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cred-its /'kredɪts/ also 'credit ˌtitles /ml — n [P] the names of the actors and other people responsible for a cinema or television show, which appear in a list at the beginning or end
'credit squeeze also credit crunch n a period during which the government makes the borrowing of money difficult, usually in an effort to reduce spending and increase saving
'credit ˌtransfer n [C:U] a way of moving money to a different bank account without using a cheque, e.g. by STAND-ING ORDER
'credit ˌunion n (especially in the US) a COOPERATIVE that operates like a bank for its members and lends them money at low rates of interest. Credit unions are often formed by the employees of a large company, or members of some other large organization.
'credit ˌvoucher n AmE for CREDIT NOTE
cred-it-wor-thy /'kredɪ̣twɜːði||-wɜːr-/ adj likely to pay debts; having a good CREDIT RATING: Creditworthy customers may buy on account. —-thiness n [U]
cre-do /'kri:dəʊ, 'kreɪ-/ n pl. -dos a formal statement of beliefs; CREED
cred-u-lous /'kredjʊləs||-dʒə-/ adj too willing to believe, especially without being given real proof —-ly adv —-ness, credulity /krɪ'dju:lətɪl||-'du:-/ n [U] a far-fetched story that would stretch the credulity even of a child
Cree /kri:/ n 1 the Cree [P] a Native American tribe that lived mainly in northern Montana in the US, and in Canada 2 [C] a member of this tribe → see Cultural Note at NATIVE AMERICAN —Cree adj
creed /kri:d/ n 1 a system of beliefs or principles: the Socialist creed | people of every colour and creed (=especially religion) 2 a formal statement of religious belief, especially as said at certain church services
creek /kri:k/ n 1 BrE a long narrow body of water reaching from the sea, a lake etc, into the land 2 AmE a small narrow stream 3 up the creek (without a paddle) infml in trouble: I was really up the creek when I lost my keys.
Creek n 1 the Creek [P]. a Native American tribe from Georgia and Alabama in the US 2 [C] a member of this tribe → see Cultural Note at NATIVE AMERICAN —Creek adj
creep¹ /kri:p/ v crept /krept/ [I] 1 [+adv/prep] to move slowly, quietly, and carefully, especially so as not to attract attention: We crept upstairs so as not to wake the baby. | The cat was creeping silently towards the mouse. | (fig.) Old age is creeping up on me. | (fig.) The newspaper's circulation has crept up from 800,000 to almost a million. | (fig.) Mistakes start to creep in when you work too hard. 2 to move with the body close to the ground: The dog crept under the car to hide. | creeping insects 3 to grow along the ground or a surface: a creeping plant 4 (of the skin) to have an unpleasant sensation, as if worms, insects etc are moving over it: I hated that horror film – it really made my flesh creep. → see also CREEPS
creep² n 1 [C] slang an unpleasant person, especially one who tries to win the favour of people of higher rank, especially by praising them insincerely 2 [U] tech the slow movement of loose soil, rocks etc → see also CREEPS
creep-er /'kri:pə/ n a plant which climbs up trees and walls or grows along the ground
creep-ers /'kri:pəz||-ərz/ n [P] BrE shoes with thick rubber bottoms. They are also known as brothel creepers and were especially fashionable in the 1950s when they were worn especially by TEDDY BOYS.
