ｟かたく｠開始, 始まり (beginning ).2 C ｟主に米｠〖通例複合語で〗学位授与式 (の日 ); (大学高校などの )卒業式 (の日 ).～́ addr è ss ｟米｠卒業式の式辞 .～́ c è remony ｟米｠卒業式 .～́ sp è aker ｟米｠卒業式で式辞を述べる来賓 .～́ sp è ech ｟米｠卒業式での来賓の式辞 .

commend

com mend /kəménd /動詞～s /-dz /; ～ed /-ɪd /; ～ing 他動詞｟かたく｠1 〈人などが〉 «…のことで » 〈物人〉を (公に )賞賛する , 推奨する (praise ) «for , on » ▸ The workers are to be commended for their hard work [working hard ].従業員は一生懸命に働いていることで賞賛されるべきだ ▸ commend Michelle on her performance as a salesclerk 店員としてのミッシェルの働きぶりをほめる 2 〈人が〉【人に】〈物事人〉を推奨する , 推薦する (recommend ) «to » ▸ This product is low-priced and has much to commend it .この製品は低価格で推奨すべき点が多い (!itは主語のthis productをさす ) 3 ｟古｠ «…に » 〈人物〉を託す, ゆだねる «to » .comm é nd its è lf (to A )｟かたく｠〈物考えなどが〉(Aに ) (好感を持って )受け入れられる .Comm é nd me to A .A 〈人〉によろしく .

commendable

com m é nd a ble 形容詞｟かたく｠〈行為などが〉賞賛に値する .com m é nd a bly 副詞

commendation

com men da tion /kɑ̀məndéɪʃ (ə )n |kɔ̀men -/名詞｟かたく｠1 C 【業績などへの】(公式の )賞賛の言葉, 表彰状 «for » .2 U 賞賛, ほめること .3 U 推薦, 推奨 .

commensurate

com men su rate /kəméns (ə )rət |-ʃ (ə )rət /形容詞｟かたく｠〈報酬責任などが〉【能力経験などに】見合った, 相応の, «…と » 同等の «with » .

comment

com ment /kɑ́ment |kɔ́m -/ (! 強勢は第1音節 ) 〖語源は「創案, 工夫」〗(名 )commentary 名詞複～s /-ts /1 U 〖具体例では可算〗 «…についての » 論評 , 批評 , 見解 , 意見, コメント ; 注釈 , 解説 «on , about , upon » ▸ make a comment about [on ] A Aについて意見を述べる ▸ Do you have any questions or comments? 何か質問や意見はありませんか ▸ be fair comment ｟主に英｠もっともな意見である ▸ “No comment ,” said Brown .「(この件については )何も話すことはない」とブラウンは答えた (!通例マスコミなどに意見を求められ, 答えたくない時に用いる ) ▸ The minister was not available for comment .大臣からコメントをとることができなかった 2 U (言動などに対する )批判 ; うわさ, 世評 ▸ excite [provoke ] much comment かなりの物議をかもす .3 C 〖通例a ～ on A 〗A 〈好ましくない状況〉の反映 , 現れ ▸ The rising crime rate is a comment on the depression .上昇する犯罪率が不景気を物語っている 4 C (書物本文に対する )注解, 注釈, 解説 .5 C 〘言〙評言〘文中で新情報を伝えている部分; ↔topic 〙.動詞～s /-ts /; ～ed /-ɪd /; ～ing 自動詞 1 «…について » 論評 [批評 ]する , 見解を述べる, コメントする «on , about , upon » ▸ decline to comment on the newspaper report [whether he will run for election ]新聞報道 [彼が選挙に出馬するかどうか ]についてのコメントを避ける 2 «…について » 注釈 [解説 ]をつける «on , upon » .他動詞〈物事〉を論評 [批評 ]する ; 〖comment that節〗…だと見解を述べる ; ｟書｠〖直接話法〗…とコメントする (→say 他動詞 1a )▸ The Mayor commented that the plan had some problems .市長はその計画にいくつかの問題があるとの見解を述べた (!thatは省略しない ) .

commentary

com men tar y /kɑ́məntèri |kɔ́mənt (ə )ri /→comment 名詞複 -ies /-z /1 C U (テレビラジオの ) «…の » 実況解説 [報道 ] «on » ▸ do a World Cup final commentary ワールドカップ決勝戦の実況中継をする ▸ a commentary box (競技場放送局内の )実況放送室 2 C «…についての » 解説記事 [書 ] «on » ▸ a newspaper commentary 新聞の解説記事 3 U C «…についての » 論評 , 解説 , 批判 «on , about » ▸ do commentary on [about ] the news ニュースの解説をする 4 C 〖-ies 〗事実 [事件 ]の記録 ; 実録 .

commentate

com men tate /kɑ́məntèɪt |kɔ́m -/動詞自動詞｟かたく｠【スポーツ競技などの】実況解説をする «on » ; 論評を加える .他動詞 …を論評する ; 解説する .

commentator

com men ta tor /kɑ́məntèɪtə r |kɔ́m -/ (! 強勢は第1音節 ) →comment 名詞複～s /-z /C 1 (テレビラジオの )実況解説者 ; 実況アナウンサー .2 評論家, コメンテーター ▸ a social commentator 社会評論家 .

commerce

com merce /kɑ́məː r s |kɔ́m -/ (! 強勢は第1音節 ) 〖com (共に )merce (商品 )を売買すること〗(形名 )commercial 名詞 U 1 商業 , (大規模な )商業活動 , 通商 ; (国と国との )貿易 (→trade 1 )▸ international [domestic ] commerce 国際貿易 [国内通商 ]▸ a Chamber of Commerce (地域国の )商工会議所 (!通例地名が前に付いて固有名詞として用いられる ) .2 ｟やや古｠(人と人との )交流 , 意見のやり取り .3 ｟古｠性交 .C -́ Dep à rtment 〖the ～〗(アメリカの )商務省〘日本の経済産業省に相当する〙.～́ s è cretary 〖通例C - S- 〗(アメリカの )商務省長官 .

