Emily Dickinson Lexicon

COM'PASS, v.t. [Literally, to measure with a compass. Hence,]

1. To stretch round; to extend so as to embrace the whole: hence, to inclose, encircle, grasp or seize; as, to compass with the arms.
2. To surround; to environ; to inclose on all sides; sometimes followed by around, round or about. Now all the blessings / Of a glad father compass thee about. – Shak. With favor wilt thou compass him as with a shield. – Ps. v. The willows of the brook compass him about. – Job xi.
3. To go or walk round. Ye shall compass the city … and the seventh day ye shall compass the city seven times. – Josh. vi. For ye compass sea and land. – Matth. xxiii.
4. To besiege; to beleaguer; to block up. This is not a different sense, but a particular application. Thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side. – Luke xix.
5. To obtain; to attain to; to procure; to bring within one's power; to accomplish. If I can check my erring love, I will; / If not, to compass her I'll use my skill. – Shak. How can you hope to compass your designs? – Denham.
6. To purpose; to intend; to imagine; to plot; to contrive; as, we say, to go about to perform, but in mind only; as, to compass the death of the king. Compassing and imagining the death of the king are synonymous terms; compass signifying the purpose or design of the mind or will, and not, as in common speech, the carrying such design to effect. – Blackstone.