centre

The point or part in the middle of something.

• Stand in the centre of the room.
• The table has flowers in its centre.
• Can you find the exact centre of this circle?

How to use it: the centre of something (Draw a dot in the centre of the circle.)

Similar words: middle

Opposites: edge

Common phrases: centre of something, in the centre, dead centre

A building, area, or organisation where a particular activity or service is provided.

• The sports centre opens at seven.
• We visited the new shopping centre.
• Several research centres worked together on the project.

Similar words: hub

Common phrases: shopping centre, sports centre, research centre, community centre

The main part of a town or city, where many shops and businesses are.

• The bus goes to the town centre.
• We met at a café in the city centre.
• Cars are banned from the centre on Sundays.

Similar words: downtown

Opposites: outskirts

Common phrases: town centre, city centre, centre of town

Political views between the left and the right, avoiding either extreme.

• The party moved towards the centre.
• Many voters prefer the political centre.
• Her policies appeal to people in the centre.

Common phrases: political centre, the centre ground, centre of politics

A player whose position is in the middle of a team’s playing area.

• She plays centre for her school team.
• The centre scored twice before half-time.
• Our new centre is good at winning the ball.

Common phrases: play centre, starting centre, team’s centre

To move or position something in the middle of an area.

• Centre the text on the page.
• She centred the picture above the fireplace.
• Can you centre the table in this room?

How to use it: centre something on something (Centre the image on the page.); centre something in something (She centred the table in the room.)

Similar words: position centrally

Common phrases: centre the text, centre a picture, centre something on