— completable , adj. — completedness , n. — completely , adv. — completeness , n. — completer , n. — completive , adj. — completively , adv.
/keuhm pleet"/ , adj., v., completed, completing .
adj.
1. having all parts or elements; lacking nothing; whole; entire; full: a complete set of Mark Twain's writings.
2. finished; ended; concluded: a complete orbit.
3. having all the required or customary characteristics, skills, or the like; consummate; perfect in kind or quality: a complete scholar.
4. thorough; entire; total; undivided, uncompromised, or unmodified: a complete victory; a complete mess.
5. Gram. having all modifying or complementary elements included: The complete subject of "The dappled pony gazed over the fence" is "The dappled pony." Cf. simple (def. 20).
6. Also, completed . Football. (of a forward pass) caught by a receiver.
7. Logic. (of a set of axioms) such that every true proposition able to be formulated in terms of the basic ideas of a given system is deducible from the set. Cf. incomplete (def. 4b).
8. Engin. noting a determinate truss having the least number of members required to connect the panel points so as to form a system of triangles. Cf. incomplete (def. 3), redundant (def. 5c).
9. (of persons) accomplished; skilled; expert.
10. Math.
a. of or pertaining to an algebraic system, as a field with an order relation defined on it, in which every set of elements of the system has a least upper bound.
b. of or pertaining to a set in which every fundamental sequence converges to an element of the set. Cf. fundamental sequence .
c. (of a lattice) having the property that every subset has a least upper bound and a greatest lower bound.
v.t.
11. to make whole or entire: I need three more words to complete the puzzle.
12. to make perfect: His parting look of impotent rage completed my revenge.
13. to bring to an end; finish: Has he completed his new novel yet?
14. to consummate.
15. Football. to execute (a forward pass) successfully: He completed 17 passes in 33 attempts.
[ 1325-75; ME ( completus (ptp. of complere to fill up, fulfill, equiv. to com- COM- + ple- FILL + -tus ptp. suffix ]
Syn. 1. unbroken, unimpaired, undivided. 1-3 . COMPLETE, ENTIRE, INTACT, PERFECT imply that there is no lack or defect, nor has any part been removed. COMPLETE implies that a certain unit has all its parts, fully developed or perfected, and may apply to a process or purpose carried to fulfillment: a complete explanation. ENTIRE means whole, having unbroken unity: an entire book. INTACT implies retaining completeness and original condition: a package delivered intact. PERFECT emphasizes not only completeness but also high quality and absence of defects or blemishes: a perfect diamond. 3. developed. 11. conclude, consummate, perfect, accomplish, achieve.
Ant. 1. partial. 3. defective.
Usage . Occasionally there are objections to modifying COMPLETE with qualifiers like almost, more, most, nearly, and quite, because they suggest that COMPLETE is relative rather than absolute: an almost complete record; a more complete proposal; the most complete list available. However, such uses are fully standard and occur regularly in all varieties of spoken and written English. See also perfect, unique .