n.; pl. Bow-compasses 1. An arcograph. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A small pair of compasses, one leg of which carries a pencil, or a pen, for drawing circles. Its legs are often connected by a bow-shaped spring, instead of by a joint. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A pair of compasses, with a bow or arched plate riveted to one of the legs, and passing through the other. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. compas, fr. LL. compassus circle, prop., a stepping together; com- + passus pace, step. See Pace, Pass. ] 1. A passing round; circuit; circuitous course. [ 1913 Webster ]

They fetched a compass of seven day's journey. 2 Kings iii. 9. [ 1913 Webster ]

This day I breathed first; time is come round,
And where I did begin, there shall I end;
My life is run his compass. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. An inclosing limit; boundary; circumference; as, within the compass of an encircling wall. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. An inclosed space; an area; extent. [ 1913 Webster ]

Their wisdom . . . lies in a very narrow compass. Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Extent; reach; sweep; capacity; sphere; as, the compass of his eye; the compass of imagination. [ 1913 Webster ]

The compass of his argument. Wordsworth. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. Moderate bounds, limits of truth; moderation; due limits; -- used with within. [ 1913 Webster ]

In two hundred years before (I speak within compass), no such commission had been executed. Sir J. Davies. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. (Mus.) The range of notes, or tones, within the capacity of a voice or instrument. [ 1913 Webster ]

You would sound me from my lowest note to the top of my compass. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

7. An instrument for determining directions upon the earth's surface by means of a magnetized bar or needle turning freely upon a pivot and pointing in a northerly and southerly direction. [ 1913 Webster ]

He that first discovered the use of the compass did more for the supplying and increase of useful commodities than those who built workhouses. Locke. [ 1913 Webster ]

8. A pair of compasses. [ R. ] See Compasses.

To fix one foot of their compass wherever they please. Swift. [ 1913 Webster ]

9. A circle; a continent. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

The tryne compas [ the threefold world containing earth, sea, and heaven. Skeat. ] Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

Azimuth compass. See under Azimuth. --
Beam compass. See under Beam. --
Compass card, the circular card attached to the needles of a mariner's compass, on which are marked the thirty-two points or rhumbs. --
Compass dial, a small pocket compass fitted with a sundial to tell the hour of the day. --
Compass plane (Carp.), a plane, convex in the direction of its length on the under side, for smoothing the concave faces of curved woodwork. --
Compass plant,
Compass flower (Bot.), a plant of the American prairies (Silphium laciniatum), not unlike a small sunflower; rosinweed. Its lower and root leaves are vertical, and on the prairies are disposed to present their edges north and south. [ 1913 Webster ]

Its leaves are turned to the north as true as the magnet:
This is the compass flower. Longefellow.

--
Compass saw, a saw with a narrow blade, which will cut in a curve; -- called also fret saw and keyhole saw. --
Compass timber (Shipbuilding), curved or crooked timber. --
Compass window (Arch.), a circular bay window or oriel window. --
Mariner's compass, a kind of compass used in navigation. It has two or more magnetic needles permanently attached to a card, which moves freely upon a pivot, and is read with reference to a mark on the box representing the ship's head. The card is divided into thirty-two points, called also rhumbs, and the glass-covered box or bowl containing it is suspended in gimbals within the binnacle, in order to preserve its horizontal position. --
Surveyor's compass, an instrument used in surveying for measuring horizontal angles. See Circumferentor. --
Variation compass, a compass of delicate construction, used in observations on the variations of the needle. --
To fetch a compass, to make a circuit. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Compassed p. pr. & vb. n. Compassing. ] [ F. compasser, LL. compassare. ] 1. To go about or entirely round; to make the circuit of. [ 1913 Webster ]

Ye shall compass the city seven times. Josh. vi. 4. [ 1913 Webster ]

We the globe can compass soon. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To inclose on all sides; to surround; to encircle; to environ; to invest; to besiege; -- used with about, round, around, and round about. [ 1913 Webster ]

With terrors and with clamors compassed round. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

Now all the blessings
Of a glad father compass thee about. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round. Luke xix. 43. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To reach round; to circumvent; to get within one's power; to obtain; to accomplish. [ 1913 Webster ]

If I can check my erring love, I will:
If not, to compass her I'll use my skill. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

How can you hope to compass your designs? Denham. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. To curve; to bend into a circular form. [ Obs. except in carpentry and shipbuilding. ] Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. (Law) To purpose; to intend; to imagine; to plot. [ 1913 Webster ]

Compassing and imagining the death of the king are synonymous terms; compassing signifying the purpose or design of the mind or will, and not, as in common speech, the carrying such design to effect. Blackstone. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Capable of being compassed or accomplished. Burke. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Rounded; arched. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

She came . . . into the compassed window. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n., pl. An instrument for describing circles, measuring figures, etc., consisting of two, or (rarely) more, pointed branches, or legs, usually joined at the top by a rivet on which they move. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ The compasses for drawing circles have adjustable pen points, pencil points, etc.; those used for measuring without adjustable points are generally called dividers. See Dividers. [ 1913 Webster ]

Bow compasses. See Bow-compass. --
Caliber compasses,
Caliper compasses. See Calipers. --
Proportional,
Triangular, etc.,
compasses. See under Proportional, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. (Shipbuilding) Curved; bent; as, compassing timbers. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F., fr. L. compassio, fr. compati to have compassion; com- + pati to bear, suffer. See Patient. ] Literally, suffering with another; a sensation of sorrow excited by the distress or misfortunes of another; pity; commiseration. [ 1913 Webster ]

Womanly ingenuity set to work by womanly compassion. Macaulay.

