Meaning of change In English

• 0 to exchange one thing for another thing, especially of a similar type:

  • She's just changed jobs.

  • Let's change the subject (= talk about something different).

  • I almost didn't recognize her - she'd changed so much.

  • That was 20 years ago and things have changed since then.

  • Nothing changes, does it - I've been away two years and the office still looks exactly the same.

  • People have changed their diets a lot over the past few years.

  • I'm going to change my hairstyle.

  • I had to change those trousers I bought for (= take them back to the shop in order to get) a bigger pair.

  • If you change your mind about coming tonight, just give me a call.

  • When I first met him I didn't like him but I've changed my mind.

  • Her attitude has definitely changed for the better since she started this new job.

  • If he wants to carry on living here, he's going to have to change his ways and learn to be a bit less messy.

• 1 to get off a train, bus, etc. and catch another in order to continue a journey:

  • I had to change (trains) twice to get there.

  • Change at Peterborough for York.

• 2 to get or give money in exchange for money, either because you want it in smaller units, or because you want the same value in foreign money:

  • Could you change a £10 note (for two fives), please?

  • Could you change a £5 note for me?

  • I need to change my dollars for/into English money.

• 3 to remove one set of clothes and put a different set on yourself or a young child, especially a baby, or to remove dirty sheets from a bed and put clean ones on it:

  • You don't need to change - you look great as you are.

  • I'll just change into (= get dressed in) something a bit smarter.

  • Give me five minutes to change out of (= remove) my work clothes and I'll come out with you.

  • How often do you think he changes his shirt?

  • Could you change the baby (= the baby's nappy)?

  • I've changed the sheets/the bed (= the sheets on the bed) in the guest room.

• 4 When the wind or the tide (= the rise and fall of the sea) changes, it starts to move in a different direction:

  • The tide is starting to change.

• 5 to put a vehicle into a different gear, usually in order to change the speed at which it is moving:

  • to change gear

  • I changed into fourth (gear).

  • UK Change down to go round the corner.

• 6 the act of becoming different, or the result of something becoming different:

  • Let me know if there's any change in the situation.

  • We're living in a time of great change.

  • We need a change of government.

  • a change in lifestyle

  • They've made a lot of changes to the house.

  • The new management will make fundamental/radical/sweeping changes (= do things in a very different way).

  • It's nice to see her smile for a change.

  • "Shall we we eat in the garden?" "Why not - it'll make a change."

  • We've always had a red car - it's time we had a change!

  • She'd been with the same company for too many years and felt she needed a change of scene, so she applied for a job as a stage manager.

• 7 money in the form of coins rather than notes:

  • She gave me €5 in change.

  • My dad always used to carry a lot of loose/small change (= coins) in his pocket.

  • Do you have change for a 20-dollar bill?

  • I think you've given me the wrong change.

• 8 the action of putting on different clothes:

  • She did a quick change before going on TV.

  • You'll need a change of clothes if you're staying overnight.

• 9 the action of getting off a train, bus, etc. and catching another in order to continue a journey:

  • I hate journeys where you've got a lot of changes.

• 10 to make or become different, or to do, use, or get one thing in place of another thing:

  • [ T ] I’ve changed jobs twice in the past ten years.

  • [ T ] I changed my hairstyle – do you like it?

  • [ I ] Attitudes about lots of things changed during the 1960s.

  • [ I ] It’s surprising how fast kids change during their teen years.

  • [ I ] We just changed from oil heat to gas.

• 11 to remove one set of clothes and put a different set on yourself or someone else, such as a baby, or to remove dirty sheets from a bed and put clean ones on it:

  • [ I ] I’ll just change into (= put on) something a little dressier.

  • [ T ] Could you change the baby/the baby’s diaper (= put on a clean one)?

  • [ T ] I changed the sheets/the bed (= the sheets on the bed) in the guest room.

• 12 to get or give money in exchange for money, either because you want it in smaller units, or because you want the same value in foreign money:

  • Can you change a $100 bill for me?

  • I had to change some American money into pesetas before I arrived in Spain.

• 13 to get off an aircraft, train, bus, etc. and catch another in order to continue a trip:

  • [ T ] I had to change planes twice to get there.

  • [ I ] Change at Hartford for the train to Springfield.

• 14 A change often refers to something unusual or new that is better or more pleasant than what existed before:

  • We decided we needed a change, so we went to Florida for a couple of weeks.

  • Why don’t we eat on the porch for a change?

• 15 the difference in money, returned to the buyer, between what is paid for something and the lesser amount that it costs:

  • It costs $17 and you gave me $20, so here’s your $3 change.

  • I need change for a $50 bill because I want to take a taxi.

  • Do you have change for/of a dollar?

  • Bring a lot of change for using the public telephones.

• 16 a set of clothes that is additional to the clothes that you are wearing:

  • Bring a change of clothes with you in case we stay overnight.

• 17 to become or make something different, or to exchange something for something else:

  • The company has changed considerably since I joined in 2005.

  • She decided that it was time to change jobs.

• 18 to exchange an amount of money for the same value in another currency:

  • If you're unable to change money before you travel, most international airports will have a bureau de change.

  • change sth into sth Here you'll find the best exchange rate for changing your US dollars into euros.

• 19 to exchange a unit of money for coins or smaller units of paper money that add up to the same value:

  • Could you change this twenty dollar bill for a ten and two fives?

  • Many superstores have change machines where you can change your coins into banknotes.

• 20 to return something you bought to a store and exchange it for something new, for example because it was damaged or the wrong size. A store changes an item when it agrees to give a customer a new item in exchange for one that is damaged, etc.:

  • Some places won't let you change items without a receipt.

  • The store offered to change the faulty items or refund my money.

• 21 to pass from one owner to another:

  • More than 30 million shares changed hands in the first hour of business.

• 22 the process or result of making something different or becoming different:

  • change to sth After making changes to its business model, the company's net profits increased by 22%.

  • change in sth Owing to a change in policy, customers will now be charged a fee for early withdrawals.

  • implement/make a change The new head of department is certain to make some changes.

  • manage change One of the hardest aspects of being a top manager is managing change.

  • a fundamental/major/significant change

  • Please notify us of any change of address.

• 23 coins used as money:

  • Do you have any change for the parking meter?

• 24 smaller units of money or coins given in exchange for a larger unit of money that is worth the same amount:

  • Can you make change for a 100 dollar bill?

• 25 the money that is returned to you after you have paid for something that costs less than the amount you gave:

  • I think the waiter gave me the wrong change.