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# cellphone
**cease¹** /si:s/ *v* [I;T] *fml* to stop (especially an activity or state): *It rained all day without ceasing. | Cease fire! (=stop shooting!) | [+ to-v] As from the end of the month, this regulation will cease to have effect. | [+ -ing] The company has ceased trading in this part of the world.* → see also wonders will never cease (WONDER)
**cease²** *n* **without cease** *fml* continuously; without ceasing → see also CEASELESS
**cease-fire** *n* an agreement to stop fighting for a certain period, especially so that a more lasting peace agreement can be established: *to negotiate a cease-fire* → compare ARMISTICE, TRUCE
**cease·less** /'si:sləs/ *adj fml* unending; continuous; without ceasing: *ceaseless activity* —**ly** *adv*: *She practised ceaselessly.*
**Ceau·şes·cu, Nic·o·lae** /tʃau'ʃesku:, 'nɪkəlaɪ/ (1918–89) the President of Romania from 1967–1989, known as a cruel DICTATOR. He used his secret police force to control the people, until he was removed from power by force, and he and his wife were killed.
**ce·dar** /'si:də/ *n* **1** [C] a tall EVERGREEN tree **2** [U] also **ce·dar·wood** /'si:dəwʊd/ the hard reddish sweetsmelling wood of this tree used for making pencils, decorative boxes, furniture etc
**cede** /si:d/ *v* [T(to)] *fml* to give (usually land or a right) to another country or person, especially after losing a war: *By the terms of the treaty, a third of their territory was ceded to France.* → see also CESSION
**ce·dil·la** /sɪ'dɪlə/ *n* (when writing certain languages) a mark put under a letter (as with ç in French) to show that it has a special sound
**Cee·fax** /'si:fæks/ *trademark* a type of service provided by the BBC which supplies written information on a special television CHANNEL. The information is on many subjects, for example the weather, business news, or sports results.
**cei·lidh** /'keɪli/ *n* an evening entertainment in Scotland and Ireland which includes singing, dancing, and story telling
**cei·ling** /'si:lɪŋ/ *n* **1** the inner surface of the top of a room → compare ROOF **2** [(on)] a usually official upper limit on prices, wages, rents etc: *The government set/imposed a ceiling on imports of foreign cars.* **3** *tech* height above ground: *a low cloud ceiling | The plane has an operational ceiling of 50,000 feet.* → see also GLASS CEILING
**cel·e·brate** /'seləbreɪt/ *v* **1** [I;T] to mark (an event or special occasion) by enjoying yourself, publicly or privately: *We celebrated (her birthday) with a party/by going out to a restaurant. | These good results have given us something to celebrate.* **2** [T] *fml* to praise in writing, speech etc: *poems that celebrate the joys of love* **3** [T] to perform a religious ceremony, especially the Christian Mass solemnly and officially
**cel·e·brat·ed** /'seləbreɪtɪd/ *adj* [(as, for)] well-known; famous: *a celebrated writer/legal trial | Venice is celebrated for its beautiful buildings.*
**cel·e·bra·tion** /ˌselə'breɪʃən/ *n* **1** [U] the act of celebrating **2** [C] an occasion of celebrating, such as a party: *the new country's independence celebrations*
**CULTURAL NOTE** Special Celebrations People in the US and the UK often celebrate by having parties when they have achieved something important, such as graduating (GRADUATE) from school or university, or getting a new job or home. Many people celebrate important stages in their lives with religious ceremonies such as CHRISTENINGS, BAR MITZVAHS, and weddings. Most people celebrate their birthdays: see Cultural Note at BIRTHDAY. People also celebrate their wedding anniversaries (ANNIVERSARY), especially when they have been married for 10, 25, or 50 years. If someone has a party to celebrate a birthday, wedding, anniversary, birth, or graduation, in the UK guests are expected to give them cards and sometimes presents. In the US guests are usually expected to give both presents and cards. In the US there are special parties for women who will soon be married, called bridal SHOWERS and for women who will soon have a baby, called baby showers, when friends give them useful presents for their marriage or new baby. → see Cultural Note at SHOWER
**ce·leb·ri·ty** /sə'lebrəti/ *n* **1** [C] a famous person, especially in the business of entertainment: *He managed to interview a few minor celebrities (=people who are not very famous).* **2** [U] *fml* the state of being famous; fame
**CULTURAL NOTE** TABLOID newspapers in the UK often write stories about celebrities and there are many magazines in the UK and the US that have photographs of celebrities on almost every page. The phrase 'the cult of celebrity' is used by people who think that Western society, especially the MEDIA, has become too interested in celebrities. People who appear in REALITY TV shows such as Big Brother become 'famous for being famous', meaning that they become famous for a short time while they are on television, not because they are good actors, musicians etc. FILM STARS, musicians, models etc who are extremely famous all over the world are called A-list celebrities. People who are not as famous and who would not be recognized by everyone are called C-list (or Z-list) celebrities.
**cel·e·ry** /'seləri/ *n* [U] (the bunched greenish-white stems of) a small plant eaten cooked or uncooked as a vegetable: *He dug up a head of celery. | She ate a stick of celery | celery soup*
**ce·les·ti·al** /sə'lestɪəl‖-tʃəl/ *adj fml* of the sky or heaven: *The sun, the stars, and the moon are celestial bodies. | Angels are celestial beings.*
**cel·i·bate** /'seləbət/ *n, adj* (a person, especially a priest or NUN who is) unmarried and not taking part in sexual activity, especially as the result of a religious promise → compare CHASTE —**ba·cy** *n* [U] *a vow (=promise) of celibacy*
**cells**
cell
honeycomb
prison cell
plant cell
nucleus
**cell** /sel/ *n* **1** a small room **a)** in a prison for one person or a small number of people **b)** in a MONASTERY or CONVENT for one person **2** a very small division of living matter, with one centre of activity (NUCLEUS), able alone or with others to perform all the operations necessary for life → see also RED BLOOD CELL **3** one of a number of small parts belonging to a larger structure, especially one of the divisions of a HONEYCOMB **4** an apparatus for making a current of electricity by chemical action **5** [+sing./pl. v] a small group of people operating secretly as part of a larger, usually political, organization: *a terrorist cell* **6 -celled** /seld/ having the stated number or type of cells: *single-celled organisms*
**cel·lar** /'selə/ *n* **1** an underground room, usually without windows and used for storing goods: *a coal cellar* **2** a store of wine belonging to a person, restaurant etc
**cel·lar·age** /'selərɪdʒ/ *n* [U] **1** the amount of cellar space **2** the charge for storing something in a cellar
**cell di,vision** *n* [C;U] (an act of) the process by which plant and animal cells increase their numbers → see also MEIOSIS, MITOSIS
**cel·list** /'tʃelɪst/ also **violoncellist** *fml* — *n* a person who plays the cello
**cell·mate** /'selmeɪt/ *n* [C] someone who shares a prison cell with someone else
**cel·lo** /'tʃeləʊ/ also **violoncello** *fml* — *n pl.* **-los** a stringed musical instrument, like the VIOLIN and VIOLA but larger and producing a deeper sound
**Cel·lo·phane** /'seləfeɪn/ *trademark* thin transparent material used for wrapping things
**cell·phone** /'selfəʊn/ *n especially AmE* a phone that you can take with you to use anywhere; a MOBILE PHONE