2 N‑COUNT A chunk of something is a large amount or large part of it. [INFORMAL ] □ [+ of ] The company owns a chunk of farmland near Gatwick Airport.
chunky /tʃʌ ŋki/ (chunkier , chunkiest )
1 ADJ [usu ADJ n] A chunky person is broad and heavy. □ The soprano was a chunky girl from California.
2 ADJ [usu ADJ n] A chunky object is large and thick. □ …a chunky sweater. □ …chunky jewellery.
church ◆◆◇ /tʃɜː r tʃ/ (churches )
1 N‑VAR A church is a building in which Christians worship. You usually refer to this place as church when you are talking about the time that people spend there. □ …one of Britain's most historic churches. □ …St Helen's Church. □ I didn't see you in church on Sunday.
2 N‑COUNT [oft adj N ] A Church is one of the groups of people within the Christian religion, for example Catholics or Methodists, that have their own beliefs, clergy, and forms of worship. □ [+ of ] …co-operation with the Church of Scotland. □ Church leaders said he was welcome to return.
church|goer /tʃɜː r tʃgoʊə r / (churchgoers ) also church-goer N‑COUNT A churchgoer is a person who goes to church regularly.
church|man /tʃɜː r tʃmən/ (churchmen ) N‑COUNT A churchman is the same as a clergyman. [FORMAL ]
Chu rch of E ng|land N‑PROPER The Church of England is the main church in England. It has the Queen as its head and it does not recognize the authority of the Pope.
chu rch school (church schools ) N‑COUNT A church school is a school which has a special relationship with a particular branch of the Christian Church, and where there is strong emphasis on worship and the teaching of religion.
church|warden /tʃɜː r tʃwɔː r d ə n/ (churchwardens ) N‑COUNT In the Anglican Church, a churchwarden is the person who has been chosen by a congregation to help the vicar of a parish with administration and other duties.
church|yard /tʃɜː r tʃjɑː r d/ (churchyards ) N‑COUNT A churchyard is an area of land around a church where dead people are buried.
churl|ish /tʃɜː r l I ʃ/ ADJ Someone who is churlish is unfriendly, bad-tempered, or impolite. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ She would think him churlish if he refused. □ The room was so lovely it seemed churlish to argue.
churn /tʃɜː r n/ (churns , churning , churned )
1 N‑COUNT [oft n N ] A churn is a container which is used for making butter.
2 VERB If something churns water, mud, or dust, it moves it about violently. □ [V n] The propeller churned the water and the ship was away. □ [V -ed] …unsurfaced roads now churned into mud by the annual rains. ● PHRASAL VERB Churn up means the same as churn . □ [V P n] The recent rain had churned up the waterfall into a muddy whirlpool. □ [V n P ] Occasionally they slap the water with their tails or churn it up in play. □ [V -ed P ] …muddy, churned-up ground.
3 VERB If you say that your stomach is churning , you mean that you feel sick. You can also say that something churns your stomach. □ [V ] My stomach churned as I stood up. [Also V n]
▸ churn out PHRASAL VERB To churn out something means to produce large quantities of it very quickly. [INFORMAL ] □ [V P n] He began to churn out literary compositions in English. [Also V n P ]
▸ churn up → see churn 2
churn|ing /tʃɜː r n I ŋ/ ADJ [ADJ n] Churning water is moving about violently. [LITERARY ] □ …anything to take our minds off that gap and the brown, churning water below.
chute /ʃuː t/ (chutes )
1 N‑COUNT [oft n N ] A chute is a steep, narrow slope down which people or things can slide. □ Passengers escaped from the plane's front four exits by sliding down emergency chutes.
2 N‑COUNT A chute is a parachute. [INFORMAL ] □ You can release the chute with either hand, but it is easier to do it with the left.
chut|ney /tʃʌ tni/ (chutneys ) N‑VAR Chutney is a cold sauce made from fruit, vinegar, sugar, and spices. It is sold in jars and you eat it with meat or cheese. □ …mango chutney.
chutz|pah /hʊ tspə/ in AM, also use chutzpa N‑UNCOUNT If you say that someone has chutzpah , you mean that you admire the fact that they are not afraid or embarrassed to do or say things that shock, surprise, or annoy other people. [APPROVAL ] □ Einstein had the chutzpah to discard common sense and long-established theory.
CIA /siː a I e I / N‑PROPER The CIA is the government organization in the United States that collects secret information about other countries. CIA is an abbreviation for 'Central Intelligence Agency'.
cia|bat|ta /tʃəbæ tə/ N‑UNCOUNT Ciabatta or ciabatta bread is a type of white Italian bread that is made with olive oil.
ciao /tʃaʊ / CONVENTION Some people say ' Ciao ' as an informal way of saying goodbye to someone who they expect to see again soon. [FORMULAE ]
ci|ca|da /s I kɑː də, [AM ] -ke I də/ (cicadas ) N‑COUNT A cicada is a large insect that lives in hot countries and makes a loud high-pitched noise.
CID /siː a I diː / N‑PROPER The CID is the branch of the police force in Britain concerned with finding out who has committed crimes. CID is an abbreviation for 'Criminal Investigation Department'.
ci|der /sa I də r / (ciders ) N‑VAR Cider is a drink made from apples which in Britain usually contains alcohol. In the United States, cider does not usually contain alcohol, and if it does contain alcohol, it is usually called hard cider . ● N‑COUNT A glass of cider can be referred to as a cider . □ He ordered a cider.