commercial

com mer cial /kəmə́ː r ʃ (ə )l /→commerce 形容詞 more ～; most ～1 比較なし〖通例名詞の前で〗商業 (上 )の , 通商の, 貿易の ▸ a commercial center [area, district ](都市地域の )商業の中心地 [商業地区 ]▸ commercial property 商業地の不動産 2 a. 〖通例名詞の前で〗営利的な , 商業的な, 商業ベースの〈商品事業など〉; 営業上の〈利益など〉▸ achieve commercial success 商業的な成功を収める ▸ a commercial company [enterprise ]営利企業 ▸ The movie was a commercial failure [flop ].映画は興行的には失敗作だった b. ｟非難して｠〈映画音楽芸術家などが〉商業主義的な, 金もうけ主義の, 利益優先の ▸ He has come to write commercial pop songs .彼は売れ線ねらいの流行歌を作るようになった .3 比較なし〖通例名詞の前で〗民放の〈テレビラジオ〉; スポンサー付きの〈番組放送〉; 民間の〈航空会社など〉▸ a commercial (radio ) station devoted to classical music クラシック音楽専門の民放 (ラジオ )局 4 比較なし〖名詞の前で〗市販の, 大量生産型の〈商品〉.5 ｟米｠〈牛肉が〉並の (→prime 形容詞 2 ).6 〈化学薬品が〉 (純度が低い )工業用の .名詞複～s /-z /C (テレビラジオの )コマーシャル , 宣伝 , 広告放送 (commercial message ) (!(1 )新聞雑誌などの広告はadvertisement. (2 )╳CMと省略しない ) ▸ do a commercial for a bank [cell phone ]銀行 [携帯電話 ]のコマーシャルに出演する ▸ a commercial jingle コマーシャルソング (!単にjingleとも; a commercial songは「(芸術性というよりも )収益を上げることを目的とした歌」の意味; ↑形容詞 2 b ) ～̀ á rt 商業芸術 .～̀ á rtist 商業デザイナー .～́ b à nk 市中銀行 .～̀ br é ak (テレビラジオ番組の間の )コマーシャル [宣伝 ]の時間 .～̀ br ó adcasting 商業放送 .～́ p à per 商業手形 .～̀ tr á veler ｟英やや古｠販売外交員 .～̀ v é hicle (報酬を受けて乗客や荷物を運搬する )営業車 .

commercialism

com mer cial ism /kəmə́ː r ʃəlɪ̀z (ə )m /名詞 U 1 ｟非難して｠商業主義, 営利主義 .2 商習慣 .

commercialization

com m è r cial i z á tion 名詞 U (物スポーツ行事などの )商業化, 営利化, 商品化 .

commercialize

com mer cial ize /kəmə́ː r ʃəlàɪz /動詞他動詞 1 ｟非難して｠〖通例be ～d 〗金もうけに利用される .2 〈物発明など〉を商品化する, 市場に乗せる .

commercially

com m é r cial ly 副詞 1 商業的に, 営業上 (!まれに文副詞として用いられることもある ) ▸ be commercially viable 採算がとれる 2 市販用に, 商業用に ▸ be commercially available 市販されている .

commie

com mie /kɑ́mi |kɔ́mi /名詞 C 形容詞｟くだけてけなして｠〖時にC -〗共産主義者 (の ), アカ (の )(communist ).

commingle

com min gle /kəmɪ́ŋɡ (ə )l |kɔm -/動詞他動詞 1 ｟かたく｠…を混ぜ合わせる .2 〈資金など〉を共同運用にする .自動詞混じり合う .

commiserate

com mis er ate /kəmɪ́zərèɪt /動詞自動詞｟かたく｠【不幸な事について /人に】同情する «about /with » , 【人を】哀れむ (sympathize ) «with » .

commiseration

com m ì s er á tion 名詞｟かたく｠1 U 【人に対する】哀れみ, 同情 «to » .2 〖～s 〗同情の念 [言葉 ]; ご同情申し上げます .

commissariat

com mis sar i at /kɑ̀məsé ə riət |kɔ̀m -/名詞 1 C 〘軍〙兵站（へいたん）部〘軍隊の食糧補給を担当〙; U 食料供給 .2 C 〘史〙(旧ソ連の )人民委員会 .

commissary

com mis sar y /kɑ́məsèri |kɔ́mɪs (ə )ri /名詞複 -ies C 1 ｟米｠(基地刑務所などの )売店, 購買部 .2 ｟米｠(映画スタジオ工場などの )食堂 .3 ｟英｠〘軍〙兵站（へいたん）将校 .4 代表者, 管理人 .

