Definition of change verb from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

change

verb

/tʃeɪndʒ/

Verb Forms

present simple I / you / we / they change	/tʃeɪndʒ/ /tʃeɪndʒ/
he / she / it changes	/ˈtʃeɪndʒɪz/ /ˈtʃeɪndʒɪz/
past simple changed	/tʃeɪndʒd/ /tʃeɪndʒd/
past participle changed	/tʃeɪndʒd/ /tʃeɪndʒd/
-ing form changing	/ˈtʃeɪndʒɪŋ/ /ˈtʃeɪndʒɪŋ/

Idioms Phrasal Verbs

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become/make different

[intransitive] to become different

Rick hasn't changed. He looks exactly the same as he did at school.
We examined changing attitudes towards education.
The company failed to adapt to changing circumstances.
Things have changed dramatically since then.
Her life changed completely when she won the lottery.
change with something My attitude to life has changed with age.

replace

[transitive] to replace one thing, person, service, etc. with something new or different

change somebody/something I want to change my doctor.
I didn't change my name when I got married.
That back tyre needs changing.
We change our car every two years.
The law was changed in 2001.
Don't change the subject!
change A for B We changed the car for a bigger one.
change A to B She decided not to change her name to his.

exchange

[transitive] (used with a plural object) to exchange positions, places, etc. with somebody else, so that you have what they have, and they have what you have

change something At half-time the teams change ends.
We asked the waiter if we could change tables.
change something with somebody Can I change seats with you?

money

[transitive] to exchange money into the money of another country

change something I need to change some euros.
change A into B to change dollars into yen

Topics Moneya1

[transitive] to exchange money for the same amount in different coins or notes

change something Can you change a £20 note?
change A for/into B The storekeeper changed my dollar bill for four quarters.

Topics Moneya2

goods

[transitive] (British English) to exchange something that you have bought for something else, especially because there is something wrong with it; to give a customer a new item because there is something wrong with the one they have bought

change A for B This shirt I bought's too small—I'll have to change it for a bigger one.
Of course we'll change it for a larger size, Madam.
change something If you bring the dress back with the receipt, you can change it.

bus/train/plane

[intransitive, transitive] to go from one bus, train, etc. to another in order to continue a journey

Where do I have to change?
Change at Reading (for London).
change something I stopped in Moscow only to change planes.

Topics Transport by bus and traina2, Transport by aira2

clothes

[intransitive, transitive] to put on different or clean clothes

I went into the bedroom to change.
change into something She changed into her swimsuit.
change out of something You need to change out of those wet things.

change something

(especially North American English) I didn't have time to change clothes before the party.
(especially British English) I didn't have time to get changed before the party (= to put different clothes on).

baby

[transitive] change somebody/something to put clean clothes or a clean nappy on a baby

She can't even change a nappy.
The baby needs changing.
There are baby changing facilities in all our stores.

bed

[transitive] change something to put clean sheets, etc. on a bed

to change the sheets
Could you help me change the bed?

Word OriginMiddle English: from Old French change (noun), changer (verb), from late Latin cambiare, from Latin cambire ‘barter’, probably of Celtic origin.

Idioms

change hands

to pass to a different owner
- The house has changed hands several times.

change horses in midstream

to change to a different or new activity while you are in the middle of something else; to change from supporting one person or thing to another

change your/somebody’s mind

to change a decision or an opinion
- Nothing will make me change my mind.
- What made you change your mind?
Topics Preferences and decisionsb1, Opinion and argumentb1

change/swap places (with somebody)

(usually used in negative sentences) to be in somebody else’s situation
- I'm perfectly happy—I wouldn't change places with anyone.

change your tune

(informal) to express a different opinion or behave in a different way when your situation changes
- Wait until it happens to him—he'll soon change his tune.
Topics Opinion and argumentc2

change your ways

to start to live or behave in a different way from before
- He was in trouble with the police as a teenager but now he’s completely changed his ways.
- Your father is unlikely to change his ways now.

chop and change

(British English, informal) to keep changing your mind or what you are doing
More Like This Alliteration in idioms
Alliteration in idioms

a leopard cannot change its spots

(saying) people cannot change their character, especially if they have a bad character
- You didn’t really expect her to be on time, did you? A leopard can’t change its spots.

See change in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee change in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic English

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