Caffrey's
186
people feel more active). Too much caffeine is now generally
considered to be a bad thing, and there has been an increase
in caffeine-free drinks.
Caf·frey's /'kæfriz/ trademark a type of Irish beer sold in the
UK
caf·tan, kaftan /'kæftən||kæf'tæn/ n a long loose garment,
usually of cotton or silk, worn in the Near and Middle East.
Caftans were very popular in Britain in the 1960s and 70s,
especially with HIPPIES.
cage¹ /keɪdʒ/ n 1 an enclosure made of wires or bars in
which animals or birds are kept or carried: a bird cage | a
tiger in its cage at the zoo 2 an apparatus for raising and
lowering people and equipment in a mine
cage² v [T] to put into a cage: caged birds | (fig.) Mothers of
young children often feel caged in staying at home all day.
Cage, Nicholas (1964–) a US actor whose films include Wild
at Heart (1990), Leaving Las Vegas (1995), and Adaptation
(2000)
cag·ey /'keɪdʒi/ adj infml unwilling to talk freely or provide
information; WARY: She's very cagey about her past life. —ily
adv —iness n [U]
Cag·ney, James /'kægni/ (1899–1986) a US film actor known
for appearing as a GANGSTER (=a member of a violent group
of criminals) in films such as The Public Enemy (1931) and
White Heat (1949). He is supposed to have said 'You dirty rat'
in one of his films and people often remember this phrase
when they think of him.
ca·goule /kə'guːl/ n BrE a long light waterproof coat with a
protective cover for the head, like a thin ANORAK
ca·hoots /kə'hʊts/ n in cahoots (with) slang in partnership
(with), usually for a dishonest purpose: The bank robbers
and the police were in cahoots. | The bank robbers were in
cahoots with the police.
CAI, the /ˌsiː eɪ ˈaɪ/ abbrev. for the Confederation of Australian
Industry; an Australian organization that helps Australia's
industries and businesses to become more successful
Cain /keɪn/ in the Old Testament of the Bible, ADAM and EVE's
first son, who killed his younger brother Abel, and therefore
became the first ever murderer → see also raise Cain
(RAISE¹)
Caine, Michael /keɪn/ (1933–) a British film actor who has
been famous since the 1960s. His many films include Alfie
(1966), Educating Rita (1983), and Hannah and Her Sisters
(1986). He won an Oscar for the film The Cider House Rules
(1999). He is known for his COCKNEY ACCENT although he
was actually born in South London. He is also known for
using the phrase 'Not a lot of people know that'. In 2000, he
became Sir Michael Caine.
ca·ique /kaɪˈiːk/ n a small boat used in the E Mediterranean
cairn /keən||keərn/ n a pile of stones set up, especially on
mountain tops, to mark a place or remind people of some-
one or something
Cairn·gorms, the /'keəngɔːmz||'keərngɔːrmz/ a group of
mountains in Scotland, known as a popular place for walking
and climbing. The skiing (SKI) centre at AVIEMORE is in the
Cairngorms.
Cairns /keənz||keərnz/ a city and port on the north-east
coast of Australia in the state of Queensland → see picture at
AUSTRALIA
Cai·ro /'kaɪərəʊ/ the capital and largest city of Egypt, a port
on the River Nile in the north of the country. Cairo is an
important centre for business and industry, and has many
MUSEUMS and historic buildings.
cais·son /'keɪsən, kə'suːn||'keɪsən, -sən/ n 1 also coffer-
dam, coffer — a large box filled with air, which allows
people to work under water, for example when building
bridges 2 a large box, usually on two wheels, for carrying
AMMUNITION
ca·jole /kə'dʒəʊl/ v [i;T(into, out of)] to persuade by praise or
false promises; COAX: His technique is to cajole his staff rather
than threaten them. | She's always cajoling people into doing
things for her.