commission

com mis sion /kəmɪ́ʃ (ə )n /→commit 名詞複～s /-z /1 C 〖集合的に; ｟主に英｠では単複両扱い〗(政府などにより委託を受けた )委員会 (!C-で委員会の名称の一部として用いられることがある ) ▸ A commission has been set up to study the safety of cloning .クローンの安全性を研究するために委員会が設置された ▸ an advisory commission 諮問委員会 ▸ the Federal Communications Commission (米国の )連邦通信委員会 2 U «…の /…に対する » (販売人の )歩合 (給 ), 報酬 ; (銀行などに払う )手数料 «on /for » (!具体例ではa ～/～s; その際しばしば修飾語を伴う ) ; U 代理業務, 取次 ▸ get [be paid ] 15 percent commission on sales 売り上げの15 \%の歩合を受け取る ▸ work on commission 歩合制で仕事をする ▸ Most banks charge a 3 percent commission for the exchange of currencies .たいていの銀行は通貨の交換に3 \%の手数料をとる 3 C (芸術家音楽家などに対する )仕事の依頼, 注文 , 委嘱（いしよく）; ｟かたく｠(一般に )依頼による仕事, 任務 ▸ accept a commission to write a novel about the incident その事件についての小説を書く依頼を承諾する 4 C 〘軍〙(委嘱される )将校の役職 ; 将校任命辞令 ▸ earn an army commission 陸軍将校の職を得る 5 U ｟かたく｠【犯罪を】犯すこと «of » .6 U (職権任務の )委任, 委託 ; (委任による )権限, 職権 ; C 委任状 .in comm í ssion 〈軍艦が〉就役中の ; 〈車機器などが〉使用されている, 現役の .ò ut of comm í ssion 1 〈軍艦が〉退役の ; 〈車機器などが〉故障中で, 使用できない .2 ｟くだけて｠〈人が〉病気で, 負傷して .動詞他動詞｟主に書｠1 a. 〈人などが〉 «…に » 〈報告書芸術作品など〉の作成 [制作 ]を依頼する ; 〈仕事など〉を委託 [委嘱（いしょく）]する «from » ▸ The television station commissioned a new drama series .テレビ局は新しい連続ドラマの制作を依頼した .b. 〖～ A to do 〗A 〈人など〉に …するよう依頼 [注文 ]する ▸ We were commissioned to build a hospital .私たちは病院建設の注文を受けた .2 〖通例be ～ed 〗〈人が〉 «…の位で » 将校に任命される «as, into » .3 〈軍艦〉を就役させる .4 〈人〉に権限 [職権 ]を与える .～́ à gent ｟英｠仲買人, ブローカー .～̀ ó fficer 〘軍〙将校, 士官 .

commissionaire

com mis sion aire /kəmɪ̀ʃənéə r /名詞 C ｟英｠(ホテル劇場映画館などの )ドア係, 接客係 .

commissioner

com mis sion er /kəmɪ́ʃ (ə )nə r /→commit 名詞複～s /-z /C 〖時にC -〗1 (政府の省庁などの )長官 ; (自治体の )部 [局 ]長 ; (地方植民地などの )弁務官 (!しばしば称号として固有名詞的に用いられる ) ▸ Food and Drug Administration Commissioner (米国の )食品医薬品局 [FDA ]長官 ▸ the (Office of the ) U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees 国連難民高等弁務官 (事務所 )(｟略｠UNHCR ).2 (都市町の警察組織の )警視総監 ▸ New York ('s ) [the Metropolitan ] Police Commissioner ニューヨーク市 [ロンドン警視庁の ]警視総監 3 ｟米｠(プロ野球バスケットボールなどの協会の )コミッショナー .4 (政府自治体などの委員会の )委員 , 理事 (→commission 名詞 1 ).～̀ for ó aths ｟英｠〘法〙宣誓管理官 .

commit

com mit /kəmɪ́t /〖com (完全に )mit (引き渡す任せる )〗(名動 )commission, (名 )commissioner 動詞～s /-ts /; ～ted /-ɪd /; ～ting 他動詞 1 〈犯罪など〉を犯す, 〈悪い事愚かな事など〉をする ▸ commit adultery [a murder ]不倫をする [殺人を犯す ]▸ serious offences committed by minors 未成年者による凶悪犯罪 ▸ commit suicide with a gun 銃で自殺する .2 〈人物などが〉〈人などに〉 «…を /…することを » (義務として )求める , 規定する «to /to do ing » ▸ The treaty commits the nations to reducing the amount of greenhouse gases .条約はその国々に対して温室効果ガスの排出量を減らすことを求めている 3 〖be ～ted /～ oneself 〗〈人などが〉 «事など /…することに » (本気で )取り組む , 専念する , 入れ込む «to /to do ing » ; 【人組織などに】(真剣に )かかわる , 傾倒する, 献身する «to » ▸ The government must be committed to economic reforms .政府は経済改革に本腰を入れて取り組むべきである ▸ Andy is committed to preparing for the school festival .アンディは学園祭の準備に一所懸命である 4 〖～ oneself /be ～ted 〗 «…を /…することを » (かたく )約束する , «…に /…することに » 言質（げんち）を与える, 明言する «to /to do ing , to do » ; «…について » 態度 [意見 ]をはっきりさせる «on » ▸ The police committed themselves to a tighter crackdown on drugs .警察は麻薬取締りの強化を明言した ▸ He didn't commit himself on the issue .彼はその問題についての意見を差し控えた .5 【ある目的のために】〈資金時間人など〉を用いる (と決める ), 充てる, 投入する «to , for » ▸ commit a small amount of time to volunteer work 少しの時間をボランティア活動に割く 6 ｟かたく｠〈人が〉 (保護のため ) «…へ » 〈人〉をゆだねる, 託す «to » ; 〖通例be ～ted 〗〈人が〉【病院刑務所などに】送られる , 収容 [収監 ]される «to » .7 ｟かたく｠〈人が〉【記憶などに】〈事物〉を任す , 託す «to » ▸ commit A to memory [paper, writing ]A 〈事物〉を記憶にとどめる [書き留める ].8 〈法案など〉を委員会に付託する .9 ｟英｠〖通例be ～ted 〗〈人が〉【裁判に】かけられる «for » ▸ be committed for trial 裁判にかけられる .自動詞 1 〈人などが〉【事などに】(本気で )取り組む , 専念する ; (真剣に )かかわる, 傾倒する «to » .2 〈人などが〉 «…について » 態度 [意見 ]をはっきりさせる , 言質を与える «to » .

commitment

com mit ment /kəmɪ́tmənt /→commit 名詞複～s /-ts /1 C ｟かたく｠ «…の /…するという » 約束 , 言質（げんち）, 公約 ; 責任, 義務 «to /to do » ▸ make [fulfill ] a commitment 約束をする [果たす ]▸ a commitment to improve [better ] working conditions 労働条件改善の約束 2 U 〖具体例ではa (…) ～〗【活動組織などへの】(真剣な )かかわり , 取り組み, 傾倒, 献身 «to » ▸ make a commitment to peace [one's job ]平和に献身する [本気で仕事に取り組む ]3 C (前もって決まっている )用事 , しなくてはならない事 ▸ family [work ] commitments 家庭 [仕事 ]の用事 .4 C (定期的な一定金額の )支払い ▸ a financial commitment for one's house 家のローンの支払い 5 U C 【資金時間人などを /ある目的のために】利用すること , 使うこと «of /to » , 充当, 投入 .6 U C 委託 ; ｟米｠〘法〙(刑務所などへの )収監, 投獄 , 拘留 , (精神病院などへの )収容 .7 U C (罪を )犯すこと , 犯行 .8 U (法案などの )委員 (会 )付託 .

committal

com mit tal /kəmɪ́t (ə )l /名詞 C U 1 ｟英｠〘法〙(刑務所精神病院への )収監, 収容 (｟米｠commitment ).2 ｟かたく｠埋葬, 火葬 .

committed

com m í t ted /-ɪd /形容詞〖名詞の前で〗真剣な, 献身的な〈人など〉▸ a committed nationalist 熱心な愛国主義者

committee

com mit tee /kəmɪ́ti , 2 ではkɑ̀mɪtíː |kɔ̀m -/〖語源は「任される (commit )者 (ee )」; 〗→commit 名詞複～s /-z /C 1 〖集合的に; ｟主に英｠では単複両扱い〗 «…に関する /…のための » 委員会 «on /for » ; (全 )委員 (!1人の委員はa committee member ) ; ｟英｠〖C- 〗全院委員会 ▸ a standing [a steering, an executive ] committee 常任 [運営, 執行 ]委員会 ▸ a committee on college life 大学生活に関する委員会 ▸ a committee meeting 委員会 (の会議 )▸ set up [form, organize ] a committee 委員会を設立 [組織 ]する ▸ be [sit, serve ] on the committee 委員会のメンバーである ▸ be in committee (議案などが )委員会で審議中である ▸ The committee meet (s ) on Friday .委員会は金曜日に開催される (!構成員の個々を意識する場合には特に｟英｠では複数扱い ) .2 〘法〙後見人 ; 管財人 .～́ st à ge 〘英議会〙委員会審議 .

committeeman

comm í ttee man /-mən, -mæ̀n /名詞複 -men C (委員会の男性の )委員 ; (地区の )政治指導者 (｟男女共用｠committee member, member of the committee ).

committeewoman

comm í ttee w ò man 名詞複 -women C (女性の )委員 ; (地区の )女性政治指導者 (→committeeman ).

commode

com mode /kəmóʊd /名詞 C 1 室内便器 ; 便所 (toilet ).2 移動式洗面台 .3 ｟やや古｠整理だんす .

commodious

com mo di ous /kəmóʊdiəs /形容詞｟文｠1 〈家や部屋が〉住み心地よく広い (roomy ).2 便利な .～ly 副詞～ness 名詞

commodity

com mod i ty /kəmɑ́dəti |-mɔ́d -/名詞複 -ties /-z /C 1 〘経〙(サービスに対して )産物 , 商品 ; 日用品 (goods )▸ a scarce commodity 欠乏物資 ▸ commodities trading 商品 (先物 )取引 2 ｟かたく｠役に立つ [便利な ]物 .～́ exch à nge 商品取引所 .

commodore

com mo dore /kɑ́mədɔː r |kɔ́m -/名詞 C 1 〘海軍〙准将, 代将〘少将と大佐の間の地位〙.2 〘英海軍〙船隊司令官 .3 提督〘古参艦長やヨットクラブ会長などの敬称〙.4 (ヨットクラブの )会長 .5 (商船隊の )古参船長 .

