centre
Americannoun
noun
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geometry
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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
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the point within a body through which a specified force may be considered to act, such as the centre of gravity
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the point, axis, or pivot about which a body rotates
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a point, area, or part that is approximately in the middle of a larger area or volume
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a place at which some specified activity is concentrated
a shopping centre
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a person or thing that is a focus of interest
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a place of activity or influence
a centre of power
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a person, group, policy, or thing in the middle
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(usually capital) politics
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a political party or group favouring moderation, esp the moderate members of a legislative assembly
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( as modifier )
a Centre-Left alliance
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physiol any part of the central nervous system that regulates a specific function
respiratory centre
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a bar with a conical point upon which a workpiece or part may be turned or ground
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a punch mark or small conical hole in a part to be drilled, which enables the point of the drill to be located accurately
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sport
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a player who plays in the middle of the forward line
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the act or an instance of passing the ball from a wing to the middle of the field, court, etc
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basketball
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the position of a player who jumps for the ball at the start of play
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the player in this position
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archery
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the ring around the bull's eye
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a shot that hits this ring
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verb
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to move towards, mark, put, or be at a centre
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(tr) to focus or bring together
to centre one's thoughts
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to have as a main point of view or theme
the novel centred on crime
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(tr) to adjust or locate (a workpiece or part) using a centre
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(intr; foll by on or round) to have as a centre
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(tr) sport to pass (the ball) into the middle of the field or court
noun
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the sparsely inhabited central region of Australia
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a region of central France: generally low-lying; drained chiefly by the Rivers Loire, Loir, and Cher
Etymology
Origin of centre
C14: from Latin centrum the stationary point of a compass, from Greek kentron needle, from kentein to prick
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
One species potentially at risk was the Bulmer's fruit bat, the centre wrote.
From Barron's ● Nov. 2, 2026
Gloucester centre Seb Atkinson and Exeter wing Immanuel Feyi-Waboso are also included after successfully negotiating injury comebacks for their clubs this weekend.
From BBC ● Nov. 2, 2026
"The Papua LNG footprint will pass through densely forested landscapes, fragile ecosystem, floodplains and mangrove-covered coastlines," the centre wrote in a letter seen by AFP.
From Barron's ● Nov. 2, 2026
However, plans for a new university heritage and visitor centre, external, to be built in the Quad on the site of the current administration building, are going ahead.
From BBC ● Nov. 1, 2026
The figures on the cornice symbolize the mathematical sciences, with Urania, the muse of astronomy, in the centre.
From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton
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Roni Kokkola, an information security specialist at the National Cyber Security Centre at Finland's Transport and Communications Agency Traficom, would not rule out cyber interference "as far as Finland is concerned."
From Barron's ● Nov. 2, 2026
Ukraine's Centre for Strategic Communication, a government-backed project set up to counter Russian propaganda and online threats, said "Russians have hacked" the app.
From Barron's ● Nov. 2, 2026
Now she receives free dermal filler for life through The Welsh Centre for Cleft Lip and Palate based in Morriston Hospital in Swansea, something she feels extremely fortunate to have.
From BBC ● Nov. 1, 2026
On the bandstand of Promenade Gardens in Georgetown, the bagpipes of the National Piping Centre could be heard alongside traditional Guyanese drummers in a collaboration of musical styles.
From BBC ● Oct. 30, 2026
I thought about the buggy I would buy, all the time I would spend in Trotters and at the Early Learning Centre sizing up adorable outfits and educational toys.
From "The Girl on the Train" by Paula Hawkins
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In June, Lee announced a public-private partnership centred on "three mega-projects" -- aiming to expand chip production hubs nationwide, establish robotics research and development centres, and build gigawatt-scale AI data centres.
From Barron's ● Nov. 2, 2026
The case centred on his contacts with a JSK official who was also associated with the MAK.
From BBC ● Oct. 27, 2026
“PLS continues to demonstrate its countercyclical investment strategy with a development approach centred on being in the market to reap outsize benefit from price fly-up scenarios,” analyst Mitch Ryan says.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 19, 2026
It also spawned a number of events centred around the Brits, with community-focused initiatives, educational engagement, networking events and other programmes held in Manchester in the weeks leading up to the ceremony.
From BBC ● Oct. 1, 2026
The big circle centred on the equant point is called a deferent.
From "The Scientists" by John Gribbin
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The raids were linked by Paris prosecutors to an inquiry launched exactly a year ago into allegations of embezzlement, forgery and fraud centring on Le Pen's party.
From BBC ● Jul. 9, 2025
But three former senior Barclays executives were acquitted after they became the first bankers to face a jury around criminal allegations centring on the 2008 crisis.
From BBC ● Nov. 25, 2024
Before launching into the song Betty she hinted that Welsh folklore was part of the inspiration for the LP's creation, centring as it does around a "woman wandering through nature".
From BBC ● Jun. 19, 2024
Ovechkin went to the net where he neatly deflected a hard centring pass from Max Pacioretty into the top corner.
From Seattle Times ● Mar. 18, 2024
These varied more or less from place to place, centring as they did largely on local features which were regarded as embodiments or vehicles of divine or of diabolic power.
From Myths & Legends of the Celtic Race by T. W. (Thomas William) Rolleston
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.