central angle noun (mathematics)

An angle bounded by two radii of a circle

central bank noun

A bank, usu state-owned or state-controlled, which carries out government financial policy, regulates the money supply, influences interest rates and acts as a link between the government and the banking system

central conic noun

A conic section that has a centre

central dogma noun

The principle that the transfer of genetic information from DNA to the protein sequence is irreversible, ie it cannot flow from protein to DNA

Central European Time noun

One of the standard times used in Europe, being 1 hour ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (abbrev CET)

central fire noun

A cartridge having the fulminate in the centre of the base (cenˈtre-fire adjective)

central force noun (physics)

The force on a moving body that is always directed towards or from a fixed point, the centre of force

central government noun

The government controlling a whole country, as opposed to local government

central heating noun

A system of heating a building by water, steam or warm air conducted throughout the building from one point

central locking noun

In a motor vehicle, the automatic locking of all the doors as the driver's door is locked

cenˈtrally-heated adjective

central nervous system noun (zoology)

The main ganglia of the nervous system with their associated nerve cords, in vertebrates consisting of the brain and spinal cord

Central Powers plural noun

In and before the war of 1914–18, the German Empire and Austria-Hungary

central processor or central processing unit noun

The part of a computer which performs the logical and arithmetical operations on the data and which controls other units of the computer system (abbrev CPU)

central reservation noun

A usu tarred or paved area in the centre of a motorway or major road acting as a division between traffic travelling in opposite directions

Central Standard Time or Central Time noun

One of the standard times used in N America, being 6 hours behind Greenwich Mean Time (abbrev CST or CT)

cenˈtre-back noun (football)

1. A player in the middle of the defence
2. The position of such a player

centre bit noun

A joiner's tool, turning on a centre, for boring circular holes in wood

cenˈtreboard noun

A retractable keel fitted to small racing yachts and dinghies

centre-fire see central fire above.

cenˈtrefold or centre spread noun

1. The two facing centre pages of a newspaper, magazine, etc
2. An article, design or set of photographs printed on these
3. A photograph of a nude woman or man printed on these
4. (centrefold) a person who has appeared in such a photograph

centre-forˈward noun (football, hockey, etc)

1. The central player in the line of forwards
2. The position of this player

centre-halfˈ noun (football, hockey, etc)

1. The central player in the line of halfbacks
2. The position of this player

centre lathe noun (engineering)

A machine tool for cutting metal in which the tool is held steady and the workpiece rotates

cenˈtreline noun

An often imaginary line that divides a body or shape into two equal halves

cenˈtrepiece noun

1. Something placed at the centre, esp an ornament for the middle of a table, ceiling, etc
2. A central character or feature in a story, film, etc

centre punch noun

A tool, a steel bar with a conical point, used for marking the centre of holes to be drilled

cenˈtre-rail noun

A rail between the ordinary rails on a railway track

centre spread see centrefold above.

centre stage adjective and adverb

1. In or to the centre of a theatre stage
2. At or to the position where (eg political, media, etc) attention is focused

central to

Essential, most important for the understanding or working of

centre of attraction

The point to which bodies tend by the force of gravity or the like

centre of buoyancy or displacement

The centre of mass of liquid displaced by an immersed body

centre of curvature

(of a curve) the centre of the circle which can be superimposed on it on the concave side

centre of excellence

A focal point, esp a university (or one of its departments), for work at the highest level (in a particular subject)

centre of gravity

The single point at which the resultant gravitational forces of a body act

centre of inertia or mass (physics)

The point in an assembly of mass particles where the entire mass of the assembly may be regarded as being concentrated

centre of oscillation

The point in a pendulum such that, if all the matter were concentrated there, the pendulum would have the same period

centre of percussion

The point where the direction of a blow meets the plane in which lie the centre of inertia and a possible axis of rotation such that the blow imparts a rotation without pressure on the axis

centre of pressure

1. The point on a surface immersed in fluid at which the resultant pressure may be taken to act (physics)
2. The point at which the resultant of aerodynamic forces intersects the chord line of an aerofoil

centre of symmetry

A point in a figure such that any straight line through it meets the figure in two points at equal distances on either side