common

com mon /kɑ́mən |kɔ́m -/〖com (共に )mon (義務を負わされた )〗形容詞 more ～; most ～/｟まれ｠～er ; ～est 1 普通の ; «…の間で » よくある , ありふれた «among » (↔uncommon, rare 1 )▸ a common event [sight ]普通の出来事 [よく見る光景 ]▸ a flower common in English fields 英国の野によく見かける草花 ▸ a common occurrence よくあること ▸ Refrigerators became common among the public in 1960s .冷蔵庫は1960年代に一般に普及した ▸ It is quite common for girls to play soccer in Shizuoka .静岡では女の子がサッカーをするのは全然珍しいことではない (╳It is common that … としない )類義コーパス commonとusual, ordinary いずれも「普通の, ありふれた」という意味を表すが, common は多くの場面で見られることに, usual は高い頻度で見られることに, それぞれ重点がおかれる. したがって特定の個人などについてcommonを用いることはできない ▸ as is usual [╳common ] with him 彼にはよくあることだが .ordinary はとりたてて目立つところがなく普通であることを表す. またcommonやusualと異なり, it is ～ to doの構文で用いることはできない .2 比較なし〖通例名詞の前で〗 «…に » 共通の , 共有の , 共同の «to » ; 公共の (!集団などの共通性をいう; ↑類義 ) ▸ You and I share [have ] a common interest .君と僕とは興味が一致している ▸ by common consent 異議なく, 異口同音に ▸ English as a common language 共通言語としての英語 ▸ This characteristic is common to all mammals .この特徴はすべての哺乳類に共通である ▸ for the common good 公衆の利益のために 3 比較なし〖名詞の前で〗通常の , 普通の ; 平凡な, 月並みな ▸ a common practice 通常の方法 ▸ a common student 並みの学生 ▸ the common man [people ]一般民衆 ▸ To some people he was a hero and to others a common thief .一部の人にとって彼は英雄であったが, ほかの人にとってはただの泥棒でしかなかった 4 比較なし一般的な, 広く知られた ; 当たり前の ▸ a common belief 広く信じられていること ▸ It's a common courtesy [decency ] to knock on the door .ドアをノックすることは当たり前の礼儀だ .5 ｟主に英やや古非難して｠〈人ふるまいが〉下品な , 粗野な ; 〈物が〉粗末な (↔refined ).6 比較なし〘数〙共通の, 公約の ; 〘言〙(音節が )長短共通の .c ò mmon or g á rden ＝common-or-garden .名詞 1 a. C 〖｟米｠ではしばしばthe ～s 〗(村町にある )共有地 , 公有地 ▸ walk my dog on the common 町の共有地で犬を散歩させる b. 〖主に名称で; C- 〗…公園 .2 〖～s 〗＝commons .3 C 〘キリスト教〙(特定式典の )礼拝式 (文 ).4 C 〘法〙入会（いりあい）権〘土地水域の共有権〙.5 ｟英俗｠＝common sense .h à ve A in c ó mmon 〈人物などが〉【人物などと】共通のA 〈事〉をもつ «with » (!Aはa lot, something, nothingなど ) ▸ Susan and Mary have little in common .≒Susan has little in common with Mary .スーザンとメリーに共通点はほとんどない in c ó mmon 1 ｟かたく｠ «…と » 同じように «with » ▸ Dave, in common with many others, was disappointed with the government's policy .デイヴはほかの人たちと同じように政府の政策に失望していた 2 共通に, 共同で ▸ The couple owns the company in common .2人は共同で会社を所有している ò ut of the c ó mmon 並はずれた, 珍しい .～̀ c á rrier 運輸業者 [会社 ] 〘鉄道バス通運などの業者 [会社 ]; 米国では広義には通信業者 [会社 ]をも含める〙.～̀ ch ó rd 〘楽〙長三和音 .～̀ c ó ld 〖the ～; 通例単数形で〗(普通の )かぜ .～̀ cr í minal 常習犯 .～̀ c ú rrency 一般に普及しているもの, 通常のもの ; 〘経〙共通通貨 .～̀ den ó minator 〖通例単数形で〗1 共通点 .2 〘数〙公分母 .～̀ div í sor [f á ctor ]〘数〙公約数 .～́ è ntrance ｟英｠〖通例C - E- 〗パブリックスクール共通入学試験 .C -̀ É ra 〖the ～〗＝Christian era .～̀ fr á ction ｟米｠〘数〙分数 (→decimal fraction ).～̀ g é nder 〘文法〙通性〘男女両性に通ずる (代 )名詞; parentなど〙.～̀ gr ó und (議論の )共通基盤 .～́ j ù ry 〘法〙普通陪審 .～̀ kn ó wledge だれもが知っていること, 常識 ▸ It is common knowledge that ……ということはよく知られている～́ l à nd ｟英｠共有地 .～̀ l á w 普通法, 慣習法 (↔statute law ; →common-law ).～̀ m á rket 1 (多国間の )自由貿易機関 .2 〖the C- M- 〗ヨーロッパ経済共同体〘正式名the European Economic Community; ヨーロッパ連合 (European Union )の前身〙.～̀ m é ter [m é asure ]〘詩学〙普通律〘賛美歌に多い詩形〙.～̀ m ú ltiple 〘数〙公倍数 .～̀ n ó un [n á me ]〘文法〙普通名詞 .～̀ pl é as 〘法〙民事訴訟 (裁判所 ).C -̀ Pr á yer 〖the ～〗〘英国教〙共通祈禱（きとう）文 .～́ r ò om ｟主に英｠(大学などの )談話室 .～̀ s á lt 食塩 .～́ sch ò ol ｟米｠公立小学校 .～̀ s é nse 常識, 良識, 分別 (!理性的な判断を表す; 知識に関する常識は～ knowledge ) ▸ Use your common sense .常識で考えなさい～̀ st ó ck ｟米｠普通株 (→preferred stock ).～̀ t í me 〘楽〙普通拍子〘2拍子または4拍子, 特に4分の4拍子〙.～̀ t ó uch ｟ほめて｠〖通例the ～〗(権力者や有名人の )庶民性, 親しみやすさ .～́ y è ar 平年〘うるう年 (leap year )でない年〙.～ness 名詞

commonality

com mon al i ty /kɑ̀mənǽləti |kɔ̀m -/名詞複 -ties U C ｟かたく｠1 共通点 [性 ].2 ＝commonalty 1 .

commonalty

com mon al ty /kɑ́mən (ə )lti |kɔ́m -/名詞複 -ties ｟かたく｠1 U 〖the ～; 単複両扱い〗一般民衆, 大衆 .2 C 法人 ; 共同体 .

commoner

com mon er /kɑ́mənə r |kɔ́m -/名詞 C 1 (貴族に対して )平民, 庶民 .2 ｟英｠(Oxford大学でフェローや奨学生でない )自費生 .3 入会（いりあい）権所有者 .

common-law

c ò mmon-l á w 形容詞〖名詞の前で〗慣習法による ; 内縁の .～̀ h ú sband [w í fe ]内縁の夫 [妻 ].

commonly

com mon ly /kɑ́mənli |kɔ́m -/→common 副詞 1 more ～; most ～普通に ; 頻繁に, たくさん ▸ a commonly asked question よくある質問 .2 比較なし通例, 一般に ▸ be commonly known as A 一般にAとして知られている .

