Word Meanings - COMPASS - Book Publishers vocabulary database

The range of notes, or tones, within the capacity of a voice or instument. You would sound me from my lowest note to the top of my compass. Shak. 7. An instrument for determining directions upon the carth's surface by means of a magnetized bar or

Additional info about word: COMPASS

The range of notes, or tones, within the capacity of a voice or instument. You would sound me from my lowest note to the top of my compass. Shak. 7. An instrument for determining directions upon the carth's surface by means of a magnetized bar or needle turning freely upon a pivot and pinting in a northerly and southerly direction. He that firat discovered the use of the compass did more for the supplying and increase of useful commodities than those who built workhouses. Locke. 8. A pair of compasses. To fix one foot of their compass wherever they please. Swift. 9. A circle; a continent. Azimuth compass. See under Azimuth. -- Beam compass. See under Beam. -- Compass card, the eircular 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 , 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 , a plant of the American prairies , 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. 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 , curved or crooked timber. -- Compass window , a circular bay window or oriel window. 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. (more info) 1. A passing round; circuit; circuitous course. They fetched a compass of seven day's journey. 2 Kings iii. 9. 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. 2. An inclosing limit; boundary; circumference; as, within the compass of an encircling wall. 3. An inclosed space; an area; extent. Their wisdom . . . lies in a very narrow compass. Addison. 4. Extent; reach; sweep; capacity; sphere; as, the compass of his eye; the compass of imagination. The compass of his argument. Wodsworth. 5. Moderate bounds, limits of truth; moderation; due limits; -- used with within. In two hundred years before , no such commission had been executed. Sir J. Davies.

Possible synonyms: (Same meaning words of COMPASS)

• Attain
• Reach
• extend
• master
• arrive at
• compass
• earn
• win
• achieve
• accomplish
• get
• obtain
• acquire
• gain
• secure
• grasp
• Effectuate
• Produce
• ensure
• stabilitate
• complete
• establish
• Encircle
• Surround
• environ
• inti
• hem
• circumscribe
• embrace
• gird
• engird
• hem in
• beset
• encompass
• Room
• Space
• ground
• extent
• locality
• opportunity
• capability
• margin
• capacity
• admission
• Volume
• Size
• body
• bulk
• dimensions
• book
• work
• tome
• magnitude
• quantity

Possible antonyms: (opposite words of COMPASS)

• Expand
• disband
• unfold
• amplify
• display
• dismiss
• liberate
• discard
• fail
• bungle
• botch
• misconceive
• mismanage
• misconstrue
• Loosen
• betray
• surrender
• expose
• imperil
• endanger
• open
• free

Related words: (words related to COMPASS)

• DISMISSIVE
  Giving dismission.
• COMPASSIONATELY
  In a compassionate manner; mercifully. Clarendon.
• MARGINALIA
  Marginal notes.
• GROUNDWORK
  That which forms the foundation or support of anything; the basis; the essential or fundamental part; first principle. Dryden.
• VOLUMENOMETRY
  The method or process of measuring volumes by means of the volumenometer.
• VOLUMENOMETER
  An instrument for measuring the volume of a body, especially a solid, by means of the difference in tension caused by its presence and absence in a confined portion of air.
• GROUNDEN
  p. p. of Grind. Chaucer.
• ATTAIN
  atteindre, fr. L. attingere; ad + tangere to touch, reach. See 1. To achieve or accomplish, that is, to reach by efforts; to gain; to compass; as, to attain rest. Is he wise who hopes to attain the end without the means Abp. Tillotson. 3. To get
• DISMISSAL
  Dismission; discharge. Officeholders were commanded faithfully to enforce it, upon pain of immediate dismissal. Motley.
• MISMANAGER
  One who manages ill.
• EXPOSER
  One who exposes or discloses.
• ENSURER
  See INSURER
• MASTERSHIP
  1. The state or office of a master. 2. Mastery; dominion; superior skill; superiority. Where noble youths for mastership should strive. Driden. 3. Chief work; masterpiece. Dryden. 4. An ironical title of respect. How now, seignior Launce ! what
• MARGINALLY
  In the margin of a book.
• ACCOMPLISHED
  1. Completed; effected; established; as, an accomplished fact. 2. Complete in acquirements as the result usually of training; -- commonly in a good sense; as, an accomplished scholar, an accomplished villain. They . . . show themselves accomplished
• BOTCH
  1. A swelling on the skin; a large ulcerous affection; a boil; an eruptive disease. Botches and blains must all his flesh emboss. Milton. 2. A patch put on, or a part of a garment patched or mended in a clumsy manner. 3. Work done in a bungling
• MASTEROUS
  Masterly. Milton.
• MARGINAL
  1. Of or pertaining to a margin. 2. Written or printed in the margin; as, a marginal note or gloss.
• UNFOLDER
  One who, or that which, unfolds.
• PRODUCEMENT
  Production.
• OUTPREACH
  To surpass in preaching. And for a villain's quick conversion A pillory can outpreach a parson. Trumbull.
• CREMASTERIC
  Of or pertaining to the cremaster; as, the cremasteric artery.
• MISGROUND
  To found erroneously. "Misgrounded conceit." Bp. Hall.
• BAGGAGE MASTER
  One who has charge of the baggage at a railway station or upon a line of public travel.
• UNDERGROUND INSURANCE
  Wildcat insurance.
• FOREREACH
  To advance or gain upon; -- said of a vessel that gains upon another when sailing closehauled.
• PLAYGROUND
  A piece of ground used for recreation; as, the playground of a school.
• TOASTMASTER
  A person who presides at a public dinner or banquet, and announces the toasts.