change

1 /tSeIndZ/ verb

1 BECOME DIFFERENT (I, T) to become different: Susan has changed a lot since I last saw her. | changing circumstances/attitudes etc: Animals must be able to adapt to changing conditions in order to survive. | change out of all recognition (=change completely): The town I grew up in has changed out of all recognition. | change colour: The leaves are slowly changing colour. | not change your spots (=never change your character or habits)

2 MAKE STH/SB DIFFERENT (T) to make something or someone different: plans to change the voting system | Having a baby changes your life completely.

3 FROM ONE THING TO ANOTHER (I, T) to stop having or doing one thing and start having or doing something else instead: change (from sth) to sth: We've changed from traditional methods of production to an automated system. | change your name/address/job etc: Emma refused to change her name when she married. | change jobs/cars etc (=change from one to another) | change course/direction (=start to move in a different direction): Our ship changed course and headed south. | change the subject (=talk about something else): I'm sick of politics. Let's change the subject. | change tack (=try a different method of dealing with a situation): Paul decided to change sides halfway through the debate. | change sides (=leave one side and join the other one): Perhaps my cold reaction persuaded him to change tack in his dealings with the committee. | change ends (=to move to opposite ends of a tennis court or football field during a game): The two teams change ends at half-time.

4 change your mind to change your decision, plan, or opinion about something

(+ about): If you change your mind about the job, just give me a call. 5

a) CLOTHES (I, T) to take off your clothes and put on different ones: I'm just going upstairs to change.

(+ into/out of): Why don't you change into something more comfortable? | It's time you changed your socks. | get changed (=put on different clothes)

b) (T) to put fresh clothes on a baby or fresh covers on a bed: I'm just going to change the baby.

6 REPLACE STH (T) to put something new in place of something old, damaged, or broken: Can you change the light bulb for me? | changing a tyre

7 EXCHANGE GOODS (T) to exchange something that you have bought, or that a customer has bought from you, especially because there is something wrong with it: I bought these gloves for my daughter, but they're too large. Can I change them for a smaller size?

8 EXCHANGE MONEY (T)

a) to exchange a larger unit of money for smaller units that add up to the same value: Can you change a $20 note?

b) to exchange money from one country for money from another: change sth into/for: I want to change my sterling into dollars.

9 TRAINS/BUSES (I, T) to get out of one train or bus and into another in order to continue your journey

(+ at): Passengers for Liverpool should change at Crewe. | change trains/buses: You can travel all the way to Paris without having to change trains. | all change! BrE (=used to tell passengers to get off a train because it does not go any further)

10 change hands if property changes hands, it passes from one owner to another: The house has changed hands three times in the last two years.

11 change places (with)

a) to give someone your place and take their place: Would you mind changing places with me so I can sit next to my friend?

b) to take someone else's social position or situation in life instead of yours: She may be very rich, but I wouldn't want to change places with her.

12 change gear to put the engine of a vehicle into a higher or lower gear 1 (1) in order to go faster or slower: change into/out of: Change into second gear as you approach the corner. | change up/down BrE: Change down before you get to the hill.

13 change your tune to start expressing a different attitude and reacting in a different way, after something has happened: When I offered him a share of the profits, he soon changed his tune.

14 WIND (I) if the wind changes, it starts to blow in a different direction

-see also: chop and change chop 1 (5) change sth around phrasal verb (T) to move things into different positions: When we'd changed the furniture around, the room looked quite different. change into phrasal verb (T)

1 (change into something) to become something different: When the princess kissed the frog, it changed into a handsome prince.

2 (change something/someone into something) to make something or someone become something different: You can't change iron into gold.

2 noun

1 THINGS BECOMING DIFFERENT (C, U) the process or result of something or someone becoming different

(+ in): a change in the weather | I've noticed a big change in Louise since she got married. | changes in the immigration laws | Many old people find it hard to cope with change. (+ of): a change of temperature | change for the better/worse (=a change that makes a situation better or worse): When Bill Clinton was elected, we all believed the new administration would be a change for the better. | change of heart (=change in someone's attitude): He didn't want kids at first but recently he's had a real change of heart.

2 FROM ONE THING TO ANOTHER (C) the fact of one thing or person being replaced by another

(+ of): a change of government | a change of address | change from sth to: the change from city life to living right out in the countryside | The car needs an oil change.

3 PLEASANT NEW SITUATION (singular) a situation or experience that is different from what happened before, and is usually interesting or enjoyable

(+ from): Roast lamb is a welcome change from the usual junk food. | for a change: Let's go out to a restaurant for a change. | it makes a change spoken (=used to say that something is different from usual and better): "The train was on time today." "Well, that makes a change." | change of scene/air etc (=a stay in a different place that is pleasant): How about a week by the sea? The change of air would do you good.

4 MONEY (U)

a) the money that you get back when you have paid for something with more money than it costs: I waited for the shopkeeper to hand me my change.

b) money in the form of coins: in change: I have about a dollar in change. | change for $1/$10 (=coins that you give someone in exchange for the same money in a larger unit): Excuse me, have you got change for a pound? | loose change: Matt emptied the loose change from his pockets. | small change (=coins of low value): When travelling by bus in a strange place, have small change ready.

-see money

5 change of clothes/underwear etc an additional set of clothes that you have with you, for example when you are travelling

6 TRAIN/BUS (C) a situation in which you get off one train or bus and get on another in order to continue your journey

7 get no change out of spoken to get no useful information or help from someone: I wouldn't bother asking Richard, you'll get no change out of him.

-see also: ring the changes ring 2 (6)