centre

[ sen-ter ]

noun, verb,cen·tred, cen·tring.Chiefly British.

Words Nearby centre

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How to use centre in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for centre (1 of 2)

centre

US center

/ (ˈsɛntə) /


noun
  1. geometry

    • 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

    • 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

  1. a point, area, or part that is approximately in the middle of a larger area or volume

  2. a place at which some specified activity is concentrated: a shopping centre

  3. a person or thing that is a focus of interest

  4. a place of activity or influence: a centre of power

  5. a person, group, policy, or thing in the middle

  6. (usually capital) politics

    • a political party or group favouring moderation, esp the moderate members of a legislative assembly

    • (as modifier): a Centre-Left alliance

  7. physiol any part of the central nervous system that regulates a specific function: respiratory centre

  8. a bar with a conical point upon which a workpiece or part may be turned or ground

  9. a punch mark or small conical hole in a part to be drilled, which enables the point of the drill to be located accurately

  10. sport

    • a player who plays in the middle of the forward line

    • the act or an instance of passing the ball from a wing to the middle of the field, court, etc

  11. basketball

    • the position of a player who jumps for the ball at the start of play

    • the player in this position

  12. archery

    • the ring around the bull's eye

    • 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

  1. (intr often foll by on) to have as a main point of view or theme: the novel centred on crime

  2. (tr) to adjust or locate (a workpiece or part) using a centre

  3. (intr; foll by on or round) to have as a centre

  4. (tr) sport to pass (the ball) into the middle of the field or court

Origin of centre

1
C14: from Latin centrum the stationary point of a compass, from Greek kentron needle, from kentein to prick

British Dictionary definitions for Centre (2 of 2)

Centre

noun
  1. the Centre (ˈsɛntə) the sparsely inhabited central region of Australia

  2. (French sɑ̃trə) a region of central France: generally low-lying; drained chiefly by the Rivers Loire, Loir, and Cher

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012