compass

I. transitive verb Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French cumpasser to measure, from Vulgar Latin *compassare to pace off, from Latin com- + passus pace Date: 14th century 1. to devise or contrive often with craft or skill ; plot <

persons…who have compassed my destruction — Charles Dickens

> 2. encompass 3. a. bring about, achieve b. to get into one's possession or power ; obtain 4. comprehend • compassable adjective II. noun Date: 14th century 1. a. boundary, circumference <

within the compass of the city walls

> b. a circumscribed space <

within the narrow compass of 21 pages — V. L. Parrington

> c. range, scope <

the compass of my voice

> 2. a curved or roundabout course <

a compass of seven days' journey — 2 Kings 3:9(Authorized Version)

> 3. a. a device for determining directions by means of a magnetic needle or group of needles turning freely on a pivot and pointing to the magnetic north b. any of various nonmagnetic devices that indicate direction c. an instrument for describing circles or transferring measurements that consists of two pointed branches joined at the top by a pivot — usually used in plural; called also pair of compasses 4. direction 6c <

his moral compass

> Synonyms: see range III. adjective Date: 1523 forming a curve ; curved <

a compass timber

>