Emily Dickinson Lexicon

COM-PAT'I-BLE, a. [Fr. compatible; Sp. id.; Port. compativel; from the L. competo, to sue or seek for the same thing, to agree; con and peto, to seek.]

Consistent; that may exist with; suitable; not incongruous; agreeable; followed by with; sometimes by to, but less properly. The poets have joined qualities which by nature are the most compatible. – Broome. The office of a legislator and of a judge are deemed not compatible. To pardon offenders is not always compatible with public safety.

COM-PAT'I-BLE-NESS, n.

Consistency; fitness; agreement; the same as compatibility, which is generally used.

COM-PAT'I-BLY, adv.

Fitly; suitably; consistently.

COM-PA'TIENT, a. [L. con and patior.]

Suffering together. [Little used.] – Buck.

COM-PAT'RI-OT, a.

Of the same country. – Akenside.

COM-PAT'RI-OT, n. [It. compatriotta; Sp. compatriota; con or com and patriot.]

A fellow patriot; one of the same country.

COM-PAT'RI-OT-ISM, n.

Fellow patriotism.

COM-PEER', n. [L. compar; con and par, equal. See Peer.]

An equal; a companion; an associate; a mate. Philips.

COM-PEER', v.i. [L. compareo.]

To appear. [Obs.]

COM-PEER', v.t.

To equal; to match; to be equal with. – Shak.

COM-PEL', v.t. [L. compello, compellere; con and pello, to drive; Sp. compeler; Port. compellir. See Peal and Appeal.]

1. To drive or urge with force, or irresistibly; to constrain; to oblige; to necessitate, either by physical or moral force; as, circumstances compel us to practice economy. Thou shalt not compel him to serve as a bond servant. – Levit. xxv. And they compel one Simon … to bear his cross. – Mark xv. Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. – Luke xiv.
2. To force; to take by force, or violence; to seize. The subjects' grief Comes through commissions, which compel from each / A sixth part of his substance. – Shak. [This sense is harsh, and not very common.] – Johnson.
3. To drive together; to gather; to unite in a crowd or company. A Latinism, compellere gregem. In one troop compelled. – Dryden.
4. To seize; to overpower; to hold. And easy sleep their weary limbs compelled. – Dryden. [Unusual.]
5. To call forth, L. compellere. [Obs.] – Spenser.

COM-PEL'LA-BLE, a.

That may be driven, forced, or constrained.

COM-PEL'LA-BLY, adv.

By compulsion.

COM-PEL-LA'TION, n. [L. compellatio; compello, compellare, the same word as the preceding, applied to the voice; to send or drive out the voice.]

Style or manner of address; the word of salutation. The compellation of the Kings of France is by sire. – Temple.

COM-PEL'LA-TO-RY, a.

Compulsive.

COM-PEL'LED, pp.

Forced; constrained; obliged.

COM-PEL'LER, n.

One who compels or constrains.

COM-PEL'LING, ppr.

Driving by force; constraining; obliging.

COM'PEND, or COM-PEND'I-UM, n. [L. compendium.]

In literature, an abridgment; a summary; an epitome; a brief compilation or composition, containing the principal heads, or general principles, of a larger work or system.

COM-PEND-I-A'RI-OUS, a.

Short; contracted. [Little used.]

COM-PEND'I-ATE, v.t.

To sum or collect together. [Not used.]

COM-PEND'I-OUS, a.

1. Short; summary; abridged; comprehensive; containing the substance or general principles of a subject or work in a narrow compass; as, a compendious system of chimistry; a compendious grammar.
2. Short; direct; near; not circuitous; a compendious way to acquire science.

COM-PEND'I-OUS-LY, adv.

In a short or brief manner; summarily; in brief; in epitome. The substance of Christian belief is compendiously expressed in a few articles. – Anon.

COM-PEND'I-OUS-NESS, n.

Shortness; brevity; comprehension in a narrow compass. – Bentley.

COM-PENS'A-BLE, a. [See Compensate.]

That may be compensated. [Little used.]