Emily Dickinson Lexicon

COM-PAN'ION, n. [compan'yun; Fr. compagnon; Arm. compaignun; It. compagno; Sp. compañero; Port. companheiro; Ir. companach. See Company.]

1. One who keeps company with another; one with whom a person frequently associates, and converses. “It differs from friend,” says Johnson, “as acquaintance from confidence.” The word does not necessarily imply friendship; but a companion is often or generally a friend. A companion of fools shall be destroyed. – Prov. xiii.
2. One who accompanies another; as two persons meeting casually and traveling together are called companions. So soldiers are called companions in arms.
3. A partner; an associate. Epaphroditus, my brother, and companion in labor, and fellow soldier. – Phil. ii.
4. A fellow; a mate. – Shak.
5. A sort of wooden porch placed over the entrance or staircase of the cabin in merchant ships. Hence the ladder by which officers ascend to and descend from the quarter deck is called the companion ladder. – Mar. Dict.

COM-PAN'ION-A-BLE, a.

Fit for good fellowship; qualified to be agreeable in company; sociable; agreeable as a companion. – Clarendon.

COM-PAN'ION-A-BLY, adv.

In a companionable manner.

COM-PAN'ION-LESS, a.

Having no companion.

COM-PAN'ION-SHIP, n.

1. Fellowship; association. – Shak.
2. Company; train. – Shak.

COM'PA-NY, n. [It. compagnia; Sp. compañia; Port. companhia; Fr. compagnie; not from cum and panis, bread, a mess or number of men eating together, as is commonly supposed; but from cum and pannus, cloth, Teutonic fahne or vaan, a flag. The word denotes a band or number of men under one flag or standard. What decides this question is, the Spanish mode of writing the word with n tildè, titled n, compañia, for this is the manner of writing paño, cloth; whereas panis, bread, is written pan. The orthography of the word in the other languages is confirmatory of this opinion.]

1. In military affairs, the soldiers united under the command of a captain; a subdivision of a regiment, consisting usually of a number from 60 to 100 men. But the number is indefinite.
2. Any assemblage of persons; a collection of men, or other animals, in a very indefinite sense. It may be applied to a small number, or any multitude whatever; as in Scripture we read of a company of priests, a company of prophets, and an innumerable company of angels; also, a company of horses.
3. An assemblage of persons for entertainment or festivity; a party collected by invitation or otherwise.
4. Persons that associate with others for conversation or pleasure; society; as, let your children keep good company.
5. The state of being a companion; the act of accompanying; fellowship; society; as, we can not enjoy the company of licentious men. I will keep thee company. – Dryden.
6. A number of persons united for the same purpose, or in a joint concern; as, a company of merchants or mechanics; a company of players. The word is applicable to private partnerships or to incorporated bodies of men. Hence it may signify a firm, house or partnership; or a corporation, as the East India Company, a banking or insurance company.
7. The crew of a ship, including the officers; also, a fleet. To bear company, to accompany; to attend; to go with; denoting a temporary association. His faithful dog shall bear him company. – Pope. To keep company, to accompany; to attend; also, to associate with frequently or habitually; hence, to frequent public houses. – Prov. xxix.

COM'PA-NY, v.i.

1. To associate with; to frequent the company of. I wrote you not to company with fornicators. – 1 Cor. v.
2. To be a gay companion. [Obs.] – Spenser.
3. To have commerce with the other sex. – Bp. Hall.

COM'PA-NY, v.t.

To accompany; to attend; to go with; to be companion to. [But accompany is generally used.]

COM'PA-NY-ING, ppr.

Associating with; accompanying; attending.

COM'PA-RA-BLE, a. [L. comparabilis. See Compare.]

That may be compared; worthy of comparison; being of equal regard; that may be estimated as equal. There is no blessing of life comparable to the enjoyment of a discreet and virtuous friend. – Addison. The precious sons of Zion, comparable to fine gold. – Lam. iv.

COM'PA-RA-BLY, adv.

In a manner or degree worthy to be compared, or of equal regard. – Wotton.

COM'PA-RATES, n.

In logic, the two things compared to one another.

COM-PA-RA'TION, n.

Provision; a making provision.

COM-PAR'A-TIVE, a. [L. comparativus; It. comparativo; Fr. comparatif. See Compare.]

1. Estimated by comparison; not positive or absolute. The comparative weight of a body, is that which is estimated by comparing it with the weight of another body. A body may be called heavy, when compared with a feather, which would be called light, when compared with iron. So of comparative good or evil.
2. Having the power of comparing different things; as, a comparative faculty. Qu. – Glanville.
3. In grammar, expressing more or less. The comparative degree of an adjective expresses a greater or less degree of a quantity, or quality, than the positive; as, brighter, or more bright; smaller; finer; stronger; weaker. Comparative anatomy, that branch of anatomy which treats of the anatomy of other animals than man, with a view to compare their structure with that of human beings, and thus to illustrate the animal functions, and particularly with reference to a more perfect knowledge of the functions of several parts of the human body. Encyc.

COM-PAR'A-TIVE, n.

One who is equal or pretends to be an equal. [Not now used.] – Shak.

COM-PAR'A-TIVE-LY, adv.

In a state of comparison; by comparison; according to estimate made by comparison; not positively, absolutely or in itself. A thing is comparatively heavy, when it is compared with something less heavy. Paper is comparatively light or heavy; light, when compared with lead; and heavy, when compared with air. How few, comparatively, are the instances of a wise application of time and talents! – Anon.