common-or-garden

c ò mmon-or-g á rden 形容詞｟英くだけて｠ごくありふれた, 普通の, 月並みな (｟米｠garden-variety ).

commonplace

com mon place /kɑ́mənplèɪs |kɔ́m -/〖原義は名詞 2 ; 形容詞の用法は17世紀から〗形容詞 more ～; most ～1 〖通例be ～〗ごく普通の , よくある [見られる ], ありふれた ▸ Cell phones have become commonplace .携帯電話は普通のものになった 2 〈言葉表現などが〉ありきたりの , 陳腐な .名詞 C ｟かたく｠1 〖通例a ～〗ごく普通の [よくある ]事 [物 ]▸ Crimes are a commonplace in the neighborhood .その界隈では犯罪は日常茶飯事だ 2 a. 〖通例a ～〗ありきたりの [陳腐な ]発言 [意見 ], 決まり文句 ; (引用の )名言, 名句 .b. 〖the ～〗平凡 [退屈 ] (な事 ).

commons

c ó m mons 名詞 1 〖the C-; 複数扱い〗(英国カナダなどの )下院 (House of Commons ); 〖集合的に〗下院議員 .2 〖単複両扱い〗(大学などの )定食 .3 〖単数扱い〗(特に大学の )大食堂, 学生食堂 .4 〖the ～; 複数扱い〗｟古｠平民 .

commonsense

c ò mmon s é nse 形容詞〖名詞の前で〗常識的な〈解決策予防策など〉; 明らかな .

commonweal

common weal /kɑ́mənwìːl |kɔ́m -/名詞｟古｠1 U 〖the ～〗公共の福利 .2 C 共和国 .

commonwealth

com mon wealth /kɑ́mənwèlθ |kɔ́m -/〖common (公共の )wealth (富 )〗名詞複～s /-s /1 〖通例the C- 〗イギリス連邦 , 英連邦 (the Commonwealth of Nations ) 〘イギリスおよび旧大英帝国の一部であった独立国といくつかの属領からなる自由連合体; 英国王 [女王 ]を共通の象徴としてまた元首として認めている〙.2 ｟かたく｠〖the C- 〗(国の公式名としての )連邦 , 共和国 ; (複数の国家からなる )連邦 , 共同体 ▸ the Commonwealth of Australia [the Bahamas ]オーストラリア [バハマ ]連邦 3 ｟米｠〖the C- 〗州 , 自治領〘the C- of Kentucky [Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Virginia ]の4州とthe C- of Puerto Rico, Northern Mariana Islandsの自治領に用いる〙.4 〖集合的に〗国民 , 国家 .5 C (共通の利害を持った人々の )団体 .6 〖the C- 〗イギリス共和国 (the Commonwealth of England )(の時代 ) 〘君主制廃止 (1649 )から護国官制成立まで, もしくは王政復古 (1660 )までをいう〙.C -́ D à y 〖the ～〗英連邦記念日〘3月の第2月曜〙.C -́ G à mes 〖the ～〗イギリス連邦競技大会〘4年に1度開かれる〙.C -̀ of Indep è ndent St á tes 〖the ～〗独立国家共同体〘旧ソ連の12の共和国からなる; ｟略｠CIS 〙.

commotion

com mo tion /kəmóʊʃ (ə )n /名詞 U C 騒動, 騒ぎ, 動揺, 激動, 混乱 ▸ be in commotion 動揺している

communal

com mu nal /kəmjúːn (ə )l |kɔ́mjʊ -/形容詞 1 (地方 )自治体の ; 共同社会 (community )の .2 公共の ▸ communal property [land ]共有財産 [地 ]3 共同社会間に起こる .～ì sm 名詞 U 地方自治主義 .～ly 副詞

commune

com mune 1 /kəmjúːn /動詞自動詞 1 ｟かたく｠ «…と » (精神的に )親しく語る [交わる ] «with » ▸ commune with nature 自然と親しむ ▸ commune with the dead 死者と話す 2 ｟米｠〘キリスト教〙聖餐（せいさん）にあずかる, 聖体を拝領する .名詞＝communion .

commune

com mune 2 /kɑ́mjuːn |kɔ́m -/名詞 C 1 (ヒッピー宗教団体などの )コミューン, 共同生活の場 .2 コミューン〘フランスベルギーなどの最小行政区である自治体〙.3 (共産主義的 )共同体 ; (中国などの )人民公社 .4 〖the C- 〗パリコミューン (the Commune of Paris , the Paris Commune ) 〘1792 --94年のパリの革命政府; 1871年3 --5月パリを支配した共産主義的革命政府〙.

communicable

com mu ni ca ble /kəmjúːnɪkəb (ə )l /形容詞｟かたく｠1 〖通例名詞の前で〗感染 [伝染 ]性の〈病気〉.2 〈考えなどが〉伝達できる, 伝えられる .com m ú ni ca bly 副詞

communicant

com mu ni cant /kəmjúːnɪk (ə )nt /名詞 C 1 〘キリスト教〙聖餐（せいさん）にあずかる者, 聖体拝領者 .2 伝達者, 密告者 (informer ).

