( music ) a person who writes music My favorite composer is Mozart.
com • po • si • tion / |kamps'zijn /noun [count]
a piece of writing or music
com • post / ' kampoust / noun [ noncount ]
a mixture of dead plants, old food, etc. that is added to soil to help plants grow a compost heap
com • poundaw п / ' kampaund / noun [count]
( chemistry ) something that is made of two or more parts
Salt is a chemical compound.
( english language arts ) a word that is made from two or more other words
"Roommate" and "good-looking" are compounds.
a closed area with a group of buildings inside it a prison compound
com • pre • hen • sion / |kampri ' henjn / noun
[ count, noncount ]
understanding something that you hear or read a test in reading comprehension
com • pre • hen • sive AWL / |kampri'hensiv
/ adjective
including everything or almost everything a comprehensive list of all the schools in the area
com • prise AWL / ksm' praiz / verb ( com • pris • es , com pris ing , com • prised )
to be made from two or more things; to have things as parts an association comprising local politicians and employers
—SYNONYM consist of something
com • pro • mise 1 / ' kamprsmaiz / noun
[ count, noncount ]
an agreement between people when each person gets part, but not all, of what they wanted
After long talks, the workers and management reached a compromise .
com • pro • mise 2 / ' kamprsmaiz / verb ( com • pro mis • es , com • pro • mis • ing , com • pro • mised )
to accept less than you want, in order to reach an agreement
There will be no peace agreement unless both sides are prepared to compromise.
com • pul • so • ry / ksm' pAlssri / adjective
If something is compulsory , you must do it
School is compulsory for all children between the ages of
five and sixteen.
—ANTONYM optional
[ count ]
a machine that can store and find information, calculate amounts, and control other machines All the work is done by computer .
He spends a lot of time on the computer , sending e-mails. a computer program (= information that tells a computer what to do )
They played computer games after school.
con 1 / kan / noun [ count ]
a problem that makes something difficult or less good What are the pros and cons (= advantages and disadvantages ) of buying a used car?
—SYNONYM disadvantage
( informal ) a trick to get money from someone
The e-mail about the investment opportunity is a total con.
con 2 / kan / verb ( cons , conn • ing , conned )
( informal )
to trick or cheat someone, especially in order to get money He conned her into investing in a company that didn't really exist.
con • ceal / kan sil / verb
( con ceals , con • ceal ing , con cealed ) ( formal )
to hide something
They concealed the bomb in a suitcase.
con • ceit • ed / kan' sitad / adjective
too proud of yourself and what you can do
con • ceive AWL / kan ' siv / verb ( con ceives , con ceiv • ing , con • ceived )
( formal ) to think of or imagine something
He conceived the idea during his trip to Antarctica.
( biology ) to get pregnant
