compass en · NOUN · etymology 1
Pronunciation
- /ˈkʌm.pəs/
- [ˈkɐm.pəs]
- (California) audio
Etymology
From Middle English compas (“a circle, circuit, limit, form, a mathematical instrument”), from Old French compas, from Medieval Latin compassus (“a circle, a circuit”), from Latin com- (“together”) + passus (“a pace, step, later a pass, way, route”); see pass, pace.
Meanings
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A magnetic or electronic device used to determine the cardinal directions (usually magnetic or true north).
1689/1690, John Locke, On improvement of understanding He that […] first discovered the use of the compass […] did more for the propagation of knowledge […] than those who built workhouses.
[H]ow many Seas to our fore-fathers impaſſable, for want of the Compaſſe?
1625, [Samuel] Purchas, “Of the Improvement of Nauigation in Later Times, […]”, in Purchas His Pilgrimes. […], 1st part, London: […] William Stansby for Henrie Fetherstone, […], →OCLC, 2nd book, § I, page 2:a glance at his compass would have shown him that a northerly course instead of an easterly could not be right
1890, Wilhelm Westhofen, The Forth Bridge:
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A pair of compasses (a device used to draw circular arcs and transfer length measurements).
to fix one foot of their compass wherever they please
1701, Jonathan Swift, chapter 5, in A Discourse of the Contests and Dissensions between the Nobles and the Commons in Athens and Rome:
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The range of notes of a musical instrument or voice.
You would sound me from my lowest note to the top of my compass.
c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene ii]:
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(obsolete) A space within limits; an area.
In going up the Missisippi ^([sic]), we meet with nothing remarkable before we come to the Detour aux Anglois, the English Reach: in that part the river takes a large compass.
1763, M. Le Page Du Pratz, History of Louisiana, PG, page 47:Animals, in their generation, are wiser than the sons of men but their wisdom is confined to a few particulars, and lies in a very narrow compass.
1711, Joseph Addison, The Spectator:Clara thought she had never seen him look so small and mean. He was as if trying to get himself into the smallest possible compass.
1913, D[avid] H[erbert] Lawrence, “Chapter 14”, in Sons and Lovers, London: Duckworth & Co. […], →OCLC:Among tank engines, the 0-6-2 wheel arrangement was by far the most numerous, there being nearly 450 of this arrangement, which offers the advantage of good power and adhesive weight, coupled with adequate tank and bunker capacity, within a limited compass.
1939 September, D. S. Barrie, “The Railways of South Wales”, in Railway Magazine, page 161:
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(obsolete) An enclosing limit; a boundary, a circumference.
within the compass of an encircling wall
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Moderate bounds, limits of truth; moderation; due limits; used with within.
In two hundred years before (I speak within compass), no such commission had been executed.
c. 1610, John Davies, Historical Tracts:"Saints!" she cried, "but what a noise you keep! Can you not speak in compass?"
1883, Robert Louis Stevenson, “In Mine Enemies' House”, in The Black Arrow:
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(formal) Synonym of scope.
the compass of his argument
c. 1806–1809 (date written), William Wordsworth, “(please specify the page)”, in The Excursion, being a Portion of The Recluse, a Poem, London: […] Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown, […], published 1814, →OCLC:How very commonly we hear it remarked that such and such thoughts are beyond the compass of words! I do not believe that any thought, properly so called, is out of the reach of language.
1844, Edgar Allan Poe, Marginalia:The 1664 pages of this Collegiate make it the most comprehensive ever published. And its treatment of words is as nearly exhaustive as the compass of an abridged work permits.
2003, Merriam-Webster, Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, 11th edition, Merriam-Webster, →ISBN, page 6a:There is a truth and falsehood in all propositions on this subject, and a truth and falsehood, which lie not beyond the compass of human understanding.
1748, David Hume, Enquiries concerning the human understanding and concerning the principles of moral, Oxford University Press, published 1973, section 8:
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(obsolete) Range, reach.