communicate

com mu ni cate /kəmjúːnɪkèɪt / (! 強勢は第2音節 ) 〖common (共有 )ate (する )〗(名 )communication 動詞～s /-ts /; ～d /-ɪd /; -cating 自動詞 1 a. 〖communicate (with A )〗〈人などが〉 (言葉身ぶりなどで )(A 〈人など〉と )情報 [意見 ]を交換する , 通信する, 連絡をとる ▸ communicate effectively [directly ] with people from other countries 外国人と効果的に [直接 ]会話をする ▸ We are communicating (with each other ) by e-mail .私たちはeメールで (お互いに )情報をやり取りしています b. 〈人が〉【人に】自分の意図を伝達する «to » ▸ I managed to communicate to the shop clerk with gestures .身ぶりでその店員になんとかこちらの意図を伝えることができた 2 〖communicate (with A )〗〈人が〉 (A 〈人〉と )意思の疎通をする , 気持ちを通い合わせる ▸ The new president is good at communicating with the employees .新社長は社員との意思の疎通がうまい 3 〈部屋機器などが〉 «…と » つながっている , 通じている «with » ▸ a communicating copier 通信コピー機 .4 〈人の気持ち情報などが〉【人物に】伝わる , 伝達される «to » ▸ Your sincerity will communicate to your customers .誠意はお客さんに伝わるものです 5 〘宗〙聖餐（せいさん）にあずかる , 聖体を拝領する .他動詞 1 〖communicate A (to B )〗〈人などが〉(B 〈人など〉に )A 〈情報意図感情など〉を伝える , 伝達する ; 〖～ oneself (to A )〗〈感情などが〉(A 〈人など〉に )伝わる ; 〖～ to A that節 /wh句節〗A 〈人など〉に … だと […かを ]伝える ▸ communicate one's ideas [feelings, knowledge ] to others 自分の考え [気持ち, 知識 ]を他人に伝える ▸ The giggling was immediately communicated to everybody in the classroom .(くくっという )笑いはすぐさま教室中に伝わった [広がった ]▸ His anxiety communicated itself to us .彼が不安そうだったのでこちらまで不安になった｟作文のポイント｠お互いに意思疎通し合う .× communicate each other ○ communicate with each other ❢伝える相手を示すときは自動詞で前置詞 withが必要 .2 〈物が〉 «…に » 〈熱運動など〉を伝える ; 〖通例be ～d 〗〈病気が〉 «…に » 感染する , うつる «to » .3 〘宗〙…を聖餐（せいさん）にあずからせる , …に聖体を拝領させる .com m ú ni c à tor 名詞 C 伝える人, 伝達者 .

communication

com mu ni ca tion /kəmjùːnɪkéɪʃ (ə )n /→communicate 名詞複～s /-z /1 U «…との /…の間の » (情報意図感情などの )伝達 , 連絡, 通信, やり取り ; 意思の疎通 , 心の通い合い [交わり ], コミュニケーション «with /between » ▸ be in communication with A ｟かたく｠A 〈人〉と (定期的に )連絡を取り合っている ▸ improve [build, establish ] the communication between the two countries 2国間の連絡を密にする [確立する ]▸ communication skills 自分の意図を伝える力, コミュニケーション能力 ▸ English is now the means of global communication .英語は今や地球規模のコミュニケーション手段だ ▸ nonverbal communication (身ぶりや表情による )非言語コミュニケーション ▸ There seems to be a lack [failure ] of communication between them .彼らは心が通じ合っていないようだ 2 C 〖～s 〗(電話コンピュータ無線などの )通信 (手段 [システム ]); 報道機関 ; «…との /…の間の » (鉄道道路などの )交通網, 輸送機関 «with /between » ; 〘軍〙(基地から前線への )輸送路 ▸ communications technology [network ]通信技術 [網 ]▸ data [electronic ] communications (インターネットなどによる )データ [電子 ]通信 ▸ The flood caused great damage to the city's communications systems .洪水で都市の交通システムに多大な損害が出た 3 C ｟かたく｠(電話手紙などによる具体的な )連絡, 通知 , メッセージ , 伝言 ; (学会発表 )論文 ▸ That phone call was the last communication from Terry .その電話がテリーからの最後の連絡だった 4 U 〖～s; 単数扱い〗コミュニケーション論 , 通信学 .5 U (熱の )伝導 ; (動力が )伝わること ; (病気の )感染 .～́ c ò rd ｟英｠(電車内の乗客用の )緊急通報コード (｟米｠emergency cord ).～́ engin è ering 情報工学 .～́ g à p (世代間などの )意思疎通の断絶, 相互理解の欠如 .～́ s ì ndustry 通信産業 .～́ (s ) s à tellite 通信衛星 .～̀ (s ) s ó ftware 〘コンピュ〙通信ソフト .～́ th è ory 情報理論 .～al 形容詞

communicative

com mu ni ca tive /kəmjúːnəkèɪtɪv |-nɪkət -/形容詞 1 〈人が〉話し好きの .2 〖名詞の前で〗(外国語で )伝達 [発信 ]する, コミュニケーションの〈能力など〉.

communion

com mu nion /kəmjúːniən /名詞 1 U 〖C- 〗聖餐（せいさん）式, 聖体拝領 (→First (Holy ) Communion )▸ go to Communion 聖餐式に参加する ▸ receive [deliver ] Communion 聖餐を受ける [与える ]2 U 思想 [感情 ]の交換 ; 親交 ; 霊的交渉 ▸ a close communion with nature 自然との親しい交わり ▸ hold communion with oneself 自己を内省する 3 C ｟かたく｠〖集合的に; 単複両扱い〗信仰を共にする人たち, 同一教会員 ; 宗派 .～́ t à ble 聖餐（せいさん）台 .

communique

com mu ni qu é /kəmjúːnɪkèɪ /〖＜フランス〗名詞 C 公式発表, 公報, コミュニケ .

