common

UK /ˈkɒm.ən/ US /ˈkɒm.ən/

adj 5verb 5noun 4name 2

Definitions

adj

Mutual; shared by more than one.

The two competitors have the common aim of winning the championship.

Winning the championship is an aim common to the two competitors.

Of a quality: existing among virtually all people; universal.

common knowledge, common decency, common sense

No man of common humanity, no man who had any value for his character, could be capable of it.

Occurring or happening regularly or frequently; usual.

It is common to find sharks off this coast.

Thus it is sayde in the cōmon vsage.

Found in large numbers or in a large quantity; usual.

"Commoner" used to be commoner, but "more common" is now more common.

Sharks are common in these waters.

Simple, ordinary or vulgar.

the common folk

This fact was infamous / And ill beseeming any common man, / Much more a knight, a captain and a leader.

noun

Mutual good, shared by more than one.

A tract of land in common ownership; common land.

The hovel stood in the centre of what had once been a vegetable garden, but was now a patch of rank weeds. Surrounding this, almost like a zareba, was an irregular ring of gorse and brambles, an unclaimed vestige of the original common.

Throughout the land there is a great variation in the shape and size of village greens, from the many of pocket-handkerchief size to a roadside common of 20 acres or more - as at Lindfield in West Sussex.

The people; the community.

the weal o' the common

The right of taking a profit in the land of another, in common either with the owner or with other persons; so called from the community of interest which arises between the claimant of the right and the owner of the soil, or between the cl

verb

To communicate (something).

Then entred Satan into Judas, whose syr name was iscariot (which was of the nombre off the twelve) and he went his waye, and commened with the hye prestes and officers, how he wolde betraye hym vnto them.

To converse, talk.

So long as Guyon with her commoned, / Vnto the ground she cast her modest eye […]

1568-1569, Richard Grafton, Chronicle Capitaine generall of Flaunders, which amiably enterteyned the sayd Duke, and after they had secretly commoned of.

To have sex.

To participate.

To have a joint right with others in common ground.

Collocations

(adj.) happening/found often

VERBS

be, seem

become

remain

ADV

extremely, very

increasingly

fairly, quite

Mobile phones with broken screens are quite common these days.

(adj.) shared

VERBS

PREP

Fear of public speaking is common to people in many different professions.

PHRASES

have sth in common

My brother and I have a lot in common even though we grew up in different cities.

hold sth in common

The two friends discovered they held a love of music in common.

in common with

Many European countries, in common with the United States, celebrate a national holiday in autumn.

(adj.) showing a lack of education

VERBS

be, seem, sound

Eating pizza for dinner seems quite common among teenagers these days.

ADV

very

a bit, rather, slightly

My uncle's taste in music is rather common, but he enjoys it anyway.

(noun.)

VERB + COMMON GROUND

have, share

Even though they grew up in different countries, the two friends found common ground through their love of music.

establish, find

find yourself on

PREP

on ~

They discovered they were on common ground about raising their children.

~ between

Despite their different backgrounds, the two friends discovered common ground between their love of music and travel.

PHRASES

an area of common ground

(noun.)

ADJ

good, sound

plain, pure, simple

practical

VERB + COMMON SENSE

have

My sister has common sense about money, so we always ask her for financial advice.

exercise, rely on/upon, show, use

When you're lost, it helps to exercise common sense and ask for directions.

COMMON SENSE + VERB

prevail

When the committee finally listened to the experts, common sense prevailed and they cancelled the unsafe project.

dictate sth, suggest sth, tell sb sth

Common sense dictates that you should always look both ways before crossing the street.

PHRASES

(not) an ounce of common sense

She didn't have an ounce of common sense when she decided to drive in the snowstorm.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

noun — a piece of open land for recreational use in an urban area

adjective — commonly encountered

usual

adjective — being or characteristic of or appropriate to everyday langua

adjective — of or associated with the great masses of people

plebeian
vulgar
unwashed

adjective — lacking refinement or cultivation or taste

adjective — common to or shared by two or more parties

mutual

adjective — of low or inferior quality or value

coarse

Antonyms

Idioms & Phrases

common ground

A characteristic or interest shared by multiple people or systems; any belief, etc. held in common.

The first thing to do is to find common ground with the person you just met.

common or garden variety

An ordinary, standard kind.

common purse

A shared or community fund.

common touch

The personal quality of showing understanding of and sympathy for the concerns of ordinary people; rapport with and acceptance by ordinary people, usually in a celebrity or leader.

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue, Or walk with kings—nor lose the common touch; . . . Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it

common run

Ordinary persons, things, or events.

I saw nothing else that is superior to the common run of parks.

Example Bank

The two competitors have the common aim of winning the championship.

Wiktionary

Winning the championship is an aim common to the two competitors.

Wiktionary

Nothing was too small to receive attention, if a supervising eye could suggest improvements likely to conduce to the common welfare. Mr. Gordon Burnage, for instance, personally visited dust-bins and

Wiktionary

the weal o' the common

Wiktionary

Usage Notes

i Register

In some senses, common is marked as obsolete. Watch for register when choosing this word.

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