creeps /kri:ps/ n [the P] infml an unpleasant sensation of fear: The old castle gives me the creeps. → see also CREEP
creep-y /'kri:pi/ adj infml causing or feeling an unpleasant sensation of fear: a creepy story/old house —-ily adv —-iness n [U]
ˌcreepy-'crawly n infml, especially BrE a creeping insect
cre-mate /krɪˈmeɪt||ˈkri:meɪt/ v [T] to burn (the body of a dead person) at a funeral ceremony. In the past, most people used to be buried in the ground when they died, but now many people choose to be cremated instead. → see also ASHES —-mation /krɪˈmeɪʃən||ˌkri:-/ n [C:U]
crem-a-to-ri-um /ˌkreməˈtɔːriəm||ˌkri:-/ also
crem-a-to-ry /'kremətəri|| 'kri:mətɔ:ri/ especially AmE — n pl. -iums or -ia /iə/ a building in which the bodies of dead people are cremated
crème car-a-mel /ˌkrem 'kærəməl, -mel/ n a sweet yellowish-coloured food made from milk, eggs, and sugar which goes brown during cooking and forms a liquid on the outside when removed from its container
crème de la crème /ˌkrem də lɑː 'krem/ [the] Fr the best, most experienced, most intelligent people
Crème de Menthe /ˌkrem də 'mɒnθ||-'mæ:nt/ n [U] a green French LIQUEUR (=a sweet and very strong alcoholic drink) which tastes of PEPPERMINT and is usually drunk from a small glass after a meal
Cre-mo-ra /kri:'mɔ:rə/ trademark a type of white powder added to coffee or tea instead of milk, which is sold in the US. In the UK, there is a similar product called COFFEEMATE.
cren-el-lat-ed BrE || crenelated AmE /'krenəl-eɪtɪd/ adj tech protected by BATTLEMENTS: a crenellated castle
cre-ole /'kri:əʊl/ n (often cap.) 1 [C:U] an American or West Indian language which has grown through a combination of a European language with one or more other languages → compare PIDGIN 2 [C] a person descended from both Europeans and Africans 3 [C] a white person born in the West Indies or parts of Spanish America, or descended from the original French settlers in the southern US 4 [U] food prepared in the hot strong-tasting style of the southern US: shrimp creole —creole adj
cre·o·sote¹ /'kri:əsəʊt/ n [U] a thick brown strong-smelling oily liquid used for preserving wood
creosote² v [T] to paint with creosote
crepe, crêpe /kreɪp/ n 1 [U] also crape — light soft thin cloth, with a finely lined and folded surface, made from cotton, silk, wool etc 2 [U] also ˌcrepe 'rubber — tightly pressed rubber used especially for making the bottoms of shoes: crepe-soled shoes 3 [C] a very thin PANCAKE 4 [U] CREPE PAPER
ˌcrepe 'pa·per /l. ../ also crepe n [U] thin brightly col-oured paper with a finely lined and folded surface, especially used for making decorations
crêpes su·zette, crepes suzette /ˌkreɪp su:'zet/ n [P] a dish of thin PANCAKES with a thick orange liquid, served with a strong alcoholic drink, especially BRANDY or CURAÇAO which is often lit to make a flame at the table
crept /krept/ past tense and participle of CREEP
cre·pus·cu·lar /krɪ'pʌskjʊlə/ adj 1 lit of the time when day is changing into night or night into day; not bright; faint 2 tech (of an animal) active only during this time
cre·scen·do¹ /krɪ'ʃendəʊ/ n pl. -dos 1 a piece of music which gradually becomes very loud → opposite DIMINU-ENDO 2 infml a point of greatest excitement or urgency: The demands for an election rose to a crescendo.
crescendo² adj (of a piece of music) gradually becoming louder
cres·cent /'kresənt/ n 1 the curved shape of the moon during its first and last quarters, when it forms less than half a circle 2 something shaped like this, such as a curved row of houses or curved street: an oriental crescent-shaped sword 3 (often cap.) this shape as a sign of the Muslim religion: medieval wars between Cross (=Christianity) and Crescent (=Islam) → see also RED CRESCENT
'crescent ˌroll n AmE for CROISSANT
'crescent ˌwrench n AmE a spanner with parts that can be moved to hold things of different sizes
cress /kres/ n [U] a very small plant whose sharp-tasting leaves are eaten raw: a salad of mustard and cress → see also WATERCRESS
Cres·si·da /'kresɪdə/ also Cres·seid /'kresɪd/ → see TROILUS AND CRESSIDA
crest /krest/ n 1 a showy growth of feathers on top of a bird's head 2 a decoration like this worn, especially in former times, on top of soldiers' HELMETS 3 [oft usually sing.] the top or highest point of something, especially of a hill or a wave: The path follows the crest of the hill for several miles. | The