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CULTURAL NOTE In the US, people mainly think of commuters as people who spend a long time driving to work, especially because of TRAFFIC JAMS. In the UK, the STEREOTYPE of a commuter is of a person wearing formal business clothes who sits and reads a newspaper on the train to the office and does not talk to anyone else.
com'muter belt n an area around a large town from which many people commute to work every day. (In Britain, this is mostly used about the area around London.)
comp1 /kɒmp||kɑːmp/ n infml 1 AmE a ticket for a play, sports game etc that is given away free 2 BrE a COMPREHENSIVE SCHOOL
comp2 v [T] AmE infml to give something such as a ticket away free
com·pact1 /kəm'pækt, 'kɒmpækt||kəm'pækt/ adj 1 firmly and closely packed together; DENSE: The trees grew in a compact mass. 2 small but cleverly made or arranged; fitting neatly into a small space: a compact office/ camera 3 expressed in few words; CONCISE: a compact statement —ly adv —ness n [U]
com·pact2 /'kɒmpækt||'kɑːm-/ n 1 a small flat container for a woman's, FACE POWDER, a POWDER PUFF, and a mirror 2 also ,compact 'car AmE a small car
compact3 n fm[ an agreement between two or more people, countries etc: banking compacts | [+to-v] They made a compact never to speak about the matter again.
com·pact4 /kəm'pækt/ v [T] to press together firmly and closely: a compacted mass of snow
compact 'disc, compact disk also CD n a small circular piece of hard plastic on which high-quality recorded sound or large quantities of information can be stored. In Britain and the US, it has largely replaced the RECORD.
compact 'disc ,player, compact disk player also CD player n a piece of equipment which can turn the information stored on a COMPACT DISC back into the original sounds, music etc: a portable compact disc player
com·pan·ion /kəm'pænjən/ n 1 especially lit a person who goes somewhere with or spends time with another, either because of friendship or by chance: a close companion | a travelling companion | My fellow prisoners made/were good companions | (fig.) The fear of being discovered was his constant companion. (=he was continuously afraid of being discovered) → compare COMRADE, PARTNER 2 (especially formerly) a person, usually a woman, paid to live with another (often older or ill) person: The old lady's companion always drives the car. → compare PARTNER 3 ([to]) either of a pair or set of things; one thing that matches another: I used to have a companion to that vase, but I broke it. | a companion volume 4 (usually in titles) a book which explains how to do something; HANDBOOK: the Motorist's Companion
com·pan·ion·able /kəm'pænjənəbəl/ adj friendly; showing a friendly relationship: a companionable evening together playing cards | a companionable silence (=comfortable even though no one spoke) —bly adv
Companion of 'Honour, the a special title or honour that is given by the British queen or king to someone who has achieved something very important for the country. A person who has received this title can use the letters CH after his or her name.
com·pan·ion·ship /kəm'pænjənʃɪp/ n [U] the relationship of companions; friendly company: He missed the companionship he'd enjoyed in the navy.
com·pan·ion·way /kəm'pænjənweɪ/ n the steps leading from one DECK (=floor) of a ship to another → compare GANGPLANK
com·pa·ny /'kʌmpəni/ n 1 [C+sing./pl. v] an organization made up of people who work together for purposes of business or trade: a pharmaceutical company | insurance companies | to form a new company | a private/public/state-owned company | Which company do you work for? | My company sells farm machinery. | (in names) Robinson and Company → see also HOLDING COMPANY, PUBLIC COMPANY 2 [C+sing./pl. v] a group of entertainers who work together: a theatre/dance company | The Royal Shakespeare Company 3 [U] the presence of another person; companionship: Would you like some company? | I was grateful for Jean's company on the long journey up to Edinburgh. 4 [U+sing./pl. v] companions; the people with whom a person spends time: pleasant company | The people at this party are really boring – present company excepted of course! (=I don't include you) 5 [U] one or more guests: No, you can't go out tonight; we're expecting company. | You should never swear in company. | (=when guests are present) 6 [C+sing./pl. v] a) a group of about 120 soldiers, usually part of a REGIMENT or BATTALION b) officers and men of a ship 7 be good/bad company to be a good/bad person to be with: John's rather depressed; he's not very good company at the moment. 8 be in good company humor to be in the same (usually difficult) situation as another person: 'Why are we going to France? I can't speak a word of French.' 'Don't worry, you're in good company – neither can I!' 9 keep someone company to be, go, remain etc with someone; provide companionship: If you're going out for a walk, I'll come along and keep you company. 10 two's company, three's a crowd used to say that two people would rather be alone together than have another person with them. The phrase is used especially about two people who are sexually attracted to each other not wanting a third person to spoil the amount of attention they can give to each other. → see also part company (PART)
,company 'car n a car which is provided for a person by their employer, either because they have to travel in order to do their job or because they have an important job and the car is a kind of reward. It is available for their private use. In Britain a company car is seen as a STATUS SYMBOL by many people: a salary of £45,000 plus a company car
,company 'law n [U] the area of law that concerns how businesses operate and what their responsibilities are to each other, to customers, and to governments are
,company 'secretary n especially BrE a high-ranking member of a business company who deals with accounts, legal matters etc
Com·paq /'kɒmpæk||'kɑːm-/ trademark a large US computer company that makes all types of computer equipment, including PCs (=personal computers) for the home and for business. In 1998 Compaq took control of Digital, another large computer company.
com·pa·ra·ble /'kɒmpərəbəl||'kɑːm-/ adj [(with, to)] 1 similar; that can be compared; EQUIVALENT: A comparable car would cost far more abroad. | a system for ensuring that people doing comparable jobs receive comparable rates of pay 2 deserving to be compared: His poetry isn't bad, but it's hardly comparable with Shakespeare's! → see also INCOMPARABLE —bly adv —bility /ˌkɒmpərə'bɪləti||ˌkɑm-/ n [U] a system of public pay comparability
com·par·a·tive1 /kəm'pærətɪv/ adj [no comp.] 1 (of the form of an adjective or adverb) expressing an increase in quality, quantity, or degree: 'Bigger' is the comparative form of 'big'. | 'More comfortable' is the comparative form of 'comfortable'. | 'Worse' is the comparative form of 'bad', and also of 'badly'. → compare POSITIVE, SUPERLATIVE 2 measured or judged by a comparison which is not stated: the comparative wealth of the south of England (=its wealth compared with the rest of the country) | He's a comparative newcomer to television. (=he has been on television before, but not often) | a comparative stranger 3 based on or making a comparison: a comparative study of European languages | a collection of comparative statistical data about different countries
comparative2 also com,parative de'gree n [the S] the form of an adjective or adverb that shows some increase in quality, quantity, or degree: 'Bigger' is the comparative of 'big'. | 'More comfortable' is the comparative of 'comfortable'.
com·par·a·tive·ly /kəm'pærətɪvli/ adv 1 when compared with others; rather: Man is a comparatively new creature on the face of the Earth. | Comparatively speaking, these aircraft are quite cheap. 2 in a COMPARATIVE way: two languages to study comparatively
com·pare1 /kəm'peər/ v 1 [T(to, with)] to examine or judge (one thing) in relation to another thing in order to show the points of similarity or difference: The report compares the different types of home computer currently available. | I compared the copy with the original, and/but there wasn't much difference. | Compare our prices! (=with those of other shops, which are higher) | Our staff turnover is low compared with