Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's English Dictionary - common

(commoner, commonest, commons) Frequency: The word is one of the 700 most common words in English. 1. If something is common, it is found in large numbers or it happens often. His name was Hansen, a common name in Norway... Oil pollution is the commonest cause of death for seabirds... It was common practice for prisoners to carve objects from animal bones to pass the time. ? uncommon, rare ADJ • commonly Parsley is probably the most commonly used of all herbs. ADV: ADV with v 2. If something is common to two or more people or groups, it is done, possessed, or used by them all. Moldavians and Romanians share a common language... Such behaviour is common to all young people. ADJ: oft ADJ to n 3. When there are more animals or plants of a particular species than there are of related species, then the first species is called common. ...the common house fly. ADJ: ADJ n 4. Common is used to indicate that someone or something is of the ordinary kind and not special in any way. Common salt is made up of 40% sodium and 60% chloride. ADJ: ADJ n 5. Common decency or common courtesy is the decency or courtesy which most people have. You usually talk about this when someone has not shown these characteristics in their behaviour to show your disapproval of them. He didn’t have the common courtesy to ask permission. ADJ: oft with brd-neg, ADJ n c darkgreen]disapproval 6. You can use common to describe knowledge, an opinion, or a feeling that is shared by people in general. It is common knowledge that swimming is one of the best forms of exercise. ADJ: ADJ n • commonly A little adolescent rebellion is commonly believed to be healthy. ADV: ADV -ed 7. If you describe someone or their behaviour as common, you mean that they show a lack of taste, education, and good manners. She might be a little common at times, but she was certainly not boring. ? refined ADJ c darkgreen]disapproval 8. A common is an area of grassy land, usually in or near a village or small town, where the public is allowed to go. We are warning women not to go out on to the common alone. ...Wimbledon Common. N-COUNT; N-IN-NAMES 9. The Commons is the same as the House of Commons. The members of the House of Commons can also be referred to as the Commons. The Prime Minister is to make a statement in the Commons this afternoon... The Commons has spent over three months on the bill. N-PROPER-COLL 10. see also lowest common denominator 11. If two or more things have something in common, they have the same characteristic or feature. The oboe and the clarinet have got certain features in common... In common with most Italian lakes, access to the shores of Orta is restricted. PHRASE: oft PHR with n 12. If two or more people have something in common, they share the same interests or experiences. He had very little in common with his sister. PHRASE: usu have n PHR, oft PHR with n 13. common ground: see ground the common touch: see touch