Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English - change

~1 v 1 »BECOME DIFFERENT« to become different  (Susan has changed a lot since I last saw her. | changing circumstances/attitudes etc)  (Animals must be able to adapt to changing conditions in order to survive. | change out of all recognition (=change completely))  (The town I grew up in has changed out of all recognition. | change colour)  (The leaves are slowly changing colour. | not change your spots (=never change your character or habits)) 2 »MAKE STH/SB DIFFERENT« to make something or someone different  (plans to change the voting system | Having a baby changes your life completely.) 3 »FROM ONE THING TO ANOTHER« to stop having or doing one thing and start having or doing something else instead  (change (from sth) to sth)  (We've changed from traditional methods of production to an automated system. | change your name/address/job etc)  (Emma refused to change her name when she married. | change jobs/cars etc (=change from one to another) | change course/direction (=start to move in a different direction))  (Our ship changed course and headed south. | change the subject (=talk about something else))  (I'm sick of politics. Let's change the subject. | change tack (=try a different method of dealing with a situation))  (Paul decided to change sides halfway through the debate. | change sides (=leave one side and join the other one))  (Perhaps my cold reaction persuaded him to change tack in his dealings with the committee. | change ends (=to move to opposite ends of a tennis court or football field during a game))  (The two teams change ends at half-time.) 4 change your mind to change your decision, plan, or opinion about something + abou  (If you change your mind about the job, just give me a call.) 5 a) »CLOTHES« to take off your clothes and put on different ones  (I'm just going upstairs to change.) + into/out of  (Why don't you change into something more comfortable? | It's time you changed your socks. | get changed (=put on different clothes)) b) to put fresh clothes on a baby or fresh covers on a bed  (I'm just going to change the baby.) 6 »REPLACE STH« to put something new in place of something old, damaged, or broken  (Can you change the light bulb for me? | changing a tyre) 7 »EXCHANGE GOODS« to exchange something that you have bought, or that a customer has bought from you, especially because there is something wrong with it  (I bought these gloves for my daughter, but they're too large. Can I change them for a smaller size?) 8 »EXCHANGE MONEY« a) to exchange a larger unit of money for smaller units that add up to the same value  (Can you change a $20 note?) b) to exchange money from one country for money from another  (change sth into/for)  (I want to change my sterling into dollars.) 9 »TRAINS/BUSES« to get out of one train or bus and into another in order to continue your journey + a  (Passengers for Liverpool should change at Crewe.) change trains/buses  (You can travel all the way to Paris without having to change trains. | all change! BrE (=used to tell passengers to get off a train because it does not go any further)) 10 change hands if property changes hands, it passes from one owner to another  (The house has changed hands three times in the last two years.) 11 change places (with) a) to give someone your place and take their place  (Would you mind changing places with me so I can sit next to my friend?) b) to take someone else's social position or situation in life instead of yours  (She may be very rich, but I wouldn't want to change places with her.) 12 change gear to put the engine of a vehicle into a higher or lower gear1 (1) in order to go faster or slower  (change into/out of)  (Change into second gear as you approach the corner. | change up/down BrE)  (Change down before you get to the hill.) 13 change your tune to start expressing a different attitude and reacting in a different way, after something has happened  (When I offered him a share of the profits, he soon changed his tune.) 14 »WIND« if the wind changes, it starts to blow in a different direction  (- see also chop and change chop1 (5)) change sth around phr v to move things into different positions  (When we'd changed the furniture around, the room looked quite different.) change into phr v 1 (change into something) to become something different  (When the princess kissed the frog, it changed into a handsome prince.) 2 (change something/someone into something) to make something or someone become something different  (You can't change iron into gold.) ~2 n 1 »THINGS BECOMING DIFFERENT« the process or result of something or someone becoming different + in  (a change in the weather | I've noticed a big change in Louise since she got married. | changes in the immigration laws | Many old people find it hard to cope with change.) + of  (a change of temperature) change for the better/worse (=a change that makes a situation better or worse)  (When Bill Clinton was elected, we all believed the new administration would be a change for the better. | change of heart (=change in someone's attitude))  (He didn't want kids at first but recently he's had a real change of heart.) 2 »FROM ONE THING TO ANOTHER« the fact of one thing or person being replaced by another + of  (a change of government | a change of address) change from sth to  (the change from city life to living right out in the countryside | The car needs an oil change.) 3 »PLEASANT NEW SITUATION« a situation or experience that is different from what happened before, and is usually interesting or enjoyable + from  (Roast lamb is a welcome change from the usual junk food. | for a change)  (Let's go out to a restaurant for a change. | it makes a change spoken (=used to say that something is different from usual and better))  ("The train was on time today." "Well, that makes a change." | change of scene/air etc (=a stay in a different place that is pleasant))  (How about a week by the sea? The change of air would do you good.) 4 »MONEY« a) the money that you get back when you have paid for something with more money than it costs  (I waited for the shopkeeper to hand me my change.) b) money in the form of coins  (in change)  (I have about a dollar in change. | change for $1/$10 (=coins that you give someone in exchange for the same money in a larger unit))  (Excuse me, have you got change for a pound? | loose change)  (Matt emptied the loose change from his pockets. | small change (=coins of low value))  (When travelling by bus in a strange place, have small change ready.)  (- see money) 5 change of clothes/underwear etc an additional set of clothes that you have with you, for example when you are travelling 6 »TRAIN/BUS« a situation in which you get off one train or bus and get on another in order to continue your journey 7 get no change out of spoken to get no useful information or help from someone  (I wouldn't bother asking Richard, you'll get no change out of him.)  (- see also ring the changes ring2 (6))