Easier English Student Dictionary - I

compress 159 conceive compress noun / kɒmpres/ a pad of cloth, ganisation such as a business or school with sometimes soaked in hot or cold liquid, computers ć The school is becoming comput- placed on the skin to relieve pain or to force erised, but we still have only one computer pus out of an infected wound ć She applied a per class. ć Supermarket checkouts are fully cold compress to the bruise. ć The nurse ap- computerised. plied a dry compress to his bleeding knee. (NOTE: The plural is compresses.) í verb computer-literacy /kəm pju tə /kəm pres/ to squeeze into a small space ć lt(ə)rəsi/ noun the fact of being able to use The garden centre sells peat compressed into a computer large bags. ć I tried to compress the data onto one page, but couldn’t do it. computer-literate /kəm pju tə z comprise /kəm praz/ verb to be made lt(ə)rət/ adj able to use a computer up of. Synonym include ˽ to be comprised computing /kəm pju tŋ/ noun the use of of to be made up of ć The exam is comprised computers of two written papers and an oral. compromise / kɒmprəmaz/ noun an comrade / kɒmred/ noun 1. a friend or agreement between two opposing sides, companion, especially a soldier ć We re- where each side gives way a little ć They member old comrades buried in foreign cem- reached a compromise after some discussion. eteries. 2. a fellow member of a socialist or ć There is no question of a compromise with communist party ć All comrades must attend the terrorists. í verb 1. to come to an agree- the party meeting. 3. a form of address to a ment by giving way a little ć He asked £15 fellow member of a socialist or communist for it, I offered £7 and we compromised on party ć Comrades, we must fight to establish £10. ć The government has refused to com- the right to union membership. promise with the terrorists. 2. to put someone in a difficult position ć Now that he has been comradeship / kɒmredʃp/ noun fellow- compromised, he has had to withdraw as a ship or friendliness candidate. 3. to do something which reveals a secret ć The security code has been z con /kɒn/ noun 1. a trick done to try to compromised. get money from someone ć Trying to get us compromising / kɒmprəmazŋ/ adj to pay him for ten hours’ work was just a embarrassing con. ‘ conman 2. ˽ the pros and cons the compulsion /kəm p lʃən/ noun a force or arguments for and against something ć You urge have to weigh up all the pros and cons before compulsive /kəm p lsv/ adj not able to coming to a decision. í verb to trick some- stop yourself doing something one to try to get money ć They conned the compulsory /kəm p lsəri/ adj which ev- bank into lending them £25,000. ć He eryone is forced to do ć a compulsory injec- conned the old lady out of all her savings. tion against cholera ć It is compulsory to wear a crash helmet on a motorcycle. Ant- (NOTE: conning – conned) onym optional compunction /kəm p ŋkʃən/ noun concave / kɒnkev/ adj (of a surface) guilty and sad feelings about something you rounded inwards like the inside of a spoon have done. Synonym regret z compute /kəm pju t/ verb to work out conceal /kən si l/ verb to hide something an amount. Synonym calculate or put it where it cannot be seen x computer /kəm pju tə/ noun an elec- tronic machine which calculates and keeps concealed /kən si ld/ adj hidden or diffi- information automatically ć All the com- cult to see pany’s records are on computer. computer-aided design /kəm pju tər concede /kən si d/ verb 1. to admit that edd d zan/ noun the use of computer you are wrong ć She conceded that this time software in designing things she had been mistaken. 2. ˽ to concede de- computer game /kəm pju tə em/ feat to admit that you have lost ć With half noun a game which you can play on a com- the votes counted, the presidential candidate puter, using a special program conceded defeat. ć After sixteen moves, the computerise /kəm pju təraz/, comput- chess champion had to concede defeat. erize verb 1. to change from a manual sys- tem to one using computers ć Our booking conceit /kən si t/ noun a high opinion of system has been completely computerised. 2. yourself to calculate or work by a computer ć We get computerised pay cheques. 3. to equip an or- conceited /kən si td/ adj thinking too much of yourself conceivable /kən si vəb(ə)l/ adj which can be imagined. Synonym imaginable conceivably /kən si vəbli/ adv in a con- ceivable way conceive /kən si v/ verb 1. to become pregnant ć After two years of marriage she was beginning to think she would never con- ceive. 2. ˽ to be conceived (of a child.) to start existence in the womb ć Our little girl was conceived during a power cut in New