communism

com mu nism /kɑ́mjənɪ̀z (ə )m |kɔ́m -/〖common (共通の )ism (主義 )〗名詞 U 〖しばしばC -〗1 共産主義体制 .2 共産主義 (運動 )▸ anti- communism 反共産主義

communist

com mu nist /kɑ́mjənəst |kɔ́m -/→communism 名詞複～s /-ts /C 〖しばしばC -〗共産主義者 ; 共産党員 ; (政治的に )左翼がかった人 (!｟米話｠では時として, アメリカ的価値観に賛同しない相手を侮辱した表現として用いられることがある ) .形容詞比較なし〖通例名詞の前で; しばしばC -〗共産主義 (者 )の ; 共産党の [による ]▸ the Communist Party 共産党～̀ bl ó c 〖the ～; 通例C -〗共産主義陣営, 共産圏 .c ò m mu n í s tic 形容詞共産主義的な .

community

com mu ni ty /kəmjúːnəti / (! 強勢は第2音節 ) 〖common (共通の )ity (状態 )〗名詞複 -ties /-z /1 C 地域社会 [共同体 ], コミュニティ ; 市町村, 自治体 ; 〖通例the ～; 集合的に; ｟英｠では単複両扱い〗地域住民 (の全体 )▸ a close-knit community 緊密な共同体 ▸ community affairs 地域活動 ▸ community spirit 共同体意識 ▸ the rural [farming ] community 農村共同体 ▸ the local community 地域住民 2 C 〖集合的に; ｟英｠では単複両扱い〗(同じ宗教国籍利害などを持つ人々や国の )共同体, コミュニティ , 社会 , …界 ▸ the medical community 医学界 ▸ the Jewish [gay, black ] community ユダヤ人 [ゲイ, 黒人 ]社会 ▸ the international community 国際社会 3 U 〖the ～〗一般社会 , 世間 ▸ in the interests [for the good ] of the community 社会の利益 [福利 ]のために 4 U 〖具体例では可算〗(地域社会などへの )一体感 , 帰属意識 ; (利害などの )共通性 [一致 ]; (財産などの )共有 ▸ a sense of community 連帯感 ▸ a community of interest 利害の一致 5 C 〘動〙(動物の )群集 , 群棲（ぐんせい）; 〘植〙(植物の )群落 .6 ｟英やや古｠〖the C- 〗＝European Community .～̀ ant é nna t è levision 共同視聴アンテナテレビ (｟略｠CATV ).～́ c à re ｟主に英｠〘福祉〙在宅ケアサービス .～́ c è nter コミュニティセンター〘地域住民に文化教育娯楽などを提供する施設〙.～́ ch à rge ｟英｠地方負担金〘地方自治体が成人住民に一律に課した税; 1993年にcouncil taxに替わる〙.～́ ch è st ｟米やや古｠共同募金 .～̀ c ó llege コミュニティカレッジ〘｟米カナダ｠では地域住民のための2年制大学; ｟英｠では成人にも開放された中等学校〙.～̀ h é alth 地域衛生 .～́ h ò me ｟英｠少年院 .～̀ pol í cing 地域密着型警察活動〘専属の警察官が地域に固定配置される〙.～́ pr ò perty ｟米｠〘法〙夫婦共有財産 .～̀ s é rvice 地域奉仕活動〘ボランティア活動と刑罰としての奉仕の2種類がある〙.～̀ s í nging (その場の人々の )全員合唱 .

commutation

com mu ta tion /kɑ̀mjətéɪʃ (ə )n |kɔ̀m -/名詞 1 U (刑罰債務などの )軽減 .2 U 交換 ; 転換 ; (支払い方法などの )振替 .3 U 〘電〙整流 .4 U ｟米｠通勤 .～́ t ì cket ｟主に米｠回数 [定期 ]乗車券 .

commutative

com mu ta tive /kɑ́mjətèɪtɪv |kəmjúːtətɪv /形容詞〘数〙可換性の ; 交換の .

commutator

com mu ta tor /kɑ́mjətèɪtə r |kɔ́m -/名詞 C 〘電〙整流器 ; 整流子 .

commute

com mute /kəmjúːt /〖com (共に )mute (換える )〗動詞～s /-ts /; ～d /-ɪd /; -muting 自動詞 1 〈人が〉 «…へ /…から /…の間を » (遠距離 )通勤 [通学 ]する «to /from /between » ▸ commute from one's home in Yokohama to central Tokyo [between Yokohama and Tokyo ]横浜の自宅から都心に [横浜と東京の間を ]通勤 [通学 ]する ▸ I commute to work [school ] on the train .私は電車で通勤 [通学 ]している ▸ commuting time 通勤 [通学 ]時間 2 〘電〙〈電流〉を整流する .3 1回払いにする .4 〘数〙交換可能である .他動詞 1 …を取り替える , 交換する .2 〖通例be ～d 〗〈刑罰が〉 «…に » 減刑される «to » ▸ His death sentence was commuted .彼の死刑判決は減刑された 3 «…に » 〈支払い方法など〉を変更する , 切り替える «for , into » .4 «…まで » 〈ある距離〉を通勤 [通学 ]する «to » .名詞 C ｟主に米｠〖しばしば単数形で〗 «…への » 通勤 [通学 ](時間 [距離 ]) «into » ▸ a lengthy [daily ] commute into New York City ニューヨーク市への長い [毎日の ]通勤

commuter

com m ú t er 名詞 C 通勤 [通学 ]者 .形容詞〖名詞の前で〗1 通勤 [通学 ]者 (用 )の, 通勤 [通学 ]の〈電車鉄道 (路線 )など〉.2 近距離運行の〈飛行機航空便など〉.3 遠距離 (生活 )の, 遠距離を通い合う〈結婚夫婦〉; 通い婚の .～́ b è lt (大都市への通勤者が住む )近郊住宅街, ベッドタウン .～́ c à r 通勤 [通学 ]用自動車〘小型で燃費の良いもの〙.～́ t ì cket 定期 [回数 ]券 (｟英｠season ticket ).～́ tr à in 通勤列車 [電車 ].

commuting

com m ú t ing 名詞 U ｟主に米｠通勤 [通学 ].