com|ic /kɒ m I k/ (comics )
1 ADJ If you describe something as comic , you mean that it makes you laugh, and is often intended to make you laugh. □ The novel is comic and tragic. □ Most of these trips had exciting or comic moments.
2 ADJ [ADJ n] Comic is used to describe comedy as a form of entertainment, and the actors and entertainers who perform it. □ Grodin is a fine comic actor. □ …a comic opera.
3 N‑COUNT A comic is an entertainer who tells jokes in order to make people laugh.
4 N‑COUNT A comic is a magazine that contains stories told in pictures. [mainly BRIT ] □ Joe loved to read 'Superman' comics. in AM, usually use comic book
comi|cal /kɒ m I k ə l/ ADJ If you describe something as comical , you mean that it makes you want to laugh because it seems funny or silly. □ Her expression is almost comical. □ Events took a comical turn. ● comi|cal|ly /kɒ m I kli/ ADV [ADV with v, ADV adj] □ She raised her eyebrows comically. USAGE comical
Don’t use ‘comical’ to describe things that are intended to make you laugh. Don’t say, for example, ‘
co m|ic book (comic books ) N‑COUNT A comic book is a magazine that contains stories told in pictures. [mainly AM ] in BRIT, usually use comic
co m|ic strip (comic strips ) N‑COUNT A comic strip is a series of drawings that tell a story, especially in a newspaper or magazine.
com|ing ◆◆◆ /kʌ m I ŋ/ ADJ [ADJ n] A coming event or time is an event or time that will happen soon. □ This obviously depends on the weather in the coming months.
co m|ing of a ge
1 N‑SING When something reaches an important stage of development and is accepted by a large number of people, you can refer to this as its coming of age . □ …postwar Germany's final coming-of-age as an independent sovereign state.
2 N‑SING [with poss] Someone's coming of age is the time when they become legally an adult. □ …traditional coming-of-age ceremonies.
co m|ings and go |ings N‑PLURAL [with poss] Comings and goings refers to the way people keep arriving at and leaving a particular place. □ [+ of ] They noted the comings and goings of the journalists.
com|ma /kɒ mə/ (commas ) N‑COUNT A comma is the punctuation mark, which is used to separate parts of a sentence or items in a list.
com|mand ◆◇◇ /kəmɑː nd, -mæ nd/ (commands , commanding , commanded )
1 VERB If someone in authority commands you to do something, they tell you that you must do it. [mainly WRITTEN ] □ [V n to-inf] He commanded his troops to attack. □ [V with quote] 'Get in your car and follow me,' he commanded. □ [V that] He commanded that roads be built to link castles across the land. □ [V n with quote] 'Don't panic,' I commanded myself. [Also V n] ● N‑VAR Command is also a noun. □ The tanker failed to respond to a command to stop. □ …the note of command in his voice.
2 VERB [no cont] If you command something such as respect or obedience, you obtain it because you are popular, famous, or important. □ [V n] …an excellent physician who commanded the respect of all his colleagues.
3 VERB If an army or country commands a place, they have total control over it. □ [V n] Yemen commands the strait at the southern end of the Red Sea. ● N‑UNCOUNT Command is also a noun. □ [+ of ] …the struggle for command of the air.
4 VERB An officer who commands part of an army, navy, or air force is responsible for controlling and organizing it. □ [V n] …the French general who commands the U.N. troops in the region. □ [V ] He didn't just command. He personally fought in several heavy battles. ● N‑UNCOUNT Command is also a noun. □ [+ of ] He took command of 108 Squadron.
5 N‑COUNT [with sing or pl verb] In the armed forces, a command is a group of officers who are responsible for organizing and controlling part of an army, navy, or air force. □ He had authorisation from the military command to retaliate.
6 N‑COUNT In computing, a command is an instruction that you give to a computer.
7 N‑UNCOUNT If someone has command of a situation, they have control of it because they have, or seem to have, power or authority. □ [+ of ] Mr Baker would take command of the campaign. □ It was his senior partner who was in command.
8 N‑UNCOUNT Your command of something, such as a foreign language, is your knowledge of it and your ability to use this knowledge. □ [+ of ] His command of English was excellent.
9 → see also high command , second-in-command
10 PHRASE If you have a particular skill or particular resources at your command , you have them and can use them fully. [FORMAL ] □ She sought revenge with all the skills at her command.
com|man|dant /kɒ məndænt/ (commandants ) N‑COUNT ; N‑TITLE A commandant is an army officer in charge of a particular place or group of people.
com|ma nd eco no|my (command economies ) N‑COUNT In a command economy , business activities and the use of resources are decided by the government, and not by market forces. [BUSINESS ] □ …the Czech Republic's transition from a command economy to a market system.
com|man|deer /kɒ mənd I ə r / (commandeers , commandeering , commandeered )