cotton

Universal Words noun, verb noun [U] 1 a plant grown in warm countries for the soft white hairs around its seeds that are used to make fabric and thread: cotton fields / plants * bales of cotton 2 the fabric made from the cotton plant: The sheets are 100% pure cotton. * a cotton shirt / skirt * printed cotton fabric * the cotton industry * a cotton mill 3 (especially BrE) thread that is used for sewing: sewing cotton * a cotton reel 4 (AmE) = COTTONWOOL: Use a cotton ball to apply the lotion. verb PHRASALVERBS cotton on (to sth) (informal) to begin to understand or realize sth without being told: I suddenly cottoned on to what he was doing. cotton (up) to sb/sth (AmE, informal) to make an attempt to be friendly to sb