centre

Word family  noun centre/center centralization ≠ decentralization centralism centrist adjective central centralized ≠ decentralized centred/centered centrist verb centre/center centralize ≠ decentralize adverb centrally

 Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 5++朗文当代英语 5++LDOCE 5++朗文 5++

Related topics: Buildings, Baseball, Football, Other sports

cen·tre1 British English, center American English /ˈsentə $ -ər/ ●●● S1 W1 noun  1  middle 中间 [countable usually singular]MIDDLE the middle of a space, area, or object, especially the exact middle 〔空间、地域或物体的〕（正）中间，中心（点）in the centre (of something) There was an enormous oak table in the center of the room. 房间中央有一张巨大的橡木桌子。 The hotel is right in the centre of the village. 这家旅馆在村子的正中心。centre of Draw a line through the centre of the circle. 穿过圆心画一条直线。 lines radiating out from the centre 从中心向外辐射的线条 chocolates with soft centres 软夹心巧克力2  building 建筑物 [countable]TBB a building which is used for a particular purpose or activity 〔供进行某种活动用的〕中心centre for the European Centre for Nuclear Research 欧洲核研究中心 an exhibition at the Community Arts Centre 在社区艺术中心举办的展览 a conference centre 会议中心3  place of activity 活动场所 [countable]IMPORTANT a place where there is a lot of a particular type of business, activity etc 〔某种商业或其他活动的〕中心（地区）business/commercial/financial etc centre a major banking centre 一个主要的银行业中心 It’s not exactly a cultural center like Paris. 它并不是一个像巴黎那样的文化中心。centre of/for The city became a centre for the paper industry. 该市成了造纸业的中心。 a center of academic excellence (=a very good place for education) 优质教育中心4  of a town 城镇的 [countable] British EnglishAREA the part of a town or city where most of the shops, restaurants, cinemas, theatres etc are 〔集中了大部分商店、餐厅、电影院、剧院等的〕城镇的中心 SYN American English downtowntown/city centre shops in the town centre 镇中心的商店 the main route into Leeds city centre 通往利兹市中心的主要路线5  INVOLVEMENT 参与be at the centre of something if a person or thing is at the centre of something that is happening, they are involved in it more than other people or things 是某事的中心人物；处于某事的中心 He always seems to be at the centre of things. 他好像总是中心人物。be at the centre of a row/dispute/controversy etc the businessman at the centre of the row over political donations 处于政治捐款风波中心的企业家6  be the centre of attention to be the person that everyone is giving attention to 成为关注的焦点，引人注目 Betty just loves being the centre of attention. 贝蒂就是喜欢成为大家关注的焦点。7  be/take centre stage if something or someone is centre stage, they have an important position and get a lot of attention 处于重要位置，成为关注的中心 After his father’s death, he was able to rise to power and take centre stage. 父亲去世后他就掌握了大权并且身居要职。8  POLITICS 政治the centre PPGa moderate (=middle) position in politics in which you do not support extreme ideas 中间派[立场]，温和派 The party’s new policies show a swing towards the centre. 该党的新政策显示出一种向中间立场的转变。left/right of centre Her political views are slightly left of centre. 她的政治观点属于中间略微偏左。centre-right/centre-left a centre-left government 中间偏左的政府9  sport 体育运动 [countable]DSB a player in sports such as American football and basketball who plays in or near the middle of the field or playing area 〔美式橄榄球、篮球等的〕中锋 the Sonics’ six-foot-four-inch center 身高六英尺四英寸的超音速队中锋centre forward/half/back etc (=players in different parts of the middle section of the playing area) 中锋/中前卫/中后卫等 →5 see picture at 见图 basketball10  centre of population/urban centre AREAan area where a large number of people live 人口密集地区 Nuclear installations are built well away from the main centres of population. 核设施建在远离主要人口密集地区的地方。n COLLOCATIONS – Meaning 2: a building which is used for a particular purpose or activitytypes of centrea shopping centreThey are building a huge new shopping centre just outside the town.an information centreFor further details contact the Tourist Information Centre.a visitor centreThe forest has a visitor centre with information and refreshment facilities.a leisure centre British English (=for sport and other leisure activities)There's a leisure centre with a swimming pool, a sauna, and a gymnasium.a sports centreYou could join exercise classes at your local sports centre.a garden centre British English (=where you can buy plants, trees etc)The garden centre stocks a wide variety of houseplants.an arts centre (=for art, music, theatre, film etc)Shall we go to the concert at the arts centre on Saturday?an exhibition centreThe exhibition centre has an interesting display of contemporary art.a research centrethe new research centre at King's College Hospitala conference centreWestgate Hotel has sixty bedrooms and a conference centre.a training centreHe was a new recruit at the police training centre.a health/medical centre (=where there are several doctors you can see for medical treatment)The village has a small school and a health centre.a day centre British English (=where old, sick etc people can go during the day to be looked after)A new day centre for the over 70s has recently opened.a community centre (=where people living in an area can go for social events, classes etc)The church has been converted into a community centre.an education centreMany elderly people come to the education centre to learn to use computers.a job centre (=a place in Britain where jobs are advertised)I got the job through an advertisement at the job centre.a youth centre (=where young people can go to meet and take part in activities)The money will be used to provide a youth centre.n COLLOCATIONS – Meaning 3: a place where there is a lot of a particular type of business, activity etctypes of centrea financial centreBoston is a leading financial centre.a business centreThe company has branches worldwide in fifteen major business centres.a commercial centreOur city is the biggest commercial centre in the country.a cultural centreParis was then the cultural centre of Europe.a tourist centreOur destination was Queenstown, a tourist centre set amid mountains and lakes.a trading centreThe town was a trading centre for the Romans.a major centre for/of somethingThe region has been named as a major centre of international terrorism.a world centre for/of somethingThe Asian Pacific Rim is a major world centre of commerce, industry, and economic activity.an international centre for/of somethingZurich is an international centre of finance.a national centre for/of somethingThe gardens are a national centre for botanical research.

