Costa Rica
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Cos·ta Ri·ca /ˌkɒstə ˈriːkə‖ˌkɔːs-/ a country in Central America between Nicaragua and Panama. Population: 3,896,092 (2003). Capital: San José. Although there has often been fighting in other countries in Central America, Costa Rica has been a peaceful DEMOCRACY for a long time, and has not had an army since 1950. Costa Rica is very popular with tourists, especially ECOTOURISTS, because of its forests and beaches. —Costa Rican n, adj
cost/benefit analysis n a system of determining a course of action by examining various possibilities with regard to what they will cost and what BENEFIT they will bring. The course of action which will bring the greatest benefit at the smallest cost is seen as the most desirable.
cost centre n a part of a business, such as a department or a group of people or machines, for which costs can be worked out and controlled
cost-effective adj bringing the best possible profits or advantages for the lowest possible cost: They discovered that it was more cost-effective to import the engines from Spain than to manufacture them here. —ly adv —ness n [U]
Cos·tel·lo, El·vis /kɒˈsteləʊ‖kɑː-, ˈelvɪs/ (1954–) a British singer and songwriter, who first became famous in the late 1970s, and has made many records since, sometimes working with other musicians such as the CLASSICAL Brodsky Quartet. He is known especially for the interesting and original songs he writes.
cos·ter·mon·ger /ˈkɒstəmʌŋɡər ‖ˈkɑːstərˌmɑːŋ-, -ˌmɑŋ-/ also coster /ˈkɒstər ‖ˈkɑ-/ n BrE a person who sells fruit and vegetables from a cart in the street, especially in London
cost·ing /ˈkɒstɪŋ‖ˈkɔːs-/ n [U] the process of measuring and looking at the cost of a business activity, product, department etc
cost·ly /ˈkɒstli‖ˈkɔːstli/ adj 1 rather fml costing a lot of money, especially when this is regarded as unreasonable or unnecessary: Selling your house can be a costly and time-consuming business. | a costly delay 2 gained or won at a great loss: the costliest war in our history (=with greatest loss of life) —liness n [U]
Cost·ner, Kev·in /ˈkɒstnər ‖ˈkɑz-, ˈkevn/ (1955–) a US film actor and DIRECTOR, whose films include Dances with Wolves (1990), Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991) and JFK (1991). Dances with Wolves won seven Oscars, including Best Picture.
cost of liv·ing n [(the)S] the cost of buying the goods and services you need to live at an average standard of comfort: The cost of living has gone up 5% in the last year, so we asked for a wage increase of 7%. → compare STANDARD OF LIVING; see also COLA
cost-of-living index n a number based on rising and/or falling prices of goods, services etc usually over a year, which shows whether the cost of living has gone up or down. Since World War II, many employers and unions have agreed to use it as a guideline for wage deals. Other payments such as SOCIAL SECURITY and some PENSIONS are also based on it. → compare RETAIL PRICE INDEX
cost-plus n a method of agreeing on a selling price in which an agreed rate of profit is added to the cost price —cost-plus adj: cost-plus pricing
cost price also cost especially AmE — n [U] the price a shopkeeper pays for an article, which is less than the price the buyer pays the shopkeeper (the retail price): The employees of the store are allowed to buy furniture at cost price/at cost.
costs /kɒsts‖kɔːsts/ n [P] the cost of taking a matter to a court of law, especially as ordered to be paid by the side that lost the case to the side that won it: She won the case and was awarded costs.
cos·tume /ˈkɒstjuːm‖ˈkɑːstuːm/ n 1 [C;U] the clothes typical of a certain period, country, or profession, especially as worn in plays: They are all dressed in national costume. | actors in 18th-century costumes | a costume drama (=one in which clothes from a former period are worn) 2 [C] BrE a SWIMMING COSTUME 3 [C] old-fash a woman's suit
costume jewellery n [U] expensive-looking jewellery made from cheap materials
cos·tu·mier /kɒˈstjuːmiər ‖kɑːˈstuː-/ n a person who makes or deals in costumes, especially for plays
costume
national
costume/dress
period
costume/dress
a clown's
costume
co·sy¹ especially BrE || cozy AmE /ˈkəʊzi/ adj 1 apprec warm, comfortable, and protected from unpleasantness: a cosy little house | The room had a nice cosy feel. 2 sometimes derog based on or showing a close relationship, perhaps with a dishonest purpose: cosy deals between the union leaders and the company management → see also COSILY
cosy² n a covering put over a teapot to keep the contents warm: a tea cosy
cot /kɒt ‖kɑːt/ n 1 BrE || crib AmE — a small bed for a young child, usually with high movable sides so that the child cannot fall out 2 AmE for CAMP BED → see picture at BED
co·tan·gent /kəʊˈtændʒənt/ n tech the FRACTION calculated for an angle by dividing the length of the sides next and opposite to it in a right-angled TRIANGLE
cot death BrE || crib death AmE — n an unexpected and usually unexplainable death of a baby that had been healthy. It is now officially called SUDDEN INFANT DEATH SYNDROME.
Côte d'A·zur, the /ˌkəʊt dæˈzjʊər ‖ˌdəˈzʊər/ a part of the Mediterranean coast in SE France, including the cities of Nice and Cannes. The Côte d'Azur is famous for its beaches, and is considered a place where fashionable rich people go for their holidays. → see also the RIVIERA
Côte d'I·voire /ˌkəʊt diːˈvvwɑːr/ a country next to the Gulf of Guinea in West Africa, between Ghana and Liberia. Population: 15,370,000 (1998). Capital: Yamoussoukro. It is sometimes called the Ivory Coast.
co·te·rie /ˈkəʊtəri/ n [C+sing./pl. v] fml a close group of people with shared interests, tastes etc. It is sometimes difficult to be admitted to a coterie because they do not easily accept new members: a small coterie of artists | Mrs Thatcher went to the hotel for lunch with her personal coterie.
co·ter·mi·nous /kəʊˈtɜːmɪnəs ‖-ɜːr-/ adj [(with)] fml sharing the same border: England is coterminous with Wales. —ly adv
Cots·wolds, the /ˈkɒtswəʊldz‖ˈkɑts-/ a hilly area of western England which has a lot of pretty villages and river valleys. Many buildings are built of the local yellow Cotswold stone, and it is a popular tourist area.
cottage
cot·tage /ˈkɒtɪdʒ‖kɑː-/ n 1 a small house, especially an old one in the country. These are often thought of in a very ROMANTIC way as being COSY and safe, and having a thatched roof (THATCH) and roses round the door: They dreamed of buying a little cottage in the country. → see HOUSE (USAGE) 2 BrE slang a place, such as a PUBLIC CONVENIENCE where COTTAGING takes place