centre

[ sen-ter ]

noun

, Chiefly British.

, cen·tred, cen·tring.

1. center.

centre

¹

/ ˈsɛntə /

noun

1. geometry
   1. the midpoint of any line or figure, esp the point within a circle or sphere that is equidistant from any point on the circumference or surface
   2. the point within a body through which a specified force may be considered to act, such as the centre of gravity
2. the point, axis, or pivot about which a body rotates
3. a point, area, or part that is approximately in the middle of a larger area or volume
4. a place at which some specified activity is concentrated

   a shopping centre

5. a person or thing that is a focus of interest
6. a place of activity or influence

   a centre of power

7. a person, group, policy, or thing in the middle
8. usually capital politics
   1. a political party or group favouring moderation, esp the moderate members of a legislative assembly
   2. ( as modifier )

      a Centre-Left alliance

9. physiol any part of the central nervous system that regulates a specific function

   respiratory centre

10. a bar with a conical point upon which a workpiece or part may be turned or ground
11. a punch mark or small conical hole in a part to be drilled, which enables the point of the drill to be located accurately
12. sport
    1. a player who plays in the middle of the forward line
    2. the act or an instance of passing the ball from a wing to the middle of the field, court, etc
13. basketball
    1. the position of a player who jumps for the ball at the start of play
    2. the player in this position
14. archery
    1. the ring around the bull's eye
    2. a shot that hits this ring

verb

1. to move towards, mark, put, or be at a centre
2. tr to focus or bring together

   to centre one's thoughts

3. introften foll byon to have as a main point of view or theme

   the novel centred on crime

4. tr to adjust or locate (a workpiece or part) using a centre
5. intr; foll by on or round to have as a centre
6. tr sport to pass (the ball) into the middle of the field or court

Centre

²

noun

1. the Centre
   the Centreˈsɛntə the sparsely inhabited central region of Australia
2. sɑ̃trə a region of central France: generally low-lying; drained chiefly by the Rivers Loire, Loir, and Cher

Word History and Origins

Origin of centre¹

C14: from Latin centrum the stationary point of a compass, from Greek kentron needle, from kentein to prick

Example Sentences

ORCs are too symmetrical, and we don’t see a cluster at their centre.

From Singularity Hub 

That is what our officers are looking at upstairs in the real time crime centre right now.

From MIT Technology Review

Across many of its centres in Hyderabad and Bangalore that look like spaceships from the inside, UrbanKisaan is growing crops, stacked one on top of another.

From TechCrunch

While the Narendra Modi government at the centre has increased excise duty on petrol and diesel, several state governments have raised the value-added tax they charge.

From Quartz

The new information centre has been added to the top of everyone’s Facebook feed.

From Search Engine Watch

We agreed on the Sheppard Centre shopping mall in north Toronto because it was convenient.

From The Daily Beast

The position the Donetsk photograph published in Paris Match was taken is just before the red arrow in the centre of the map.

From The Daily Beast

A Brit by birth, the eight-armed oracle was born in Weymouth, England, in 2008 at the Sea Life Centre.

From The Daily Beast

An MSF centre elsewhere in Guinea was attacked in April by youths saying the charity brought Ebola into their country.

From The Daily Beast

Thankfully, a watchdog group of unskewers at the Science Media Centre examined the actual facts.

From The Daily Beast

His idea was that there would be ample time later to order a concentration on either wing or on the centre.

From Project Gutenberg

In the centre of the room is an oval table; some dozen men are sitting at it; as many more stand behind their chairs.

From Project Gutenberg

For example, there is a vast discussion afoot upon the questions that centre upon Property, its rights and its limitations.

From Project Gutenberg

The attack was commenced by the allies under Blucher upon the French centre, with a fury irresistible.

From Project Gutenberg

The main entrance is in the centre of the St. Martin's Lane front, and consists of a central roadway for carts and wagons, 15ft.

From Project Gutenberg