cen·tre (s?n?t?r)n. & v. Chiefly British Variant of center.American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.centre (?s?nt?) or centern1. (Mathematics) geometry a. the midpoint of any line or figure, esp the point within a circle or sphere that is equidistant from any point on the circumference or surfaceb. the point within a body through which a specified force may be considered to act, such as the centre of gravity2. (General Physics) the point, axis, or pivot about which a body rotates3. a point, area, or part that is approximately in the middle of a larger area or volume4. a place at which some specified activity is concentrated: a shopping centre. 5. a person or thing that is a focus of interest6. a place of activity or influence: a centre of power. 7. a person, group, policy, or thing in the middle8. (Government, Politics & Diplomacy) (usually capital) politics a. a political party or group favouring moderation, esp the moderate members of a legislative assemblyb. (as modifier): a Centre-Left alliance. 9. (Physiology) physiol any part of the central nervous system that regulates a specific function: respiratory centre. 10. (Mechanical Engineering) a bar with a conical point upon which a workpiece or part may be turned or ground11. (Mechanical Engineering) a punch mark or small conical hole in a part to be drilled, which enables the point of the drill to be located accurately12. (General Sporting Terms) sport a. a player who plays in the middle of the forward lineb. the act or an instance of passing the ball from a wing to the middle of the field, court, etc13. (Basketball) basketball a. the position of a player who jumps for the ball at the start of playb. the player in this position14. (Archery) archery a. the ring around the bull’s eyeb. a shot that hits this ringvb15. to move towards, mark, put, or be at a centre16. (tr) to focus or bring together: to centre one’s thoughts. 17. (often foll by: on) to have as a main point of view or theme: the novel centred on crime. 18. (Mechanical Engineering) (tr) to adjust or locate (a workpiece or part) using a centre19. (intr; foll by on or round) to have as a centre20. (General Sporting Terms) (tr) sport to pass (the ball) into the middle of the field or court[C14: from Latin centrum the stationary point of a compass, from Greek kentron needle, from kentein to prick]Centre n 1. (Placename) the Centre (?s?nt?) the sparsely inhabited central region of Australia 2. (Placename) a region of central France: generally low-lying; drained chiefly by the Rivers Loire, Loir, and Cher Collins English Dictionary ? Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014cen?tre (?s?n t?r) n., v. -tred, -tring. Chiefly Brit. center. Cen?tre (?s?? tr?) n. a metropolitan region in central France, SW of Paris. 2,371,000; 15,390 sq. mi. (39,062 sq. km). Random House Kernerman Webster’s College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.middle – centre1. ‘middle’The middle of a two-dimensional shape or area is the part that is furthest from its sides, edges, or boundaries.Centre is used in a similar way, but it usually refers to a more precise point or position. For example, in mathematics you talk about the centre of a circle, not the ‘middle’.In American English, this word is spelled center.The middle of a road or river is the part that is furthest from its sides or banks.The middle of an event or period of time is a period which is halfway between its beginning and its end.