2 VERB [usu passive] If a member of the armed forces is court martialled , he or she is tried in a military court. □ [be V -ed] I was court-martialled and sentenced to six months in a military prison.
Cou rt of Ap|pea l (Courts of Appeal ) in AM, usually use Court of Appeals N‑COUNT A Court of Appeal is a court which deals with appeals against legal judgments. □ The case is being referred to the Court of Appeal.
cou rt of in|qui ry (courts of inquiry ) N‑COUNT A court of inquiry is a group of people who are officially appointed to investigate a serious accident or incident, or an official investigation into a serious accident or incident. [mainly BRIT ] □ The government has instituted a court of inquiry to look into the allegations.
cou rt of la w (courts of law ) N‑COUNT When you refer to a court of law , you are referring to a legal court, especially when talking about the evidence that might be given in a trial. □ We have a witness who would swear to it in a court of law.
court|room /kɔː r truːm/ (courtrooms ) N‑COUNT A courtroom is a room in which a legal court meets.
court|ship /kɔː r tʃ I p/ (courtships )
1 N‑VAR Courtship is the activity of courting or the time during which a man and a woman are courting. [OLD-FASHIONED ] □ After a short courtship, she accepted his marriage proposal.
2 N‑UNCOUNT The courtship of male and female animals is their behaviour before they have sex. □ Courtship is somewhat vocal with a lot of displaying by the male.
cou rt shoe (court shoes ) N‑COUNT Court shoes are women's shoes that do not cover the top part of the foot and are usually made of plain leather with no design. [BRIT ] in AM, use pumps
court|yard /kɔː r tjɑː r d/ (courtyards ) N‑COUNT A courtyard is an open area of ground which is surrounded by buildings or walls. □ They walked through the arch and into the cobbled courtyard.
cous|cous /kuː skuːs/ N‑UNCOUNT Couscous is a type of food that is made from crushed steamed wheat, or a dish consisting of this food served with a spicy stew. It is traditionally eaten in North Africa.
cous|in ◆◆◇ /kʌ z ə n/ (cousins )
1 N‑COUNT [oft with poss] Your cousin is the child of your uncle or aunt. □ My cousin Mark helped me. □ We are cousins.
2 → see also country cousin , second cousin
cou|ture /kuːtjʊə r , [AM ] -tʊ r/ N‑UNCOUNT [oft N n] Couture is the designing and making of expensive fashionable clothes, or the clothes themselves. [FORMAL ] □ …Christian Lacroix's first Paris couture collection.
cou|tu|ri|er /kuːtʊə rie I , [AM ] kuːtʊrie I / (couturiers ) N‑COUNT A couturier is a person who designs, makes, and sells expensive, fashionable clothes for women.
cove /koʊ v/ (coves ) N‑COUNT A cove is a part of a coast where the land curves inwards so that the sea is partly enclosed. □ …a hillside overlooking Fairview Cove.
cov|en /kʌ vən/ (covens ) N‑COUNT [with sing or pl verb] A coven is a group of witches.
cov|enant /kʌ vənənt/ (covenants )
1 N‑COUNT A covenant is a formal written agreement between two or more people or groups of people which is recognized in law. □ …the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
2 N‑COUNT [oft by N ] A covenant is a formal written promise to pay a sum of money each year for a fixed period, especially to a charity. [mainly BRIT ] □ If you make gifts through a covenant, you can reclaim the tax which already paid on this money. in AM, usually use pledge
Cov|en|try /kɒ v ə ntri, [AM ] kʌ v I ntri/ PHRASE If people send you to Coventry , they avoid speaking to you whenever they meet you, as a way of punishing you for something that you have done. [BRIT ]
cov|er ◆◆◆ /kʌ və r / (covers , covering , covered )
1 VERB If you cover something, you place something else over it in order to protect it, hide it, or close it. □ [V n + with ] Cover the casserole with a tight-fitting lid. □ [V n] He whimpered and covered his face. □ [V -ed] Keep what's left in a covered container in the fridge.
2 VERB If one thing covers another, it has been placed over it in order to protect it, hide it, or close it. □ [V n] His finger went up to touch the black patch which covered his left eye. □ [be V -ed + with ] His head was covered with a khaki turban.
3 VERB If one thing covers another, it forms a layer over its surface. □ [V n] The clouds had spread and nearly covered the entire sky. □ [be V -ed + with/in ] The desk was covered with papers.
4 VERB To cover something with or in something else means to put a layer of the second thing over its surface. □ [V n + with/in ] The trees in your garden may have covered the ground with apples, pears or plums.
5 VERB If you cover a particular distance, you travel that distance. □ [V n] It would not be easy to cover ten miles on that amount of petrol.
6 VERB To cover someone or something means to protect them from attack, for example by pointing a gun in the direction of people who may attack them, ready to fire the gun if necessary. □ [V n] You go first. I'll cover you.
7 N‑UNCOUNT Cover is protection from enemy attack that is provided for troops or ships carrying out a particular operation, for example by aircraft. □ They said they could not provide adequate air cover for ground operations.
8 N‑UNCOUNT Cover is trees, rocks, or other places where you shelter from the weather or from an attack, or hide from someone. □ Charles lit the fuses and they ran for cover.