Examples from the Corpus

centre• In one feeding centre the room for the dead had become a Koranic school for young children.• a charming little town with an unspoiled medieval centre• All the real understanding of the Universe accumulated by Esotericism throughout the ages has come to man via the higher mental centre.• It was converted into a monitoring centre with numerous listening consoles and bays of multi-track tape recorders.• For example, the Kornhaus, a former granary in Kronengasse, which is now principally a young people's centre.• In the early hours of Jan. 13 troops from the local Red Army garrison stormed the Vilnius television centre.• The flower has white petals, and is deep pink at the centre.• A bomb has exploded in the crowded business district in the centre of the old city.• The women all wore a red dot right in the centre of their foreheads.• I work in the centre of London, so I can easily go shopping after work.• As the eggs sink to the bottom they are guided towards the centre, where the aeration sweeps them upwards again.• On August 29, Manuel Indiano Azaustre, 29, was shot dead in the town centre.• She's gone into the town centre to do some shopping.in the centre (of something)• Place two teaspoons of filling in the centre of each round, making sure it fills the hollow.• Although during the winter there had been no running water this had been restored at least in the centre of the town.• Place a spoonful of the mushroom mixture in the centre of each top piece of filo.• Her husband had already left, but not for his office in the centre.• Twirl the Plate Everyone sits in a circle with an unbreakable plate in the centre.• Tolonen stood in the centre of the chaos, looking about him.conference centre• Located in a perfect position close to the seafront, entertainment, town centre and conference centre.• But the playroom is to be absorbed into the retreat and conference centre next year.• Ideally situated close to the town and conference centre, on the Brighton border and just off the seafront.• Size of conference centre 194 points 4.• Around the conference centre, the party rocks on with blithe disregard for the economic and political turbulence beyond.• They are just as important though as what goes on in the main body of the conference centre.• Meanwhile, Unix System Labs has negotiated a Unix showcase area squat at the front door of the conference centre.• The conference centre contained one of the main entrances to the bunker.business/commercial/financial etc centre• People feared that turning the City into Fort Knox would damage its attraction as a financial centre.• The billion-dollar question was whether a devaluation of the dollar would jeopardize New York's position as a financial centre.• Now it's an industrial and commercial centre which thrived during the 80s and is feeling the recession in the 90s.• Portree has long been the commercial centre of the Isle of Skye.• Yet a one man business for immigrants in the commercial centre of the city was an anachronism.• Birmingham is less attractive because it has remained the commercial centre of the Midlands.• The financial centre Bank is the finest architectural arena in the City.• The eight million square feet in the World Financial Centre went up in four years and defied all predictions.town/city centre• The 116-mile stage ends with eight laps of a city centre circuit.• His farm is about eight miles from Bradford city centre.• Dates set for town centre traffic ban Darlington's town centre traffic ban comes into force on March 29.• Male speaker Last year foreign students were the victims in 30% of our city centre robberies.• After some deliberation they chose the spacious shopping complex at the Telford town centre.• Aida's family own a large apartment near the city centre.• A pair of swans drifted down towards the town centre.• Henry did not want to talk about the redevelopment of Wimbledon town centre.centre forward/half/back etc• Noo there wis a centre half.• Although a recognised left back, Jimmy Phillips had experience at centre half with Rangers.• Curtis Fleming has been tried at centre half in two recent Central League games but lacks experience for a key job.• With Beeny in goal and Newsome and Wetherall at centre half did the defence look more assured?• The most leaden-footed centre forward 3.• Fifteen minutes later centre forward Quigg was left free to hammer the ball home from 20 yards.• Why did we not buy another younger centre half?centre2 British English, center American English ●●○ verb [transitive]  1 MIDDLEto move something to a position at the centre of something else 集中；使…处于中心位置 The title isn’t quite centred on the page, is it? 标题并不在这页的正中间，是吗？2 centre around/round something (also be centred around/round something British English) phrasal verb IMPORTANTif your thoughts, activities etc centre around something or are centred around it, it is the main thing that you are concerned with or interested in 以…为中心，集中于 In the 16th century, village life centred around religion. 16世纪时，乡村生活以宗教为中心。3 centre on/upon something (also be centred on/upon something) phrasal verb ABOUTif your attention centres on something or someone, or is centred on them, you pay more attention to them than anything else 〔注意力〕集中于… The debate centred on funding for health services. 这次辩论集中于公共医疗保健服务的资金问题上。 Much of their work is centred on local development projects. 他们的工作主要集中在当地的发展项目上。→ See Verb table

Examples from the Corpus

centre• Everything centred around St Leonard's.• Control has often centred on powerful organochlorine pesticides, which kill the locusts but can then damage the environment.• It centres on the collection of pus in areas of muscle.• Discussion centred on the replenishment of the Bank's capital resources.• Work was centred upon the tabulation of entities.From Longman Business Dictionarycentrecen‧tre /ˈsentə-ər/ British English, center American English noun [countable]1COMMERCEthe place where most of the important things connected with a business or activity happenBahrain has become a major international banking centre.centre ofplans to turn the town into a centre of high-tech inward investment → cost centre → financial centre → money center → profit centre2a building that is used for a particular activity → assessment centre → business advice centre → call centre → conference centre → data centre → distribution centre → enterprise centre → exhibition centre → job centre → shopping centre3the part of a town or city where most of the shops, offices, restaurants, cinemas etc areOur head office is located in the centre of Londonshops in Birmingham city centre

cen·tre1 noun →n COLLOCATIONS1 →n COLLOCATIONS2centre2 verbLDOCE OnlineChineseSyllable  

a Business object, space, the middle area, or of Corpus

centre

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cen‧tre¹ S1 W1 British English, center American English /ˈsentə $ -ər/ noun1.  MIDDLE  [countable usually singular] the middle of a space, area, or object, especially the exact middle
    in the centre (of something)
    There was an enormous oak table in the center of the room.
    The hotel is right in the centre of the village.
    centre of
    Draw a line through the centre of the circle.
    lines radiating out from the centre
    chocolates with soft centres
2.  BUILDING  [countable] a building which is used for a particular purpose or activity
    centre for
    the European Centre for Nuclear Research
    an exhibition at the Community Arts Centre
    a conference centre
3.  PLACE OF ACTIVITY  [countable] a place where there is a lot of a particular type of business, activity etc
    business/commercial/financial etc centre
    a major banking centre
    It’s not exactly a cultural center like Paris.
    centre of/for
    The city became a centre for the paper industry.
    a center of academic excellence (=a very good place for education)
4.  OF A TOWN  [countable] British English the part of a town or city where most of the shops, restaurants, cinemas, theatres etc are
   SYN  downtown American English
    town/city centre
    shops in the town centre
    the main route into Leeds city centre
5.  INVOLVEMENT be at the centre of something if a person or thing is at the centre of something that is happening, they are involved in it more than other people or things:
    He always seems to be at the centre of things.
    be at the centre of a row/dispute/controversy etc
    the businessman at the centre of the row over political donations
6. be the centre of attention to be the person that everyone is giving attention to:
    Betty just loves being the centre of attention.
7. be/take centre stage if something or someone is centre stage, they have an important position and get a lot of attention:
    After his father’s death, he was able to rise to power and take centre stage.
8.  POLITICS the centre a moderate (=middle) position in politics in which you do not support extreme ideas:
    The party’s new policies show a swing towards the centre.
    left/right of centre
    Her political views are slightly left of centre.
    centre-right/centre-left
    a centre-left government
9.  SPORT  [countable] a player in sports such as American football and basketball who plays in or near the middle of the field or playing area:
    the Sonics’ six-foot-four-inch center
    centre forward/half/back etc (=players in different parts of the middle section of the playing area)
