N‑COUNT
A
carapace
is the protective shell on the back of some animals such as tortoises or crabs. [FORMAL
]
2
N‑COUNT
You can refer to an attitude that someone has in order to protect themselves as their
carapace
. [LITERARY
] □
The arrogance became his protective carapace.
car|at
/kæ
rət/ (carats
)
1
N‑COUNT
A
carat
is a unit for measuring the weight of diamonds and other precious stones. It is equal to 0.2 grams. □
The gemstone is 28.6 millimetres high and weighs 139.43 carats.
□
…a huge eight-carat diamond.
2
COMB
Carat
is used after a number to indicate how pure gold is. The purest gold is 24-carat gold. □
…a 14-carat gold fountain pen.
cara|van
/kæ
rəvæn/ (caravans
)
1
N‑COUNT
A
caravan
is a vehicle without an engine that can be pulled by a car or van. It contains beds and cooking equipment so that people can live or spend their holidays in it. [mainly BRIT
]
in AM, usually use trailer2
N‑COUNT
A
caravan
is a group of people and animals or vehicles who travel together.
cara|van|ning
/kæ
rəvæn
I
ŋ/ N‑UNCOUNT
Caravanning
is the activity of having a holiday in a caravan. [BRIT
] □
He was on a caravanning holiday.
ca
ra|van site
(
caravan sites
) N‑COUNT
A
caravan site
is an area of land where people can stay in a caravan on holiday, or where people live in caravans. [BRIT
]
in AM, use trailer park
cara|way
/kæ
rəwe
I
/ N‑UNCOUNT
[oft N
n]
Caraway
is a plant with strong-tasting seeds that are used in cooking. Caraway seeds are often used to flavour bread and cakes.
carb
/kɑː
r
b/ (carbs
) N‑COUNT
[usu pl]
Carbs
are foods such as potatoes, pasta, and bread, that contain a lot of carbohydrate. □
Eat a wide variety of carbs, fruit, and vegetables.
car|bine
/kɑː
r
ba
I
n, [AM
] -biː
n/ (carbines
) N‑COUNT
A
carbine
is a light automatic rifle.
car|bo|hy|drate
/kɑː
r
boʊha
I
dre
I
t/ (carbohydrates
) N‑VAR
[usu pl]
Carbohydrates
are substances, found in certain kinds of food, that provide you with energy. Foods such as sugar and bread that contain these substances can also be referred to as
carbohydrates
. □
…carbohydrates such as bread, pasta or chips.
car|bol|ic acid
/kɑː
r
bɒ
l
I
k æ
s
I
d/ N‑UNCOUNT
Carbolic acid
or
carbolic
is a liquid that is used as a disinfectant and antiseptic. □
Carbolic acid is usually used for cleaning.
□
She smelled strongly of carbolic soap.
ca
r bomb
(
car bombs
) N‑COUNT
A
car bomb
is a bomb which is inside a car, van, or truck.
car|bon
◆◇◇ /kɑː
r
bən/ N‑UNCOUNT
Carbon
is a chemical element that diamonds and coal are made up of.
car|bon|ate
/kɑː
r
bəne
I
t/ (carbonates
) N‑VAR
[oft N
n]
Carbonate
is used in the names of some substances that are formed from carbonic acid, which is a compound of carbon dioxide and water. □
…1,500 milligrams of calcium carbonate.
□ [+ of
]
…carbonate of ammonia solution.
car|bon|at|ed
/kɑː
r
bəne
I
t
I
d/ ADJ
[usu ADJ
n]
Carbonated
drinks are drinks that contain small bubbles of carbon dioxide. □
…colas and other carbonated soft drinks.
ca
r|bon copy
(
carbon copies
)
1
N‑COUNT
If you say that one person or thing is a
carbon copyof
another, you mean that they look or behave exactly like them. □ [+ of
]
She's a carbon copy of her mother.
2
N‑COUNT
A
carbon copy
is a copy of a piece of writing that is made using carbon paper.
ca
r|bon cre
d|it
(
carbon credits
) N‑COUNT
[usu pl]
Carbon credits
are an allowance that certain companies have, permitting them to burn a certain amount of fossil fuels. □
The company helps to develop green projects which are awarded carbon credits.
ca
r|bon da|ting
N‑UNCOUNT
Carbon dating
is a system of calculating the age of a very old object by measuring the amount of radioactive carbon it contains.
ca
r|bon di|o
x|ide
N‑UNCOUNT
Carbon dioxide
is a gas. It is produced by animals and people breathing out, and by chemical reactions.