compound
Anything made by combining several things.
Adjective
- Composed of elements; not simple.
- a compound word
- Compound substances are made up of two or more simple substances. - 1725, Isaac Watts, Logick: Or, The Right Use of Reason in the Enquiry after Truth, […], 2nd edition, London: […] John Clark and Richard Hett, […],...
Synonyms: composite
Antonyms: simple
- Dealing with numbers of various denominations of quantity, or with processes more complex than the simple process.
- compound addition
- compound proportion
- An octave higher than originally (i.e. a compound major second is equivalent to a major ninth).
Origin
From Middle English compounen, from Middle French componre, compondre (“to put together”), from Latin componō, from Latin com- (“together”) + ponō (“to put”).
Derived
compound animal compound attack compound balloon compound bow compound butter compound chocolate compound common time compound control compound crystal compound curve compound duple compound engine compound eye compound fracture compound fruit compound householder compound hyperopia compound imperative compound interest compound interval compound key compound labour compound larceny compound leaf
Noun Entry 2
- Anything made by combining several things.
- A substance formed by chemical bonding of two or more elements in definite proportions by weight.
- A substance made from any combination of ingredients.
- A compound of spurge, cardamom, cinnamon of Mecca, pellitory, ginger, nettle seed is an Arab specific for sexual weakness. - 1961, Harry E. Wedeck, Dictionary of Aphrodisiacs, New York: The Citadel Press, page 228:
- A legal procedure whereby a criminal or delinquent avoids prosecution in a court in exchange for his payment to the authorities of a financial penalty or fine.
- A lexeme that consists of more than one stem.
- Compositionally there is no great distinction between cell wall and cell surface, both are relatively transparent compounds, but both parts of the cell are of high significance in Biology due to their central role in...
Synonyms: compound word
- A lexeme that consists of more than one stem or affix, e.g. "bookshop", "high school" or "non-standard".
- In the majority of the compounds of non- the hyphen is usually retained; but it is commonly omitted in the case of a few, such as nonconformist, nonentity, nonsense, in which the etymology has been to some extent lost...
- A compound locomotive, a steam locomotive with both high-pressure and low-pressure cylinders.
- From a dead stand, with regulator full open and the lever at about 50 per cent we got up to about 60 m.p.h. by the top of the bank. The big compound was making plenty of noise - but what musical and wonderful noise! -...
- Ellipsis of compound exercise.
Forms
Derived
Amadori compound ansa compound aromatic compound arsonium compound azo compound binary compound biocompound cage compound catena compound chelate compound chemical compound clathrate compound cluster compound cocompound cocompounding complex compound compoundhood coordination compound covalent compound cryocompound cutthroat compound decompound diazoamino compound diazo compound
Noun Entry 3
- An enclosure within which workers, prisoners, or soldiers are confined.
- An enclosure for secure storage.
- A separate building on the west side will house a standby powerhouse and a workshop, and there will be an unroofed compound for compressed air cylinders and water tanks. - 1960 May 5, “New Signalbox at Manchester...
- A total of 75 cycle spaces are being installed at three Greater Anglia stations - [...]. And a secure compound for bicycles is being built at Cambridge North. - 2020 December 2, “Network News: News in brief: More cycle...
- A group of buildings situated close together, e.g. for a school or block of offices.
- Shepard: What kind of proof do you have that the major is dangerous? Transmission: Three days ago, we sent two Alliance representatives to meet with him at his compound. They have disappeared. We believe Kyle and his...
- Some 20 supporters managed to get inside the court compounds. About half an hour after the verdict was delivered, they gathered near the Constitutional Court entrance and shouted: "On March 24, use your pen to oust the...
- A group of buildings where members of the same extended family live together.
Origin
Etymology tree Malay kampungder.? English compound Possibly from Malay kampong, kampung (“group of buildings, village”), via Dutch or Portuguese, altered under the influence of Etymology 2. Doublet of kampung.
Forms
Verb
- To form (a resulting mixture) by combining different elements, ingredients, or parts; to mingle with something else.
- to compound a medicine
- Only compound me with forgotten dust. - c. 1596–1599 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Second Part of Henry the Fourth, […]. Epilogue.”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First...
- We have the power of altering[…] and compounding those images[…] into all the varieties of picture. - 1712 July 1 (Gregorian calendar), [Joseph Addison; Richard Steele et al.], “FRIDAY, June 21, 1712”, in The Spectator,...
Synonyms: admix amalgamate bemingle blend combine commingle intermingle intermix involve mang meddle ming mingle mix mix up
- To settle by agreeing on less than the claim, or on different terms than those stipulated.
- to compound a debt
Synonyms: settle
- To settle amicably; to adjust by agreement.
- I pray, my lords, let me compound this strife. - 1591 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Second Part of Henry the Sixt, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies. […] (First Folio),...
- No! no—if Charles has done nothing false or mean, I shall compound for his extravagance - 1777, Richard Brinsley Sheridan, The School for Scandal, II.iii:
Synonyms: compromise
- To come to terms of agreement; to settle by a compromise.
- to compound with someone / for something
- Here's a fellow will help you to-morrow; […] compound with him by the year. - c. 1603–1604 (date written), William Shakespeare, “Measure for Measure”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […]...
- They were at last glad to compound for his bare commitment to the Tower. - 1702–1704, Edward [Hyde, 1st] Earl of Clarendon, (please specify |book=I to XVI), in The History of the Rebellion and Civil Wars in England,...
Synonyms: agree accord meet coexist cohere coincide comport comprobate concur consent correspond harmonize tally
- To compose; to constitute.
- his pomp and all what state compounds - c. 1605–1608 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Life of Tymon of Athens”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac...
Synonyms: compose compound comprise constitute form indite make up represent upmake
- To increase in value with interest, where the interest is earned on both the principal sum and prior earned interest.
- To worsen a situation.
- […] This latest example of nationalistic self-interest compounded anger across the EU over Trump’s travel ban, imposed last month without consultation or scientific justification. - 2020 April 12, Simon Tisdall, “US's...
Synonyms: add fuel to the fire add insult to injury cap it all off fan the flames make matters worse throw gasoline on the fire With malice hit someone when they are down kick a dog when it's down kick someone when they are down punch down put the boot in rub it in rub salt in the wound strike someone when they are down twist the knife
- Of a horse: to fail to maintain speed.
- At the hill, the Warrior must have been at least ten lengths in front of Wild Dayrell; but he compounded about 200 yards on the T. Y. C. side of the Red House. - 1855, The Sporting Review, volume 34, page 240: