Word family noun centre/center centralization ≠ decentralization centralism centrist adjective central centralized ≠ decentralized centred/centered centrist verb centre/center centralize ≠ decentralize adverb centrally
From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishcentrecen‧tre1 British English, center American English /ˈsentə $ -ər/ ●●● S1 W1 noun 1 middle [countable usually singular]MIDDLE the middle of a space, area, or object, especially the exact middlein 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 centres2 building [countable]TBB a building which is used for a particular purpose or activitycentre for the European Centre for Nuclear Research an exhibition at the Community Arts Centre a conference centre3 place of activity [countable]IMPORTANT a place where there is a lot of a particular type of business, activity etcbusiness/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 EnglishAREA the part of a town or city where most of the shops, restaurants, cinemas, theatres etc are SYN downtown American Englishtown/city centre shops in the town centre the main route into Leeds city centre5 → be at the centre of something6 → be the centre of attention7 → be/take centre stage8 → the centre9 sport [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 the Sonics’ six-foot-four-inch centercentre forward/half/back etc (=players in different parts of the middle section of the playing area)10 → centre of population/urban centreCOLLOCATIONS – 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. 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?centrecentre2 British English, center American English ●●○ verb [transitive] MIDDLEto 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 → centre on/upon something→ See Verb tableExamples 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 investment2a building that is used for a particular activity3the 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 