1 N‑COUNT [oft n N ] A collector is a person who collects things of a particular type as a hobby. □ …a stamp-collector. □ [+ of ] …a respected collector of Indian art.
2 N‑COUNT [usu n N ] You can use collector to refer to someone whose job is to take something such as money, tickets, or rubbish from people. For example, a rent collector collects rent from people. □ He earned his living as a tax collector. □ …a garbage collector.
col|le c|tor's item (collector's items ) N‑COUNT A collector's item is an object which is highly valued by collectors because it is rare or beautiful.
col|lege ◆◆◇ /kɒ l I dʒ/ (colleges )
1 N‑VAR ; N‑COUNT A college is an institution where students study after they have left school. □ Their daughter Joanna is doing business studies at a local college. □ He is now a professor of economics at Western New England College in Springfield, Massachusetts.
2 N‑COUNT [oft in names] A college is one of the institutions which some British universities are divided into. □ He was educated at Balliol College, Oxford.
3 N‑COUNT At some universities in the United States, colleges are divisions which offer degrees in particular subjects. □ …a professor at the University of Florida College of Law.
4 N‑COUNT College is used in Britain in the names of some secondary schools which charge fees. □ In 1854, Cheltenham Ladies' College became the first girls' public school. COLLOCATIONS college NOUN 1
noun + college : community, further education, sixth form; art, catering, drama
adjective + college : agricultural, naval, secretarial, theological; technical
verb + college : attend; finish, leave
col|legi|ate /kəliː dʒiət/ ADJ [ADJ n] Collegiate means belonging or relating to a college or to college students. [mainly AM ] □ The 1933 national collegiate football championship was won by Michigan. □ …collegiate life.
col|lide /kəla I d/ (collides , colliding , collided )
1 VERB If two or more moving people or objects collide , they crash into one another. If a moving person or object collides with a person or object that is not moving, they crash into them. □ [V ] Two trains collided head-on in north-eastern Germany early this morning. □ [V + with ] Racing up the stairs, he almost collided with Daisy. □ [V + with ] He collided with a pine tree near the North Gate.
2 VERB If the aims, opinions, or interests of one person or group collide with those of another person or group, they are very different from each other and are therefore opposed. □ [V + with ] The aims of the negotiators in New York again seem likely to collide with the aims of the warriors in the field. □ [V ] What happens when the two interests collide will make a fascinating spectacle.
col|lie /kɒ li/ (collies ) N‑COUNT A collie or a collie dog is a dog with long hair and a long, narrow nose.
col|liery /kɒ ljəri/ (collieries ) N‑COUNT A colliery is a coal mine and all the buildings and equipment which are connected with it. [BRIT ]
col|li|sion /kəl I ʒ ə n/ (collisions )
1 N‑VAR A collision occurs when a moving object crashes into something. □ [+ with ] They were on their way to the Shropshire Union Canal when their van was involved in a collision with a car. □ [+ between ] I saw a head-on collision between two aeroplanes.
2 N‑COUNT A collision of cultures or ideas occurs when two very different cultures or people meet and conflict. □ [+ of ] The play represents the collision of three generations. [Also + between/with ]
col|li |sion course
1 N‑SING [usu on a N ] If two or more people or things are on a collision course , there is likely to be a sudden and violent disagreement between them. □ The two communities are now on a collision course. □ [+ with ] Britain's universities are set on a collision course with the government.
2 N‑SING [usu on a N ] If two or more people or things are on a collision course , they are likely to meet and crash into each other violently. □ [+ with ] There is an asteroid on a collision course with the Earth.
col|lo|cate (collocates , collocating , collocated ) The noun is pronounced /kɒ ləkət/. The verb is pronounced /kɒ ləke I t/. 1 N‑COUNT In linguistics, a collocate of a particular word is another word which often occurs with that word. [TECHNICAL ]
2 VERB In linguistics, if one word collocates with another, they often occur together. [TECHNICAL ] □ [V + with ] 'Detached' collocates with 'house'. [Also V ]
col|lo|ca|tion /kɒ ləke I ʃ ə n/ (collocations ) N‑VAR In linguistics, collocation is the way that some words occur regularly whenever another word is used. [TECHNICAL ] □ …the basic notion of collocation.
col|lo|quial /kəloʊ kwiəl/ ADJ Colloquial words and phrases are informal and are used mainly in conversation. □ …a colloquial expression. ● col|lo|qui|al|ly ADV [ADV with v] □ These topaz rocks are known colloquially as Killiekrankie diamonds.
col|lo|qui|al|ism /kəloʊ kwiəl I zəm/ (colloquialisms ) N‑COUNT A colloquialism is a colloquial word or phrase.
col|lude /kəluː d/ (colludes , colluding , colluded ) VERB If one person colludes with another, they co-operate with them secretly or illegally. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ [V + with ] Several local officials are in jail on charges of colluding with the Mafia. □ [V + in ] My mother colluded in the myth of him as the swanky businessman. □ [V ] The two companies were colluding to exploit consumers. [Also pl-n V to-inf]