Ca·jun /'keɪdʒən/ n a member of a people living in Louisiana
in the US, who were originally French-Canadian. Cajuns have
their own language, which is related to French, and they are
also known for their lively music and for their cooking, which
is SPICY and uses a lot of fish and SHELLFISH. → see also
GUMBO, JAMBALAYA —Cajun adj: a Cajun band | a Cajun
restaurant
cake¹ /keɪk/ n 1 [C;U] {a piece of} a soft food made by
baking a sweet mixture of flour, eggs, sugar etc: to bake a
cake | a chocolate cake | a birthday cake | Would you like some
cake/a slice of cake? → compare BISCUIT; see also CHRIST-
MAS CAKE, CUP CAKE, MADEIRA CAKE 2 [C] {often in comb.} a
flat-shaped piece of something, especially food: a potato
cake | a fishcake | a cake of soap 3 [the S] the total amount,
especially of money or goods, that is to be shared among
everyone: The people of the Third World want a bigger slice of
the cake. 4 have one's cake and eat it (too) infml to have the
advantages of something without the disadvantages that go
with it: You spend all your money on beer and then complain
about being poor, but you can't have your cake and eat it, you
know. 5 let them eat cake a phrase which is believed to
have been said by Marie Antoinette just before the French
Revolution, when told that the poor people were hungry
because they had no bread 6 take the cake AmE infml to be
more foolish or silly than anything else: I've heard some
pretty dumb ideas, but that takes the cake. → see also PIECE
OF CAKE
cake² v 1 [T(with)] to cover thickly: Her shoes were caked with
mud. 2 [I] to form a hard mass when dry: Cheap lipstick
always cakes.
'cake fork n a fork with one PRONG wider than the others
and shaped like a small knife
'cake tin BrE || 'cake pan AmE — n a metal container for
holding a cake while it is being baked
cal·a·bash /'kæləbæʃ/ n (a tropical American tree with) a
large hard fruit whose shell can be dried and used as a bowl
cal·a·boose /ˌkælə'buːs||ˌkæləbuːs/ n AmE rare a small prison
cal·a·brese /'kæləbriːs/ n BrE a type of BROCCOLI
Cal·ais /'kæleɪ||kæ'leɪ/ an industrial city and port on the
English Channel in northwest France, used especially by
ferries (FERRY) to and from Dover in England
cal·a·mine lo·tion /ˌkæləmaɪn ˈləʊʃən/ n [U] a pink liquid
used especially to cool skin that has been burnt by the sun
and to reduce pain or itching (ITCH)
ca·lam·i·ty /kə'læmɪti/ n a sudden terrible event causing
great loss and suffering: It would be a calamity for these
people if the rains failed yet again. —tous adj: a calamitous
flood —tously adv
cal·ci·fy /'kælsɪfaɪ/ v [I;T] to (cause to) become hard by the
addition of LIME
cal·ci·um /'kælsiəm/ n [U] a silver-white metal that is a
simple substance (ELEMENT) and is found in bones, teeth, and
chalk
cal·cu·late /'kælkjʊleɪt/ v [I;T] 1 to find out or make a firm
guess about (especially an amount), especially by using
numbers: They use a computer to calculate the cost of wages
as a percentage of the company's income. | The government
has to calculate the likely effects on revenues of a big drop in
the oil price. | [(that)] The experts calculate that the market for
these computers will expand by 200% in the next three years.
[+wh-] The scientists calculated when the spacecraft would
reach the moon. → see also INCALCULABLE 2 be calculated
to (do something) to be planned with the intention of
(producing a particular result): The new regulations are
deliberately calculated to make cheating impossible. | The new
system is hardly calculated to (=is unlikely to) make life
easier!
calculate on sthg. phr v [T] to depend on (something
happening): [+obj/v-ing] We calculated on an early start/
making an early start. | [+obj+v-ing] Don't calculate on him
agreeing with you.
cal·cu·lat·ed /'kælkjʊleɪtɪd/ adj intentionally planned to
gain a particular result: a calculated threat | I took a calcu-
lated risk when I bought those shares. → see also CALCULAT-
—ly adv
cal·cu·lat·ing /'kælkjʊleɪtɪŋ/ adj usually derog making careful
plans with the intention of bringing advantage to yourself
without considering the effects on other people: a cold
calculating criminal
cal·cu·la·tion /ˌkælkjʊ'leɪʃən/ n 1 [C;U] the act or result o