Emily Dickinson Lexicon

COM-MEN'SU-RA-BLE, a. [Fr. from con and L. mensura, measure. See Measure.]

That have a common measure; reducible to a common measure. Thus a yard and a foot are commensurable, as both may be measured by inches. Commensurable numbers are those which may be measured or divided by another number without a remainder; as, 12 and 18, which may be measured by 6 and 3. Commensurable surds are those which, being reduced to their least terms, become true figurative quantities of their kind; and are therefore as a rational quantity to a rational one. – Encyc.

COM-MEN'SUR-A-BLY, adv.

In a commensurable manner.

COM-MEN'SU-RATE, a. [It. conmensurare; Sp. conmensurar, whence conmensurativo; con and L. mensura, measure.]

1. Reducible to one and the same common measure.
2. Equal; proportional; having equal measure or extent; as, we find nothing in this life commensurate to our desires.

COM-MEN'SU-RATE, v.t.

To reduce to a common measure.

COM-MEN'SU-RA-TED, pp.

Reduced to a common measure.

COM-MEN'SU-RATE-LY, adv.

1. With the capacity of measuring or being measured by some other thing. – Holder.
2. With equal measure or extent.

COM-MEN'SUR-ATE-NESS, n.

Quality of being commensurate. – Foster.

COM-MEN'SU-RA-TING, ppr.

Reducing to a common measure.

COM-MEN-SU-RA'TION, n.

Proportion, or proportion in measure; a state of having a common measure. All fitness lies in a particular commensuration, or proportion of one thing to another. – South.

COM'MENT, n.

1. A note, intended to illustrate a writing, or a difficult passage in an author; annotation; explanation; exposition; as, the comments of Scott on the Scriptures.
2. That which explains or illustrates; as, a man's conduct is the best comment on his declarations. Poverty and disgrace are very significant comments on lewdness, gambling, and dissipation.
3. Remark; observation. In such a time as this, it is not meet / That every nice offense should bear its comment. – Shak.

COM'MENT, v.i. [L. commentor, to cast in the mind, to think, to devise, to compose; from con and mens, mind, or the same root. It. comentare; Fr. commenter; Sp. commentar; Port. commentar. See Mind.]

1. To write notes on the works of an author, with a view to illustrate his meaning, or to explain particular passages; to explain; to expound; to annotate; followed by on. We say, to comment on an author or on his writings. – Dryden. Pope.
2. To make verbal remarks, or observations, either on a book, or writing, or on actions, events, or opinions. – Shak.

COM'MENT, v.t.

1. To explain. – Fuller.
2. To feign; to devise. [Obs.] – Spenser.

COM'MENT-A-RY, n.

1. A comment; exposition; explanation; illustration of difficult and obscure passages in an author.
2. A book of comments or annotations.
3. A historical narrative; a memoir of particular transactions; as, the commentaries of Cesar.

COM'MENT-A-RY, v.t.

To write notes upon. [Little used.]

COM'MEN-TATE, v.t.

To make comments; to write notes upon. – Purs. of Lit.

COM'MENT-A-TOR, n.

One who comments; one who writes annotations; an expositor; an annotator. [The accent on the first syllable and that on the third, are nearly equal.]

COM-MEN-TA'TOR-SHIP, n.

The office of a commentator.

COM'MENT-ER, n.

1. One that writes comments; an annotator.
2. One who makes remarks.

COM'MENT-ING, ppr.

Making notes or comments on something said or written.

COM-MEN-TI'TIOUS, a. [L. commentitius.]

Invented; feigned; imaginary. – Glanville.

COM'MERCE, n. [Fr. commerce; L. commercium; con and mercor, to buy; merx, mereo. See Class Mr, No. 3. It. commercio; Sp. comercio; Port. commercio. Formerly accented on the second syllable.]

1. In a general sense, an interchange or mutual change of goods, wares, productions, or property of any kind, between nations or individuals, either by barter, or by purchase and sale; trade; traffick. Commerce is foreign or inland. Foreign commerce is the trade which one nation carries on with another; inland commerce, or inland trade, is the trade in the exchange of commodities between citizens of the same nation or state. Active commerce. [See Active.]
2. Intercourse between individuals; interchange of work, business, civilities or amusements; mutual dealings in common life.
3. Familiar intercourse between the sexes.
4. Interchange; reciprocal communications; as, there is a vast commerce of ideas. – D. Webster.

COM'MERCE, v.i.

1. To traffick; to carry on trade. – Ralegh.
2. To hold intercourse with. And looks commercing with the skies. – Milton.

COM-MER'CIAL, a.

1. Pertaining to commerce or trade; as, commercial concerns; commercial relations.
2. Carrying on commerce; as, a commercial nation.
3. Proceeding from trade; as, commercial benefits or profits.

COM-MER'CIAL-LY, adv.

In a commercial view. – Burke.

COM'MERE, n. [Fr. mere.]

A common mother.