Syn. -- Pity; sympathy; commiseration; fellow-feeling; mercy; condolence. See Pity. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To pity. [ Obs. ] Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Deserving compassion or pity; pitiable. [ R. ] Barrow. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. 1. Having a temper or disposition to pity; sympathetic; merciful. [ 1913 Webster ]

There never was any heart truly great and generous, that was not also tender and compassionate. South. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Complaining; inviting pity; pitiable. [ R. ] Shak.

Syn. -- Sympathizing; tender; merciful; pitiful. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Compassionated p. pr. & vb. n. Compassionating ] To have compassion for; to pity; to commiserate; to sympathize with. [ 1913 Webster ]

Compassionates my pains, and pities me. Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In a compassionate manner; mercifully. Clarendon. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The quality or state of being compassionate. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Having no compass. Knowles. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Encompassed p. pr. & vb. n. Encompassing. ] To circumscribe or go round so as to surround closely; to encircle; to inclose; to environ; as, a ring encompasses the finger; an army encompasses a city; a voyage encompassing the world. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

A question may be encompassed with difficulty. C. J. Smith. [ 1913 Webster ]

The love of all thy sons encompass thee. Tennyson.

Syn. -- To encircle; inclose; surround; include; environ; invest; hem in; shut up. [ 1913 Webster ]

adj. closely enveloping or surrounding on all sides.
Syn. -- ambient, enveloping, surrounding(prenominal). [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. The act of surrounding, or the state of being surrounded; circumvention. [ 1913 Webster ]

By this encompassment and drift of question. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. See Encompass. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Pref. in- not + compassion: cf. F. incompassion. ] Lack of compassion or pity. [ Obs. ] Bp. Sanderson. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Not compassionate; void of pity or of tenderness; remorseless. -- In`com*pas"sion*ate*ly, adv. -- In`com*pas"sion*ate*ness, n. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. An device using a magnet (such as a magnetic needle) to indicate the direction of magnetic north. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

v. t. To exceed the compass or limits of. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

The mariner's compass. See under Compass. [ 1913 Webster ]

See abolishable.
See absolvable.
See absurd.
See abundant.
See accordant.
See adoptable.
See adventurous.
See affable.
See affectionate.
See afraid.
See alliable.
See allowable.
See alterable.
See ambiguous.
See ambitious.
See amendable.
See -American.
See amusive.
See angular.
See anxious.
See apocryphal.
See apostolic.
See apparent.
See appeasable.
See applausive.
See appreciable.
See apprehensible.
See apprehensive.
See approachable.
See artificial.
See artistic.
See assailable.
See attainable.
See attentive.
See authentic.
See available.
See bailable.
See bearable.
See beautiful.
See beliefful.
See believable.
See beneficial.
See benevolent.
See blamable.
See blemishable.
See blissful.
See boastful.
See bold.
See bookish.
See bounteous.
See bribable.
See brotherly.
See burdensome.
See businesslike.
See busy.
See candid.
See canonical.
See captious.
See careful.
See celestial.
See ceremonious.
See challengeable.
See changeable.
See chary.
See chastisable.
See cheerful.
See cheery.
See childish.
See chivalrous.
See choleric.
See christianlike.
See circumspect.
See civic.
See classible.
See classic.
See classical.
See cleanly.
See clear.
See clerical.
See clerklike.
See close.
See cloudy.
See clubbable.
See coagulable.
See cogitable.
See collectible.
See comic.
See commendable.
See commercial.
See communicable.
See communicative.
See compact.
See companionable.
See compassionate.
See compellable.
See competitive.
See complaisant.
See compliant. See complimentary.
See concealable.
See concurrent.
See conditionate.
See confinable.
See confutable.
See congealable.
See congenial.
See conjugal.
See conjunctive.
See conquerable.
See consecrate.
See containable.
See contaminate.
See contradictable.
See contrite.
See convenable.
See conventional.
See conversable.
See conversant.
See convertible.
See coquettish.
See cordial.
See corpulent.
See correspondent.
See corruptible.
See corruptive.
See costly.
See counselable.
See countable.
See counterfeit.
See courteous.
See courtierlike.
See courtly.
See crafty.
See creatable.
See critical.
See crystalline.
See cultivable.
See curious.
See customary.
See dangerous.
See daughterly.
See dead.
See deceivable.
See decidable.
See decipherable.
See declinable.
See decomposable.
See definable.
See delectable.
See deliberate.
See delightful.
See deliverable.
See democratic.
See demonstrable.
See demonstrative.
See deniable.
See derogatory.
See descendible.
See describable.
See desirable.
See desirous.
See despondent.
See devout.
See diaphanous.
See diligent.
See diminishable.
See discernible.
See disciplinable.
See discordant.
See discoverable.
See dissolvable.
See distinguishable.
See dividable.
See divine.
See domestic.
See doubtful.
[ 1913 Webster ]