C Set7

contentious	exhibiting an often perverse and wearisome tendency to quarrels and disputes
contest	dispute
context	writings preceding and following passage quoted
contiguous	adj. ~ (fml ) touching; neighbouring; near
continence	n. control of one's feelings, esp in sexual matters
contingent	adj. ~ on/upon sth dependent on sth that may or may not happen
contortions	[ contortion: ] the act or process of contorting or the state of being contorted
contraband	n. goods brought into or taken out of a country illegally
contravene	v. act or be contrary to (a law, etc); break
contrite	adj. filled with or showing deep regret for having done wrong; repentant
contrivance	n. ~ device or tool, esp one made by an individual for a particular purpose
contrive	v. plan (sth) cleverly or deceitfully; invent; design
contrived	adj. planned in advance rather than being spontaneous or genuine
controvert	v. deny the truth of (sth); argue about
contumacious	adj. obstinate and disobedient
contusion	n. bruise
conundrum	n. question, usu with a pun in its answer, that is asked for fun; riddle ;
convene	v. summon to come together; arrange (a meeting, etc)
convention	n. conference of members of a profession, political party, etc
conventional	adj. (often derog ) based on convention(2a)
converge	v. ~ ~ (at sth) (of lines, moving objects, etc) (come towards each other and) meet at a point
conversant	adj. ~ with sth having knowledge of sth; familiar with sth
converse	v. ~ (about sth); ~ (together) (fml ) talk
convert	v. ~ (sth) (from sth) (into/to sth) change (sth) from one form or use to another
convex	adj. with a curved surface like the outside of a ball
conveyance	n. conveying
conviction	n. ~ the convicting of a person for a crime
convivial	adj. cheerful and sociable; fond of being with others
convoke	v. call together or summon (a meeting, etc)
convoluted	adj. coiled; twisted
convulsion	n. sudden violent uncontrollable body movement, caused by contraction of muscles
copious	adj. plentiful; abundant
coquette	n. girl or woman who flirts
cordial	adj. sincere and friendly
cordon	n. line or ring of policemen, soldiers, etc, esp one which guards sth or prevents people entering or leaving an area
cornice	n. ornamental moulding, eg in plaster, round the walls of a room, just below the ceiling .
cornucopia	n. ornamental animal's horn shown in art as overflowing with flowers, fruit and corn, symbolizing abundance ,
corollary	n. ~ (fml ) natural consequence or result; thing that logically must be so, once sth else has been established
coroner	n. official who investigates any violent or suspicious death
corporeal	adj. of or for the body; bodily
corpulent	adj. (of a person or his body) fat
corpus	n. collection of written (or sometimes spoken) texts
corpuscle	n. any of the red or white cells in the blood
correlate	v. ~ ~ A and/with B have a mutual relation or connection, esp of affecting or depending on each other; (try to) show such a relation or connection between sth and sth else
correlation	n. ~ ~ (between A and B) mutual relationship
corroborate	v. confirm or give support to
corrode	v. ~ (away) be destroyed or destroy (sth) slowly, esp by chemical action
corrosive	n, adj that corrodes
corrugated	adj. folded, wrinkled or furrowed
cosmic	adj. of the whole universe or cosmos
coterie	n. small group of people with shared activities, interests, tastes, etc, esp one that tends to be exclusive
countenance	n. (expression on sb's) face
countermand	v. cancel (a command or an order already given), esp by giving a new and opposite one ,
counterpart	n. person or thing that corresponds to or has the same function as sb or sth else
coup	n. surprising and successful action
couple	n. two people or things that are seen together or associated, esp a man and woman together
courier	n. person employed to guide and assist a group of tourists
court	n. place where trials or other law cases are held
covenant	n. formal agreement that is legally binding
covert	adj. concealed; not open; secret
covetous	adj. ~ (derog ) having or showing a strong desire to possess (esp sth that belongs to sb else)
cow	n. fully-grown female of any animal of the ox family, esp the domestic kind kept by farmers to produce milk and beef
cower	v. crouch down or move backwards in fear or distress
coy	abbr. = company
cozen	cheat; hoodwink; swindle
crabbed	adj. small and difficult to read
craft	n. occupation, esp one that needs skill in the use of the hands; such a skill or technique
crass	adj. (fml derog , ) complete; very great; utter
crave	v. ~ sth have a strong desire for sth
craven	adj. cowardly
credence	n. attach/give credence to sth (fml ) believe (gossip, reports, etc)
credential	something that entitles a person to confidence, authority, etc.
credo	n. creed
credulity	n. too great a readiness to believe things
creed	n. system of beliefs or opinions, esp religious beliefs
creep	v. move slowly, quietly or stealthily, esp crouching low
cremate	v. burn to ashes, esp ceremonially at a funeral
crescendo	adj. adv of or with increasing loudness
crest	n. tuft of feathers on a bird's head
crestfallen	adj. sad because of unexpected failure, disappointment, etc
crevice	n. narrow opening or crack in a rock, wall, etc ,
cringe	v. ~ move back or lower one's body in fear; cower
crinkle	n. wrinkle or thin crease, esp in material such as tin foil or paper, or in skin ,
criteria	n. (pl of criterion) standard by which sth is judged
crochet	n. method of making fabric by looping thread into a pattern of connected stitches, using a hooked needle (called a crochet-hook)
crone	n. ugly withered old woman
cross	n. mark made by drawing one line across another, eg x or + +
crossbreed	Also: interbreed to breed (animals or plants) using parents of different races, varieties, breeds, etc.
crotchety	adj. bad-tempered
crust	n. hard outer surface of a loaf of bread; pastry covering of a pie, tart, etc
crux	n. most vital or difficult part of a matter, an issue, etc
crypt	n. room beneath the floor of a church
cryptic	adj. with a meaning that is hidden or not easily understood; mysterious
cubicle	n. small compartment made by separating off part of a larger room, eg for dressing, undressing or sleeping in
cue	n. ~ thing said or done to signal sb's turn to say or do sth, esp in a theatrical or other performance
cuisine	n. (style of) cooking
culinary	adj. of or for cooking
cull	v. kill (a certain number of usu weaker animals) in a herd, in order to reduce its size
culmination	n. eventual conclusion or result
culpable	adj. ~ deserving blame; blameworthy
culprit	n. person who has done sth wrong; offender
culvert	n. drain that crosses beneath a road, railway, etc; underground channel for electrical cables ;
cumbersome	adj. heavy and difficult to carry, wear, etc
cumulative	adj. gradually increasing in amount, force, etc by one addition after another
cunning	adj. clever at deceiving people
cupidity	n. greed, esp for money or possessions
curator	n. person in charge of a museum, an art gallery, etc
curb	n. ~ thing that restrains or controls
curfew	n. signal or time after which people must stay indoors until the next day
curmudgeon	n. bad-tempered person
cursive	adj. with letters rounded and joined together
cursory	adj. done quickly and not thoroughly; (too) hurried
curtail	v. make shorter or less; reduce
cynical	adj. of or like a cynic
cynosure	n. person or thing that attracts everybody's attention or admiration; centre of attraction