10. centre of population/urban centre an area where a large number of people live:
    Nuclear installations are built well away from the main centres of population.
     

COLLOCATIONS

(for Meaning 2)

■ types of centre
   ▪ a shopping centre They are building a huge new shopping centre just outside the town.
   ▪ an information centre For further details contact the Tourist Information Centre.
   ▪ a visitor centre The forest has a visitor centre with information and refreshment facilities.
   ▪ a leisure centre British English (=for sport and other leisure activities) There's a leisure centre with a swimming pool, a sauna, and a gymnasium.
   ▪ a sports centre You could join exercise classes at your local sports centre.
   ▪ a garden centre British English (=where you can buy plants, trees etc) The garden centre stocks a wide variety of houseplants.
   ▪ an arts centre (=for art, music, theatre, film etc) Shall we go to the concert at the arts centre on Saturday?
   ▪ an exhibition centre The exhibition centre has an interesting display of contemporary art.
   ▪ a research centre the new research centre at King's College Hospital
   ▪ a conference centre Westgate Hotel has sixty bedrooms and a conference centre.
   ▪ a training centre He was a new recruit at the police training centre.
   ▪ a health/medical centre (=where there are several doctors you can see for medical treatment) The village has a small school and a health centre.
   ▪ a day centre British English (=where old, sick etc people can go during the day to be looked after) A new day centre for the over 70s has recently opened.
   ▪ a community centre (=where people living in an area can go for social events, classes etc) The church has been converted into a community centre.
   ▪ an education centre Many elderly people come to the education centre to learn to use computers.
   ▪ a job centre (=a place in Britain where jobs are advertised) I got the job through an advertisement at the job centre.
   ▪ a youth centre (=where young people can go to meet and take part in activities) The money will be used to provide a youth centre.
     

COLLOCATIONS

(for Meaning 3)

■ types of centre
   ▪ a financial centre Boston is a leading financial centre.
   ▪ a business centre The company has branches worldwide in fifteen major business centres.
   ▪ a commercial centre Our city is the biggest commercial centre in the country.
   ▪ a cultural centre Paris was then the cultural centre of Europe.
   ▪ a tourist centre Our destination was Queenstown, a tourist centre set amid mountains and lakes.
   ▪ a trading centre The town was a trading centre for the Romans.
   ▪ a major centre for/of something The region has been named as a major centre of international terrorism.
   ▪ a world centre for/of something The Asian Pacific Rim is a major world centre of commerce, industry, and economic activity.
   ▪ an international centre for/of something Zurich is an international centre of finance.
   ▪ a national centre for/of something The gardens are a national centre for botanical research.

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centre² British English, center American English verb [transitive]to move something to a position at the centre of something else:
    The title isn’t quite centred on the page, is it?
centre around/round something (also be centred around/round something British English) phrasal verb
  if your thoughts, activities etc centre around something or are centred around it, it is the main thing that you are concerned with or interested in:
    In the 16th century, village life centred around religion.
centre on/upon something (also be centred on/upon something) phrasal verb
  if your attention centres on something or someone, or is centred on them, you pay more attention to them than anything else:
    The debate centred on funding for health services.
    Much of their work is centred on local development projects.