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Definition of centre noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

centre

noun
 OPAL WOPAL S
 
/ˈsentə(r)/
 
/ˈsentər/
(US English center)
Idioms
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    middle

  1.  
     [countable] the middle point or part of something
    • He walked to the centre of the circle.
    • in the centre of something There was a long table in the centre of the room.
    • The statue is in the very centre of the temple.
    • in the centre The brownie should be firm on the outside but soft in the centre.
    • at the centre of something Aristotle believed that the Earth was at the centre of the universe.
    • (figurative) The executive at the centre of the bribery scandal was convicted last week.
    • chocolates with soft centres
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • dead
    • exact
    • true
    • …
    preposition
    • at the centre (of)
    • in the centre (of)
    phrases
    • the centre of the city
    • the centre of (the) town
    See full entry
    2.

    town/city

  2.  
     [countable] (especially British English)
    (North American English usually downtown [usually singular])
    the main part of a town or city where there are a lot of shops and offices
    • I got a lift into the centre of town.
    • a town-centre car park
    see also city centre, town centre
    Extra Examples
    • We've bought a flat in the very centre of Cambridge.
    • I have an apartment in the centre of São Paulo.
    • a museum in the centre of Birmingham
    Topics Shoppinga1, Buildingsa1
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • dead
    • exact
    • true
    • …
    preposition
    • at the centre (of)
    • in the centre (of)
    phrases
    • the centre of the city
    • the centre of (the) town
    See full entry
  3.  
     [countable] a place or an area where a lot of people live; a place where a lot of business or cultural activity takes place
    • major urban/industrial centres
    • centre of something At that time Winchester was still a major centre of population.
    • centre for something The university is a leading centre for scientific research.
    • Small towns in South India serve as economic and cultural centres for the surrounding villages.
    Extra Examples
    • Tokyo is one of the main financial centres of the world.
    • the economic nerve centre of Germany
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • important
    • leading
    • main
    • …
    preposition
    • centre for
    phrases
    • a centre of excellence
    • a centre of government
    • a centre of population
    • …
    See full entry
    4.

    building

  4.  
     [countable] a building or place used for a particular purpose or activity
    • a shopping/community/health/fitness centre
    • The company has recently opened a new training centre.
    • centre for something the Centre for Policy Studies
    see also control centre, cost centre, data centre, drop-in centre, fulfilment centre
    Extra Examples
    • You can use our fully equipped business centre.
    • They've set up a local centre for people with epilepsy.
    • The classes are run by the Centre for Languages and Literature.
    • I had to get a taxi from the hotel to the conference centre.
    5.

    of excellence

  5. [countable] centre of excellence a place where a particular kind of work is done extremely well
    • Darlington could become a regional centre of excellence for nursery nurse training.
    • The university is recognized as an international centre of excellence for training dentists.
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • important
    • leading
    • main
    • …
    preposition
    • centre for
    phrases
    • a centre of excellence
    • a centre of government
    • a centre of population
    • …
    See full entry
    6.

    of attention

  6. [countable, usually singular] the point towards which people direct their attention
    • She likes to be the centre of attention.
    • at the centre of something The prime minister is at the centre of a political row over leaked Cabinet documents.
    Extra Examples
    • She always liked to feel that she was at the centre of things.
    • He could never doubt that he was the centre of her world.
    • The captain was at the centre of the action right through the game.
    7.

    in politics

  7. (usually the centre)
     [singular] a moderate (= middle) political position or party, between the extremes of left-wing and right-wing parties
    • a party of the centre
    • Are her views to the left or right of centre?
    • a centre party
    Extra Examples
    • Politically, she is considered to be slightly left of centre.
    • a party that occupies the centre ground of British politics
    Topics Politicsb2
    Oxford Collocations Dictionarycentre/​center + noun
    • party
    • ground
    phrases
    • left of centre
    • right of centre
    See full entry
    8.

    in sport

  8. [countable] (in some team sports) a player or position in the middle of the pitch, court, etc.
    9. Word Originlate Middle English: from Old French, or from Latin centrum, from Greek kentron ‘sharp point, stationary point of a pair of compasses’, related to kentein ‘to prick’.
Idioms
front and centre
(US English front and center)
  1. in or into the most important position
    • The issue has moved front and center in his presidential campaign.
left, right and centre
(also right, left and centre, right and left)
  1. (informal) in all directions; everywhere
    • He's giving away money left, right and centre.
See centre in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic English
Check pronunciation: centre

Nearby words

trait
noun
 
 
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