Then when our powers in points of ſwords are ioin’d And cloſde in compaſſe of the killing bullet, Though ſtraite the paſſage and the port be made, That leads to Pallace of my brothers life, Proud is his fortune if we pierce it not.
c. 1587–1588 (date written), [Christopher Marlowe], Tamburlaine the Great. […] The First Part […], 2nd edition, part 1, London: […] [R. Robinson for] Richard Iones, […], published 1592, →OCLC; reprinted as Tamburlaine the Great (A Scolar Press Facsimile), Menston, Yorkshire; London: Scolar Press, 1973, →ISBN, Act II, scene i:Lou's not Times foole, though roſie lips and cheeks VVithin his bending ſickles compaſſe come, Loue alters not with his breefe houres and vveekes, But beares it out euen to the edge of doome: If this be error and vpon me proued, I neuer vvrit, nor no man euer loued.
1609, William Shakespeare, “Sonnet 116”, in Shake-speares Sonnets. […], London: By G[eorge] Eld for T[homas] T[horpe] and are to be sold by William Aspley, →OCLC, signature H, recto:
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(obsolete) A passing round; circuit; circuitous course.
They fetched a compass of seven days' journey.
1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, 2 Kings iii:9:Kim slid out quietly into the night, walked half round the house, keeping close to the walls, and headed away from the station for a mile or so. Then, fetching a wide compass, he worked back at leisure, for he needed time to invent a story if any of Mahbub's retainers asked questions.
1901, Rudyard Kipling, Kim:This day I breathed first; time is come round, / And where I did begin, there shall I end; / My life is run his compass.
1599 (first performance), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Iulius Cæsar”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene iii]:
- A curved circular form.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| compasses | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Deriveds
compass point · compass window · cabin compass · fetch a compass · compass out · compassless · compass card · gyrocompass · compass deflection · compass dial · magnetic compass · Square and Compass · compass rose · Brunton compass · compass plane · gyro compass · every point of the compass · compass plant · compass wallah · mariner's compass · prismatic compass · radio compass · scribing compass · beam compass · compass saw · compass timber · tell-tale compass · compass jellyfish · compass needle · liquid compass · moral compass · gyromagnetic compass · color compass · variation compass · compass swing · qibla compass · gyroscopic compass · pair of compasses · telltale compass · hanging compass · bow compass · biocompass · box the compass · Chinese compass · all points of the compass · gyroscope compass · compass error · compass termite · compass cactus · astrocompass
Hyponyms
beam compass (pair of compasses)
Synonyms
pair of compasses (device used to draw circular curves) · magnetic compass (magnetic direction finder) · scope
Translations (213)
ms pedoman (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · pt área (area) · ru компа́с (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · hu mérték (area) · pt bússola (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · et kompass (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · tr pusula (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · es aguja de bitácora (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · cy cwmpas (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · es brújula (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · cs buzola (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · enm compas (area) · my အိမ်မြှောင် (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · tk kyblanama (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · io busolo (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · sip སྐོར་ཐིག (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · fi ala (area) · nl bereik (area) · ca brúixola (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · el πυξίδα (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · prs قُطْبنَمَا (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · lv kompass (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · fa-ira قِبْلِهنَما (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · nb kompass (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · ru диапазо́н (range of notes of a musical instrument or voice) · sl kompas (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · fr portée (area) · th เข็มทิศ (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · ca àrea (area) · pt limite (scope) · ne कम्पास (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · ky компас (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · mn луужин (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · hu terület (area) · kn ದಿಕ್ಸೂಚಿ (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · ota پوصوله (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · es área (area) · cmn 南針 /南针 (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · he מַצְפֵּן (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · gd combaist (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · oc bossòla (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · gl ámeto (area) · de Umkreis (area) · tt компас (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · hi कंपास (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · es aguja de marear (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · ckb پیشاندار (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · am ኮምፓስ (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · ja コンパス (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · arz بوصلة (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · sq kompas (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · ky кыбыланама (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · ps قطب نما (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · cs rozsah (scope) · ro diapazon (range of notes of a musical instrument or voice) · la pyxis (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · fo kumpass (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · ga compás (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · mwl bússola (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · ur کَمْپاس (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · bg обхва́т (area) · yue 指南針 /指南针 (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · fur bùssule (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · gl búsula (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · th ขอบเขต (area) · ja 方位磁石 (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · mi kāpehu (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · be ко́мпас (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · ru ко́мпас (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · ru круг (area) · vo melakompad (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · uz qiblanamo (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · eu iparrorratz (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · fr étendue (area) · cmn 羅盤 /罗盘 (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · sh ко̀мпас (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · hi क़ुतुबनुमा (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · tt кыйбланамә (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · ja 羅針盤 (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · tl bruhula (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · kk компас (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · pt âmbito (area) · ug قىبلىنامە (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · lo ເຂັມທິດ (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · bg обхва́т (range of notes of a musical instrument or voice) · tl turubalani (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · fy kompas (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · kk құбылнама (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · is áttaviti (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · ta திசைகாட்டி (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · ka საზღვაო კომპასი (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · hu iránytű (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · th ความเข้าใจ (scope) · enm compas (scope) · ba ҡыблама (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · haw pānānā (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · crh pusla (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · cs rozsah (range of notes of a musical instrument or voice) · de Kompass (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · mr होकायंत्र (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · uk ко́мпас (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · de Bussole (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · cmn 指南 (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · gu હોકાયંત્ર (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · tk kompas (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · tr diyapazon (range of notes of a musical instrument or voice) · sw dira (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · cmn 指南針 /指南针 (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · my ကွန်ပါ (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · az qiblənüma (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · sv kompass (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · bg о́бласт (area) · ug كومپاس (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · izh kumpassi (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · ar بُوصُّلَة (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · fr ambitus (range of notes of a musical instrument or voice) · gl buxola (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · pl kompas (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · crh qıblenüma (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · fi ääniala (range of notes of a musical instrument or voice) · as কম্পাছ (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · hi दिक्सूचक (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · rm cumpassiun (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · ro compas (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · id kompas (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · sh kòmpas (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · fi alue (scope) · de Seekompass (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · gl encalzo (area) · ko 나침반 (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · sk kompas (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · az qiblənamə (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · hu terjedelem (scope) · az kompas (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · lt kompasas (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · te దిక్సూచి (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · is kompás (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · or ଦିଗନିର୍ଣ୍ଣୟକ ଯନ୍ତ୍ର (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · af kompas (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · nl kompas (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · de Umfang (area) · ckb قبلەنامە (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · ja 方位磁針 (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · eo kompaso (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · ru объём (area) · hy կողմնացույց (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · bg обхват (scope) · mk компас (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · vo kopad (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · gl compás (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · scn bùssula (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · cs oblast (area) · hu hangterjedelem (range of notes of a musical instrument or voice) · oj akiinoo'igan (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · az قبله نما (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · cmn 指北針 /指北针 (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · kaa qublanama (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · fi kompassi (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · ha kamfas (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · uz kompas (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · fi alue (area) · hu kiterjedés (area) · ms kompas (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · ca àmbit (area) · ko 라침반 (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · ru охва́т (scope) · yi קאָמפּאַס (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · pa ਕੰਪਾਸ (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · uk бусо́ля (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · pt alcance (area) · kmr qîblename (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · ru окру́жность (area) · cs kompas (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · vi la bàn (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · sq busull (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · tg компас (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · vo kompad (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · dv ސަމުގާ (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · el διαπασών (range of notes of a musical instrument or voice) · ur قُطْب نُما (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · tr tınlaç (range of notes of a musical instrument or voice) · km ត្រីវិស័យ (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · ro busolă (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · ml വടക്കുനോക്കിയന്ത്രം (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · fr boussole (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · bn কম্পাস (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · id padom (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · da kompas (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · si මාලිමාව (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · es ámbito (area) · fi ala (scope) · ig kompas (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · bg компа́с (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · fa-ira قُطْبنَما (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · el φάσμα (area) · nl omvang (area) · tg қутбнамо (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · krc къыбылама (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · ka კომპასი (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · it bussola (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · hy բևեռացույց (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · es alcance (area) · ru буссо́ль (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · gd cairt-iùil (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · ast brúxula (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · lo ເຂັມຊີ້ທິດ (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · gl ámpito (area) · ota قبلهنامه (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · ia bussola (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · hu kör (scope) · br nadoz-vor (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · lo ເຂັມ (instrument to determine cardinal directions) · kum къыблама (instrument to determine cardinal directions)