I. ˈkəm-pəs also ˈkäm- transitive verb
Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French cumpasser to measure, from Vulgar Latin * compassare to pace off, from Latin com- + passus pace
Date: 14th century
1. : to devise or contrive often with craft or skill : plot
persons…who have compass ed my destruction — Charles Dickens
2. : encompass
3.
a. : bring about , achieve
b. : to get into one's possession or power : obtain
4. : comprehend
• com·pass·able -pə-sə-bəl adjective
II. noun
Date: 14th century
1.
a. : boundary , circumference
within the compass of the city walls
b. : a circumscribed space
within the narrow compass of 21 pages — V. L. Parrington
c. : range , scope
the compass of my voice
2. : a curved or roundabout course
a compass of seven days' journey — 2 Kings 3:9(Authorized Version)
3.
a. : a device for determining directions by means of a magnetic needle or group of needles turning freely on a pivot and pointing to the magnetic north
b. : any of various nonmagnetic devices that indicate direction
c. : an instrument for describing circles or transferring measurements that consists of two pointed branches joined at the top by a pivot — usually used in plural; called also pair of compasses
4. : direction 6c
his moral compass
Synonyms: see range
[
compass 3a
]
III. adjective
Date: 1523
: forming a curve : curved
a compass timber