/ tʃeɪndʒ; NAmE / verb , noun
■ verb
BECOME / MAKE DIFFERENT
1.
[ v ] to become different :
Rick hasn't changed. He looks exactly the same as he did at school.
changing attitudes towards education
Her life changed completely when she won the lottery.
2.
[ vn ] to make sb/sth different :
Fame hasn't really changed him.
Computers have changed the way people work.
3.
change (sb/sth) (from A) to / into B to pass or make sb/sth pass from one state or form into another :
[ v ]
Caterpillars change into butterflies.
Wait for the traffic lights to change.
The lights changed from red to green.
[ vn ]
With a wave of her magic wand, she changed the frog into a handsome prince.
4.
[ vn ] to stop having one state, position or direction and start having another :
Leaves change colour in autumn.
The wind has changed direction.
Our ship changed course.
REPLACE
5.
[ vn ] change sb/sth (for sb/sth) | change sth (to sth) to replace one thing, person, service, etc. with sth new or different :
I want to change my doctor.
We change our car every two years.
We changed the car for a bigger one.
Marie changed her name when she got married.
She changed her name to his.
That back tyre needs changing.
EXCHANGE
6.
[ vn ] change sth (with sb) (used with a plural object) to exchange positions, places, etc. with sb else, so that you have what they have, and they have what you have :
At half-time the teams change ends.
Can we change seats?
Can I change seats with you?
CLOTHES
7.
change (into sth) | change (out of sth) to put on different or clean clothes :
[ v ]
I went into the bedroom to change.
She changed into her swimsuit.
You need to change out of those wet things.
[ vn ] ( especially BrE )
I didn't have time to get changed before the party (= to put different clothes on) .
( especially NAmE )
I didn't have time to change clothes before the party.
BABY
8.
[ vn ] to put clean clothes or a clean nappy / diaper on a baby :
She can't even change a nappy.
The baby needs changing.
There are baby changing facilities in all our stores.
BED
9.
[ vn ] to put clean sheets, etc. on a bed :
to change the sheets
Could you help me change the bed?
MONEY
10.
[ vn ] change sth (into sth) to exchange money into the money of another country :
Where can I change my traveller's cheques?
to change dollars into yen
11.
[ vn ] change sth (for / into sth) to exchange money for the same amount in different coins or notes :
Can you change a £20 note?
to change a dollar bill for four quarters
GOODS
12.
[ vn ] change sth (for sth) ( BrE ) to exchange sth that you have bought for sth else, especially because there is sth wrong with it; to give a customer a new item because there is sth wrong with the one they have bought :
This shirt I bought's too small—I'll have to change it for a bigger one.
Of course we'll change it for a larger size, Madam.
BUS / TRAIN / PLANE
13.
to go from one bus, train, etc. to another in order to continue a journey :
[ v ]
Where do I have to change?
Change at Reading (for London).
[ vn ]
I stopped in Moscow only to change planes.
—see also unchanging
•
IDIOMS
- change hands
- change horses in midstream
- change your / sb's mind
- change your tune
- change your ways
—more at chop verb , leopard , place noun
•
PHRASAL VERBS
- change sth around / round
- change back (into sb/sth)
- change back (into sth)
- change sth back (into sth)
- change down
- change over (from sth) (to sth)
- change up
■ noun
DIFFERENCE
1.
[ C , U ] change (in / to sth) the act or result of sth becoming different :
a change in the weather
important changes to the tax system
There was no change in the patient's condition overnight.
She is someone who hates change.
social / political / economic change
STH NEW AND INTERESTING
2.
a change [ sing. ] change (from sth) the fact of a situation, a place or an experience being different from what is usual and therefore likely to be interesting, enjoyable, etc. :
Finishing early was a welcome change .
Let's stay in tonight for a change .
Can you just listen for a change ?
It makes a change to read some good news for once.
REPLACING STH
3.
[ C ] change (of sth) | change (from sth to sth) the process of replacing sth with sth new or different; a thing that is used to replace sth :
a change of address
a change of government
a change from agriculture to industry
There will be a crew change when we land at Dubai.
( BrE )
Let's get away for the weekend. A change of scene (= time in a different place) will do you good.
OF CLOTHES
4.
change of clothes, etc. [ C ] an extra set of clothes, etc. :
She packed a change of clothes for the weekend.
I keep a change of shoes in the car.
MONEY
5.
[ U ] the money that you get back when you have paid for sth giving more money than the amount it costs :
Don't forget your change!
That's 40p change.
The ticket machine gives change.
6.
[ U ] coins rather than paper money :
Do you have any change for the phone?
a dollar in change (= coins that together are worth one dollar)
I didn't have any small change (= coins of low value) to leave as a tip.
He puts his loose change in a money box for the children.
Could you give me change for a ten pound note (= coins or notes that are worth this amount) ?
OF BUS / TRAIN / PLANE
7.
[ C ] an occasion when you go from one bus, train or plane to another during a journey :
The journey involved three changes.
•
IDIOMS
- a change for the better / worse
- a change of heart
- a change of mind
- get no change out of sb
—more at ring verb , wind (I) noun
••
WORD ORIGIN
Middle English : from Old French change (noun), changer (verb), from late Latin cambiare , from Latin cambire barter, probably of Celtic origin.