Definition of Centre

Noun: centre sen-tu(r)
Usage: Brit, Cdn (US: center)

An area that is approximately central within some larger region
"it is in the centre of town";
- center [US], middle, heart, eye
The piece of ground in the outfield directly ahead of the catcher
"he hit the ball to deep centre";
- center field [US], centerfield [US], center [US], centre field [Brit, Cdn]
A building dedicated to a particular activity
"they were raising money to build a new centre for research";
- center [US]
A point equidistant from the ends of a line or the extremities of a figure
- center [US], midpoint
The choicest or most essential or most vital part of some idea or experience
"the centre of the prosecutor's argument";
- kernel, substance, core, center [US], essence, gist, heart, heart and soul, inwardness, marrow, meat, nub, pith, sum, nitty-gritty
The object upon which interest and attention focuses
"his stories made him the centre of the party";
- center [US], center of attention [US], centre of attention [Brit, Cdn]
A cluster of nerve cells governing a specific bodily process
"in most people the speech centre is in the left hemisphere";
- center [US], nerve center [US], nerve centre [Brit, Cdn]
(military) the middle of a military or naval formation
"they had to reinforce the centre";
- center [US]
(basketball) the person who plays centre on a basketball team
- center [US]
(football) the person who plays centre on the line of scrimmage and snaps the ball to the quarterback
"the centre fumbled the handoff";
- center [US], snapper
A place where some particular activity is concentrated
"they received messages from several centres";
- center [US]
Politically moderate persons; centrists
- center [US]
(ice hockey) the person who plays centre on a hockey team
- center [US]
The sweet central portion of a piece of candy that is enclosed in chocolate or some other covering
- center [US]
Mercantile establishment consisting of a carefully landscaped complex of shops representing leading merchandisers; usually includes restaurants and a convenient parking area; a modern version of the traditional marketplace
"a good centre should have a movie house"; "a good shopping centre should have a movie house"; "a good centre should have a movie house";
- plaza, mall, center [US], shopping mall, shopping center [US], shopping centre [Brit, Cdn]
The position on a hockey team of the player who participates in the face off at the beginning of the game
- center [US]
(American football) the position of the player on the line of scrimmage who puts the ball in play
"it is a centre's responsibility to get the football to the quarterback";
- center [US]
A position on a basketball team of the player who participates in the jump that starts the game
- center [US]

Verb: centre sen-tu(r)
Usage: Brit, Cdn (US: center)

Centre upon
"Her entire attention centred on her children";
- focus on, center on [US], revolve around, revolve about, concentrate on, center [US], centre on [Brit, Cdn]
Direct one's attention on something
- concentrate, focus, center [US], pore, rivet
Move into the centre
"That vase in the picture is not centred";
- center [US]

Adjective: centre sen-tu(r)
Usage: Brit, Cdn (US: center)

Equally distant from the extremes
- center [US], halfway, middle, midway
Of or belonging to neither the right nor the left politically or intellectually
- center [US]

Noun: Centre

A low-lying region in central France