ca ge fi ght|ing N‑UNCOUNT Cage fighting is a type of organized violent fighting that takes place in an enclosed space. □ He climbs into the ring and glides to the centre with the kind of confidence that comes from being European kick-boxing and cage fighting champion.
cag|ey /ke I dʒi/ ADJ If you say that someone is being cagey about something, you mean that you think they are deliberately not giving you much information or expressing an opinion about it. □ [+ about ] He is cagey about what he was paid for the business.
ca|hoots /kəhuː ts/ PHRASE If you say that one person is in cahoots with another, you do not trust the first person because you think that they are planning something secretly with the other. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ [+ with ] In his view they were all in cahoots with the police.
cairn /keə r n/ (cairns ) N‑COUNT A cairn is a pile of stones which marks a boundary, a route across rough ground, or the top of a mountain. A cairn is sometimes also built in memory of someone.
ca|jole /kədʒoʊ l/ (cajoles , cajoling , cajoled ) VERB If you cajole someone into doing something, you get them to do it after persuading them for some time. □ [V n + into ] It was he who had cajoled Garland into doing the film. □ [V n to-inf] He cajoled Mr Dobson to stand for mayor. [Also V n, V ]
Ca|jun /ke I dʒən/ (Cajuns )
1 ADJ [usu ADJ n] Cajun means belonging or relating to a group of people who live mainly in Louisiana in the United States, and are descended from French people. Cajun is also used to refer to the language and culture of these people. □ They played some Cajun music. □ …Cajun food.
2 N‑COUNT A Cajun is a person of Cajun origin.
3 N‑UNCOUNT Cajun is a dialect of French spoken by Cajun people. □ …the first book ever written in Cajun.
cake ◆◇◇ /ke I k/ (cakes )
1 N‑VAR A cake is a sweet food made by baking a mixture of flour, eggs, sugar, and fat in an oven. Cakes may be large and cut into slices or small and intended for one person only. □ …a piece of cake. □ Would you like some chocolate cake? □ …little cakes with white icing.
2 N‑COUNT Food that is formed into flat round shapes before it is cooked can be referred to as cakes . □ …fish cakes. □ …home-made potato cakes.
3 N‑COUNT A cake of soap is a small block of it. □ [+ of ] …a small cake of lime-scented soap.
4 PHRASE If you think that someone wants the benefits of doing two things when it is only reasonable to expect the benefits of doing one, you can say that they want to have their cake and eat it . [DISAPPROVAL ] □ To many it sounds like he wants to have his cake and eat it.
5 PHRASE If you think something is very easy to do, you can say it is a piece of cake . People often say this to stop someone feeling worried about doing something they have to do. [INFORMAL ] □ Just another surveillance job, old chap. Piece of cake to somebody like you.
6 PHRASE If someone has done something very stupid, rude, or selfish, you can say that they take the cake or that what they have done takes the cake , to emphasize your surprise at their behaviour. [AM , EMPHASIS ] in BRIT, use take the biscuit 7 the icing on the cake → see icing
caked /ke I kt/ ADJ If something is caked with mud, blood, or dirt, it is covered with a thick dry layer of it. □ [+ with/in ] Her shoes were caked with mud. ● COMB [usu ADJ n] Caked is also a combining form. □ …herds of mud-caked cattle and sheep.
ca ke mix (cake mixes ) N‑VAR Cake mix is a powder that you mix with eggs and water or milk to make a cake. You bake the mixture in the oven.
ca ke pan (cake pans ) N‑COUNT A cake pan is a metal container that you bake a cake in. [AM ] in BRIT, usually use cake tin
ca ke tin (cake tins ) N‑COUNT A cake tin is a metal container that you bake a cake in. [BRIT ] in AM, usually use cake pan
cake|walk /ke I kwɔːk/ N‑SING If you say that something is a cakewalk , you mean that it is very easy to do or achieve. □ Fittipaldi's victory was a cakewalk.
cal /kæ l/ (cals ) N‑COUNT [usu pl, num N ] Cals are units of measurement for the energy value of food. Cal is an abbreviation for 'calorie'. □ …325 cals per serving.
cal|a|mar|i /kæ ləmɑ ːr I / N‑UNCOUNT Calamari is squid that has been prepared for eating, usually by cutting it into rings, dipping it in a mixture of flour, milk, and eggs, and frying it.
cala|mine /kæ ləma I n/ N‑UNCOUNT [oft N n] Calamine is a liquid that you can put on your skin when it is sore or itchy. □ …calamine lotion.
ca|lami|tous /kəlæ m I təs/ ADJ If you describe an event or situation as calamitous , you mean it is very unfortunate or serious. [FORMAL ] □ …the calamitous state of the country.
ca|lam|ity /kəlæ m I ti/ (calamities ) N‑VAR A calamity is an event that causes a great deal of damage, destruction, or personal distress. [FORMAL ] □ He described drugs as the greatest calamity of the age. □ It could only end in calamity.
cal|ci|fied /kæ ls I fa I d/ ADJ Body tissue that is calcified has become hard because of the presence of substances called calcium salts. □ …calcified tissue.
cal|cium /kæ lsiəm/ N‑UNCOUNT Calcium is a soft white element which is found in bones and teeth, and also in limestone, chalk, and marble.
cal|cu|lable /kæ lkjʊləb ə l/ ADJ Calculable amounts or consequences can be calculated.