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5 N‑COUNT [usu sing] If you refer to a person, thing, or idea as a comfort , you mean that it helps you to stop worrying or makes you feel less unhappy. □  It's a comfort talking to you. □  Being able to afford a drink would be a comfort in these tough times.

6 VERB If you comfort someone, you make them feel less worried, unhappy, or upset, for example by saying kind things to them. □ [V n] Ned put his arm around her, trying to comfort her.

7 N‑COUNT [usu pl] Comforts are things which make your life easier and more pleasant, such as electrical devices you have in your home. □  She enjoys the material comforts married life has brought her. □  Electricity provides us with warmth and light and all our modern home comforts.

8 → see also creature comforts

9 PHRASE If you say that something is, for example, too close for comfort , you mean you are worried because it is closer than you would like it to be. □  The bombs fell in the sea, many too close for comfort. □  Interest rates and inflation were too high for comfort.

com|fort|able ◆◇◇ /kʌ mftəb ^ə l/

1 ADJ If a piece of furniture or an item of clothing is comfortable , it makes you feel physically relaxed when you use it, for example because it is soft. □  …a comfortable fireside chair. □  Trainers are so comfortable to wear.

2 ADJ If a building or room is comfortable , it makes you feel physically relaxed when you spend time in it, for example because it is warm and has nice furniture. □  A home should be comfortable and friendly. □  …somewhere warm and comfortable. ●  com|fort|ably /kʌ mftəbli/ ADV [usu ADV -ed] □  …the comfortably-furnished living room.

3 ADJ If you are comfortable , you are physically relaxed because of the place or position you are sitting or lying in. □  Lie down on your bed and make yourself comfortable. □  She tried to manoeuvre her body into a more comfortable position. ●  com|fort|ably ADV [ADV with v] □  Are you sitting comfortably? □  He would be tucked comfortably into bed.

4 ADJ If you say that someone is comfortable , you mean that they have enough money to be able to live without financial problems. □  'Is he rich?'—'He's comfortable.' □  She came from a stable, comfortable, middle-class family. ●  com|fort|ably ADV □  Cayton describes himself as comfortably well-off.

5 ADJ [ADJ n] In a race, competition, or election, if you have a comfortable lead, you are likely to win it easily. If you gain a comfortable victory or majority, you win easily. □  By half distance we held a comfortable two-lap lead. □  He appeared to be heading for a comfortable victory. ●  com|fort|ably ADV [ADV with v] □  They should have won comfortably, but had to settle for a draw.

6 ADJ [v-link ADJ ] If you feel comfortable with a particular situation or person, you feel confident and relaxed with them. □ [+ with ] Nervous politicians might well feel more comfortable with a step-by-step approach. □ [+ with ] He liked me and I felt comfortable with him. □ [+ about ] I'll talk to them, but I won't feel comfortable about it. ●  com|fort|ably ADV [ADV after v] □  They talked comfortably of their plans.

7 ADJ When a sick or injured person is said to be comfortable , they are in a stable physical condition. □  He was described as comfortable in hospital last night.