Emily Dickinson Lexicon

COM'POUND, a.

1. Composed of two or more ingredients. Compound substances are made up of two or more simple substances. – Watts.
2. In grammar, composed of two or more words. Ink-stand, writing-desk, carelessness, are compound words.
3. In botany, a compound flower is a species of aggregate flower, containing several florets, inclosed in a common perianth, on a common receptacle, with the anthers connected in a cylinder, as in the sunflower and dandelion. – Martyn. Harris. A compound stem is one that divides into branches. A compound leaf connects several leaflets in one petiole, called a common petiole. A compound raceme is composed of several racemules or small racemes. A compound spike is composed of several spicules or spikelets. A compound corymb is formed of several small corymbs. A compound umbel is one which has all its rays or peduncles bearing umbellules or small umbels at the top. A compound fructification consists of several confluent florets: opposed to simple.
4. Compound interest, is interest upon interest; when the interest of a sum is added to the principal, and then bears interest; or when the interest of a sum is put upon interest.
5. Compound motion, is that which is effected by two or more conspiring powers, acting in different but not in opposite directions.
6. Compound number, is that which may be divided by some other number besides unity, without a remainder; as 18, which may be divided by 2, 6 and 9.
7. Compound ratio, is that which the product of the antecedents of two or more ratios has to the product of their consequents. Thus 6 to 72 is in a ratio compounded of 2 to 6, and of 3 to 12.
8. Compound quantities, in algebra, are such as are joined by the signs + and -, plus and minus, and expressed by more letters than one, or by the same letters unequally repeated. Thus a+b-c, and bb-b, are compound quantities. – Bailey.
9. Compound larceny, is that which is accompanied with the aggravation of taking goods from one's house or person. – Blackstone.
10. Compound time, in music, is when two or more measures are joined in one, as 3/8 and 6/8.