COM-PARE', n.

1. The state of being compared; comparative estimate; comparison; possibility of entering into comparison, or being considered as equal. Their small gallies may not hold compare / With our tall ships. – Waller.
2. Simile; similitude; illustration by comparison. – Johnson. [This noun is in use, but can not be considered as elegant.]

COM-PARE', v.i.

1. To hold comparison; to be like or equal.
2. To vie. [Obs.] – Spenser.

COM-PARE', v.t. [L. comparo, to prepare, to provide or procure, to make equal, to compare; con and paro, to prepare; It. parare, to dress, trim, adorn; also, to parry; Sp. parar, to prepare, to halt, to stop, to prevent, to detain, to stake at cards; Port. parar, to stop or cease to go forward; to meet or confine upon; to touch or be bounded; to tend; to drive at some end; to aim at; to come to; to hinder; to parry, or ward off; to turn or change in inclination or morals; to lay or stake as a wager; Sp. parada, a halt, stop, pause; a fold for cattle; a relay of horses or mules; a dam or bank; a bet, stake or wager; a parade, or place of exercise for troops; Port. id.; Arm. para; W. parodi, to prepare. This seems to be theברא bara, of the Shemitic languages. The primary sense is, to throw, drive, or strike; hence, to drive or force off, to separate, to pare; hence, to trim, or dress, which may be from separating, as in the French parer des cuirs, to dress or curry leather; or from setting off, as we express the idea, that is, by enlargement, or display; or from setting in order, as we say, to fix. The sense of compare is allied to the Portuguese application of the word, to come to, to meet; and the L. par, equal, belongs to the same root, and seems to be included in comparo. One of the principal significations is, to stop; that is, to set; to fix. In fencing, it is to intercept by thrusting the weapon aside. In gaming, it is to lay or throw down. All the senses unite in that of extending, thrusting, or driving. W. par, that is contiguous, preparedness, a pair, a fellow, Eng. peer, L. par. The latter word seems to signify, extended, or reaching to, and to be closely allied to the Portuguese sense of contiguity.]

1. To set or bring things together in fact or in contemplation, and to examine the relations they bear to each other, with a view to ascertain their agreement or disagreement; as, to compare two pieces of cloth, two tables, or coins; to compare reasons and arguments; to compare pleasure with pain. In comparing movable things, it is customary to bring them together, for examination. In comparing things immovable or remote, and abstract ideas, we bring them together in the mind, as far as we are able, and consider them in connection. Comparison therefore is really collation, or it includes it.
2. To liken; to represent as similar, for the purpose of illustration. Solon compared the people to the sea, and orators and counselors to the winds; for that the sea would be calm and quiet, if the winds did not trouble it. – Bacon. In this sense compare is followed by to.
3. To examine the relations of things to each other, with a view to discover their relative proportions, quantities or qualities; as, to compare two kingdoms, or two mountains, with each other; to compare the number ten with fifteen; to compare ice with crystal; to compare a clown with a dancing master or a dandy. In this sense compare is followed by with.
4. In grammar, to form an adjective in the degrees of comparison; as, blackish, black, blacker, blackest.
5. To get; to procure; to obtain; as in Latin. [Obs.] – Spenser.

COM-PAR'ED, pp.

Set together and examined with respect to likeness or unlikeness, agreement or disagreement; likened; represented as similar.

COM-PAR'ER, n.

One who compares or makes a comparison.

COM-PAR'ING, n.

Act of comparing. – Barter.

COM-PAR'ING, ppr.

Examining the relations of things to each other; likening.

COM-PAR'I-SON, n. [It. comparazione; Sp. comparacion; Fr. comparaison; Port. comparaçam; L. comparatio. See Compare.]

1. The act of comparing; the act of considering the relation between persons or things, with a view to discover their agreement or resemblance, or their disagreement or difference. We learn to form a correct estimate of men and their actions by comparison. – Anon.
2. The state of being compared. If we rightly estimate what we call good and evil, we shall find it lies much in comparison. – Locke.
3. Comparative estimate; proportion. Who is left among you that saw this house in its first glory? And how do you see it now? Is it not in your eyes in comparison of it as nothing? Hag. ii.
4. In grammar, the formation of an adjective in its several degrees of signification; as, strong, stronger, strongest; greenish, green, greener, greenest; glorious, more glorious, most glorious. In English, there are strictly four degrees of comparison.
5. A simile; similitude, or illustration by similitude. Whereto shall we liken the kingdom of God? Or with what comparison shall we compare it? Mark iv.
6. In rhetoric, a figure by which two things are considered with regard to a third, which is common to them both; as, a hero is like a lion in courage. Here courage is common to hero and lion, and constitutes the point of resemblance. – Encyc. The distinction between similitude and comparison is, that the former has reference to the quality; the latter, to the quantity. Comparison is between more and less; similitude is between good and bad. Hannibal … hung like a tempest on the declivities of the Alps … is a likeness by similitude. The sublimity of the Scriptural prophets exceeds that of Homer, as much as thunder is louder than a whisper … is a likeness by comparison. – J.Q. Adams, Lect. ix. But comparison has reference to quality as well as quantity.

COM-PART', v.t. [Fr. compartir; compartire; Sp. compartir, con or com and partir; partio, to divide. See Part.]

To divide; to mark out a plan or design into its several parts, or subdivisions. Wotton.