co m|mon room (common rooms ) also common-room N‑COUNT A common room is a room in a university or school where people can sit, talk, and relax. [mainly BRIT ]
co m|mon se nse also commonsense N‑UNCOUNT Your common sense is your natural ability to make good judgments and to behave in a practical and sensible way. □ Use your common sense. □ …a common-sense approach.
co m|mon sto ck
1 N‑UNCOUNT Common stock refers to the shares in a company that are owned by people who have a right to vote at the company's meetings and to receive part of the company's profits after the holders of preferred stock have been paid. [AM , BUSINESS ] □ The company priced its offering of 2.7 million shares of common stock at 20 cents a share.
2 → see also preferred stock
common|wealth ◆◇◇ /kɒ mənwelθ/
1 N‑PROPER The Commonwealth is an organization consisting of the United Kingdom and most of the countries that were previously under its rule.
2 N‑COUNT Commonwealth is used in the official names of some countries, groups of countries, or parts of countries. □ [+ of ] …the Commonwealth of Australia. □ [+ of ] …the Commonwealth of Independent States, which replaced the Soviet Union.
com|mo|tion /kəmoʊ ʃ ə n/ (commotions ) N‑VAR A commotion is a lot of noise, confusion, and excitement. □ He heard a commotion outside.
comms /kɒ mz/ N‑PLURAL Comms is an abbreviation for communications . [INFORMAL ] □ …comms software.
com|mu|nal /kɒ mjʊn ə l, [AM ] kəmjuː n ə l/
1 ADJ [ADJ n] Communal means relating to particular groups in a country or society. □ Communal violence broke out in different parts of the country. □ …inter-communal relations.
2 ADJ [usu ADJ n] You use communal to describe something that is shared by a group of people. □ The inmates ate in a communal dining room. □ …communal ownership. ● com|mu|nal|ly ADV [usu ADV after v] □ Meals are taken communally in the dining room.
com|mune (communes , communing , communed ) The noun is pronounced /kɒ mjuːn/. The verb is pronounced /kəmjuː n/. 1 N‑COUNT A commune is a group of people who live together and share everything. □ Mack lived in a commune.
2 N‑COUNT In France and some other countries, a commune is a town, village, or area which has its own council.
3 VERB If you say that someone is communing with an animal or spirit, or with nature, you mean that they appear to be communicating with it. [LITERARY ] □ [V + with ] She would happily trot behind him as he set off to commune with nature.
com|mu|ni|cable /kəmjuː n I kəb ə l/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] A communicable disease is one that can be passed on to other people. [MEDICAL ]
com|mu|ni|cant /kəmjuː n I kənt/ (communicants ) N‑COUNT A communicant is a person in the Christian church who receives communion. [FORMAL ]
com|mu|ni|cate ◆◇◇ /kəmjuː n I ke I t/ (communicates , communicating , communicated )
1 VERB If you communicate with someone, you share or exchange information with them, for example by speaking, writing, or using equipment. You can also say that two people communicate . □ [V + with ] My natural mother has never communicated with me. □ [V + with ] A person who cannot speak can use a speech synthesizer to communicate with hearing people. □ [V ] They communicated in sign language. ● com|mu|ni|ca|tion N‑UNCOUNT □ [+ with ] I have had no direct communication with my colleagues. □ [+ between ] …use of the radio telephone for communication between controllers and pilots.
2 VERB If you communicate information, a feeling, or an idea to someone, you let them know about it. □ [V n + to ] They successfully communicate their knowledge to others. □ [V n] People must communicate their feelings.
3 VERB If one person communicates with another, they successfully make each other aware of their feelings and ideas. You can also say that two people communicate . □ [V + with ] He was never good at communicating with the players. □ [V + with ] Family therapy showed us how to communicate with each other. □ [V ] …considerate individuals who can communicate and work in a team. ● com|mu|ni|ca|tion N‑UNCOUNT □ [+ between ] There was a tremendous lack of communication between us. □ …communication skills. [Also + with ] ● com|mu|ni|ca|tor (communicators ) N‑COUNT □ She's a good communicator.
com|mu|ni|ca|tion ◆◇◇ /kəmjuː n I ke I ʃ ə n/ (communications )
1 N‑PLURAL [oft N n] Communications are the systems and processes that are used to communicate or broadcast information, especially by means of electricity or radio waves. □ …a communications satellite. □ …communications equipment.
2 N‑COUNT A communication is a message. [FORMAL ] □ [+ from ] The ambassador has brought with him a communication from the President.
3 → see also communicate
com|mu|ni|ca|tive /kəmjuː n I kət I v/
1 ADJ Someone who is communicative talks to people, for example about their feelings, and tells people things. □ She has become a lot more tolerant and communicative.
2 ADJ [usu ADJ n] Communicative means relating to the ability to communicate. □ We have a very communicative approach to teaching languages.