con|fused /kənfjuː zd/
1 ADJ If you are confused , you do not know exactly what is happening or what to do. □ [+ about/by ] A survey showed people were confused about what they should eat to stay healthy. □ Things were happening too quickly and Brian was confused.
2 ADJ Something that is confused does not have any order or pattern and is difficult to understand. □ The situation remains confused as both sides claim success.
con|fus|ing /kənfjuː z I ŋ/ ADJ Something that is confusing makes it difficult for people to know exactly what is happening or what to do. □ The statement is highly confusing.
con|fu|sion /kənfjuː ʒ ə n/ (confusions )
1 N‑VAR If there is confusion about something, it is not clear what the true situation is, especially because people believe different things. □ [+ about ] There's still confusion about the number of casualties. □ Omissions in my recent article must have caused confusion.
2 N‑UNCOUNT Confusion is a situation in which everything is in disorder, especially because there are lots of things happening at the same time. □ There was confusion when a man fired shots.
3 → see also confuse
con|ga /kɒŋ gə/ (congas ) N‑COUNT If a group of people dance a conga , they dance in a long winding line, with each person holding on to the back of the person in front.
con|geal /kəndʒiː l/ (congeals , congealing , congealed ) VERB When a liquid congeals , it becomes very thick and sticky and almost solid. □ [V ] The blood had started to congeal. □ [V -ed] …spilled wine mingled with congealed soup.
con|gen|ial /kəndʒiː niəl/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] A congenial person, place, or environment is pleasant. [FORMAL ] □ He is back in more congenial company.
con|geni|tal /kəndʒe n I t ə l/
1 ADJ [usu ADJ n] A congenital disease or medical condition is one that a person has had from birth, but is not inherited. [MEDICAL ] □ When John was 17, he died of congenital heart disease. ● con|geni|tal|ly ADV [ADV adj/-ed] □ …congenitally deaf patients.
2 ADJ [usu ADJ n] A congenital characteristic or feature in a person is so strong that you cannot imagine it ever changing, although there may seem to be no reason for it. □ He was a congenital liar and usually in debt. ● con|geni|tal|ly ADV □ I admit to being congenitally lazy.
con|ger /kɒ ŋgə r / (congers ) N‑VAR A conger or a conger eel is a large fish that looks like a snake.
con|gest|ed /kəndʒe st I d/
1 ADJ A congested road or area is extremely crowded and blocked with traffic or people. □ He first promised two weeks ago to clear Britain's congested roads. □ [+ with ] Some areas are congested with both cars and people.
2 ADJ If a part of the body is congested , it is blocked. [FORMAL ] □ The arteries in his neck had become fatally congested.
con|ges|tion /kəndʒe stʃ ə n/
1 N‑UNCOUNT [oft adj N ] If there is congestion in a place, the place is extremely crowded and blocked with traffic or people. □ The problems of traffic congestion will not disappear in a hurry.
2 N‑UNCOUNT [oft adj N ] Congestion in a part of the body is a medical condition in which the part becomes blocked. [FORMAL ] □ …nasal congestion.
con|ge s|tion charge (congestion charges ) N‑COUNT Congestion charges refer to money motorists must pay in order to drive in some city centres. Congestion charges are intended to reduce traffic within those areas. ● con|ges|tion charg|ing N‑UNCOUNT □ …the decision on whether to introduce congestion charging on urban roads.
con|ges|tive /kəndʒe st I v/ ADJ [ADJ n] A congestive disease is a medical condition where a part of the body becomes blocked. [MEDICAL ] □ …congestive heart failure.
con|glom|er|ate /kənglɒ mərət/ (conglomerates ) N‑COUNT [oft adj N ] A conglomerate is a large business firm consisting of several different companies. [BUSINESS ] □ Fiat is Italy's largest industrial conglomerate.
con|glom|era|tion /kənglɒ məre I ʃ ə n/ (conglomerations ) N‑COUNT A conglomeration of things is a group of many different things, gathered together. [FORMAL ] □ [+ of ] …a conglomeration of peoples speaking different languages.
con|gratu|late /kəngræ tʃʊle I t/ (congratulates , congratulating , congratulated )
1 VERB If you congratulate someone, you say something to show you are pleased that something nice has happened to them. □ [V n + on ] She congratulated him on the birth of his son. □ [V n] I was delighted with my promotion. Everyone congratulated me. [Also V n + for ] ● con|gratu|la|tion /kəngræ tʃʊle I ʃ ə n/ N‑UNCOUNT □ We have received many letters of congratulation.
2 VERB If you congratulate someone, you praise them for something good that they have done. □ [V n + for/on ] I really must congratulate the organisers for a well-run and enjoyable event. □ [V n] We specifically wanted to congratulate certain players.
3 VERB If you congratulate yourself , you are pleased about something that you have done or that has happened to you. □ [V pron-refl] Waterstone has every reason to congratulate himself.
con|gratu|la|tions /kəngræ tʃʊle I ʃ ə nz/
1 CONVENTION You say ' Congratulations ' to someone in order to congratulate them on something nice that has happened to them or something good that they have done. [FORMULAE ] □ Congratulations, you have a healthy baby boy. □ [+ to ] Congratulations to everybody who sent in their ideas.