C.O. /siː oʊ / (C.O.s ) N‑COUNT A soldier's C.O. is his or her commanding officer .
c/o You write c/o before an address on an envelope when you are sending it to someone who is staying or working at that address, often for only a short time. c/o is an abbreviation for 'care of'. □ …Mr A D Bright, c/o Sherman Ltd, 62 Burton Road, Bristol 8.
coach ◆◆◇ /koʊ tʃ/ (coaches , coaching , coached )
1 N‑COUNT A coach is someone who trains a person or team of people in a particular sport. □ Tony Woodcock has joined German amateur team SC Brueck as coach.
2 VERB When someone coaches a person or a team, they help them to become better at a particular sport. □ [V n + to ] He coached the team to success in La Liga. □ [V n] I had coached the Alliance team for some time.
3 N‑COUNT A coach is a person who is in charge of a sports team. [mainly AM ] in BRIT, usually use manager 4 N‑COUNT In baseball, a coach is a member of a team who stands near the first or third base, and gives signals to other members of the team who are on bases and are trying to score. [AM ]
5 N‑COUNT [oft n N ] A coach is someone who gives people special teaching in a particular subject, especially in order to prepare them for an examination. □ What you need is a drama coach.
6 VERB If you coach someone, you give them special teaching in a particular subject, especially in order to prepare them for an examination. □ [V n] He gently coached me in French.
7 N‑COUNT [oft by N ] A coach is a large, comfortable bus that carries passengers on long journeys. [BRIT ] □ As we headed back to Calais, the coach was badly delayed by roadworks. □ I hate travelling by coach. in AM, use bus 8 N‑COUNT A coach is one of the separate sections of a train that carries passengers. [BRIT ] □ The train was an elaborate affair of sixteen coaches. in AM, use car 9 N‑COUNT A coach is an enclosed vehicle with four wheels which is pulled by horses, and in which people used to travel. Coaches are still used for ceremonial events in some countries, such as Britain.
coach|load /koʊ tʃloʊd/ (coachloads ) also coach-load N‑COUNT A coachload of people is a group of people who are travelling somewhere together in a coach. [BRIT ] □ [+ of ] Dorset is as yet unspoilt by coachloads of tourists.
coach|man /koʊ tʃmən/ (coachmen ) N‑COUNT A coachman was a man who drove a coach that was pulled by horses. [OLD-FASHIONED ]
coa ch sta|tion (coach stations ) N‑COUNT A coach station is an area or a building which coaches leave from or arrive at on regular journeys. [BRIT ] in AM, use bus station
co|agu|late /koʊæ gjʊle I t/ (coagulates , coagulating , coagulated ) VERB When a liquid coagulates , it becomes very thick. □ [V ] The blood coagulates to stop wounds bleeding. ● co|agu|la|tion /koʊæ gjʊle I ʃ ə n/ N‑UNCOUNT □ Blood becomes stickier to help coagulation in case of a cut.
coal ◆◇◇ /koʊ l/ (coals )
1 N‑UNCOUNT Coal is a hard black substance that is extracted from the ground and burned as fuel. □ Gas-fired electricity is cheaper than coal.
2 N‑PLURAL Coals are burning pieces of coal. □ It is important to get the coals white-hot before you start cooking.
coa|lesce /koʊ əle s/ (coalesces , coalescing , coalesced ) VERB If two or more things coalesce , they come together and form a larger group or system. [FORMAL ] □ [V prep] Cities, if unrestricted, tend to coalesce into bigger and bigger conurbations. □ [V ] His sporting and political interests coalesced admirably in his writing about climbing.
coal|face /koʊ lfe I s/ (coalfaces ) N‑COUNT In a coal mine, the coalface is the part where the coal is being cut out of the rock.
coal|field /koʊ lfiːld/ (coalfields ) N‑COUNT A coalfield is a region where there is coal under the ground. □ The park lies on top of a coalfield.
coa|li|tion ◆◇◇ /koʊ əl I ʃ ə n/ (coalitions )
1 N‑COUNT [oft N n] A coalition is a government consisting of people from two or more political parties. □ Since June the country has had a coalition government.
2 N‑COUNT A coalition is a group consisting of people from different political or social groups who are co-operating to achieve a particular aim. □ [+ of ] He had been opposed by a coalition of about 50 civil rights, women's and Latino organizations.
coa l mine (coal mines ) also coalmine N‑COUNT A coal mine is a place where coal is dug out of the ground.
coa l min|er (coal miners ) also coalminer N‑COUNT A coal miner is a person whose job is mining coal.
coa l scut|tle (coal scuttles ) N‑COUNT A coal scuttle is a container for keeping coal in. [mainly BRIT ]
coa l tar also coal-tar N‑UNCOUNT Coal tar is a thick black liquid made from coal which is used for making drugs and chemical products. □ …coal tar dyes.
coarse /kɔː r s/ (coarser , coarsest )
1 ADJ Coarse things have a rough texture because they consist of thick threads or large pieces. □ …a jacket made of very coarse cloth. □ …a beach of coarse sand. ● coarse|ly ADV □ …coarsely-ground black pepper.
2 ADJ If you describe someone as coarse , you mean that he or she talks and behaves in a rude and offensive way. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ The soldiers did not bother to moderate their coarse humour in her presence. ● coarse|ly ADV [ADV with v] □ The women laughed coarsely at some vulgar joke.