Words that start with C

A cobweb (derived from coppe web, coppe being an old word for spider) can either be any spider web, or more commonly it means an old spider web that isn't being used by the spider anymore, and is gathering dust. Cobwebs are often found in old buildings that aren't cleaned very often.

Cockles are related to clams, mussels and snails. They have a shell in two parts joined by a hinge. Cockles burrow into sandy beaches and eat tiny creatures in the water that washes over them. Cockles can be caught and eaten. They are cooked in much the same way as other similar creatures like mussels.

A cocktail is an alcoholic drink with two or more ingredients. At least one of the ingredients is a strong, highly alcoholic beverage, and cocktails often contain 'mixers' like lemonade or fruit juice. Cocktails are seen as a 'fun' drink and are often brightly coloured, and can be served in glasses decorated with pieces of fruit, small umbrellas or, as in the picture, herbs like mint leaves. Different mixes of cocktails are often given interesting (and sometimes embarrassing) names.

The coconut is the fruit of the coconut palm. Coconut palms grow in tropical areas of the world along beaches. They like warm weather, regular rain and high humidity, which is why they grow well in the tropics. You eat the flesh inside the coconut fruit, but there are many, many uses for the rest of the coconut palm. There are too many to list here, but they include: making rope and doormats from the outer shell of the nut; making bowls from the inner shell; and building houses from the trunk and branches of the palm tree. Coconut is used in many different ways in a wide variety of foods. One you might recognise is simply dried, grated, and stuck to the outside of a lamington!

Cod is the common name for a number of related fish. Cod eat sea snails, starfish, smaller fish and other sea creatures. Cod are caught for food, and their livers are used to make cod liver oil, which is rich in vitamin A, D and E.