coars|en /kɔː r s ə n/ (coarsens , coarsening , coarsened )
1 VERB If something coarsens or is coarsened , it becomes thicker or rougher in texture. □ [V ] Skin thickens, dries and coarsens after sun exposure. □ [V -ed] …his gnarled, coarsened features. [Also V n]
2 VERB If someone's behaviour or speech coarsens or if they coarsen it, they become less polite or they begin to speak in a less pleasant way. □ [V ] Her voice has deepened and coarsened with the years. □ [V n] He had coarsened his voice to an approximation of Cockney.
coast ◆◆◇ /koʊ st/ (coasts , coasting , coasted )
1 N‑COUNT [oft adj N ] The coast is an area of land that is next to the sea. □ Campsites are usually situated along the coast, close to beaches. □ [+ of ] …the west coast of Scotland.
2 VERB If a vehicle coasts somewhere, it continues to move there with the motor switched off, or without being pushed or pedalled. □ [V prep/adv] I switched off the engine and coasted round the corner. [Also V ]
3 PHRASE If you say that the coast is clear , you mean that there is nobody around to see you or catch you. □ 'You can come out now,' he called. 'The coast is clear. She's gone.'
coast|al /koʊ st ə l/ ADJ [ADJ n] Coastal is used to refer to things that are in the sea or on the land near a coast. □ Local radio stations serving coastal areas often broadcast forecasts for yachtsmen. □ The fish are on sale from our own coastal waters.
coast|er /koʊ stə r / (coasters )
1 N‑COUNT A coaster is a small mat that you put underneath a glass or cup to protect the surface of a table.
2 N‑COUNT A coaster is a ship that sails along the coast taking goods to ports. [BRIT ]
3 → see also roller-coaster
coast|guard /koʊ stgɑː r d/ (coastguards ) in AM, usually use Coast Guard 1 N‑COUNT A coastguard is an official who watches the sea near a coast in order to get help for sailors when they need it and to stop illegal activities. [mainly BRIT ] ● N‑SING The coastguard is the organization to which coastguards belong. [BRIT ] □ The survivors were lifted off by two helicopters from the Coastguard.
2 N‑COUNT The Coast Guard is a part of a country's military forces and is responsible for protecting the coast, carrying out rescues, and doing police work along the coast. [AM ] □ The U.S. Coast Guard says it rescued more than 100 Haitian refugees. ● N‑COUNT A Coast Guard is a member of the coastguard. [AM ] □ The boat was intercepted by U.S. Coast Guards.
coast|line /koʊ stla I n/ (coastlines ) N‑VAR A country's coastline is the outline of its coast. □ Thousands of volunteers gave up part of their weekend to clean up the California coastline.
coat ◆◇◇ /koʊ t/ (coats , coating , coated )
1 N‑COUNT A coat is a piece of clothing with long sleeves which you wear over your other clothes when you go outside. □ He turned off the television, put on his coat and walked out.
2 N‑COUNT [usu with poss] An animal's coat is the fur or hair on its body. □ Vitamin B6 is great for improving the condition of dogs' and horses' coats.
3 VERB If you coat something with a substance or in a substance, you cover it with a thin layer of the substance. □ [V n + with/in ] Coat the fish with seasoned flour. ● coat|ed ADJ [v-link ADJ , adv ADJ ] □ [+ with/in ] TV pictures showed a dying bird coated with oil. □ Dip the pieces so they are completely coated.
4 N‑COUNT A coat of paint or varnish is a thin layer of it on a surface. □ [+ of ] The front door needs a new coat of paint.
-coated /koʊ t I d/
1 COMB [ADJ n] -coated combines with colour adjectives such as 'white' and 'red', or words for types of coat like 'fur', to form adjectives that describe someone as wearing a certain sort of coat. □ At the top of the stairs stood the white-coated doctors.
2 COMB -coated combines with names of substances such as 'sugar' and 'plastic' to form adjectives that describe something as being covered with a thin layer of that substance. □ …chocolate-coated sweets. □ …plastic-coated wire.
coa t hang|er (coat hangers ) also coathanger N‑COUNT A coat hanger is a curved piece of wood, metal, or plastic that you hang a piece of clothing on.
coat|ing /koʊ t I ŋ/ (coatings ) N‑COUNT A coating of a substance is a thin layer of it spread over a surface. □ [+ of ] Under the coating of dust and cobwebs, he discovered a fine French Louis XVI clock.
coa t of a rms (coats of arms ) N‑COUNT The coat of arms of a family, town, or organization is a special design in the form of a shield that they use as a symbol of their identity. [mainly BRIT ]
coa t-tails also coattails
1 N‑PLURAL [oft poss N ] Coat-tails are the two long pieces at the back of a tailcoat .
2 PHRASE If you do something on the coat-tails of someone else, you are able to do it because of the other person's success, and not because of your own efforts. □ They accused him of riding on the coat-tails of the president.
co -au thor (co-authors , co-authoring , co-authored ) also coauthor
1 N‑COUNT The co-authors of a book, play, or report are the people who have written it together. □ [+ of ] He is the co-author of a forthcoming book on the refugee crisis.