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Webster 1913 Edition


Compost

Com′post

(?; 277)
,
Noun.
[OF.
compost
, fr. L.
compositus
, p. p. See
Composite
.]
1.
A mixture; a compound.
[R.]
A sad
compost
of more bitter than sweet.
Hammond.
2.
(Agric.)
A mixture for fertilizing land; esp., a composition of various substances (as muck, mold, lime, and stable manure) thoroughly mingled and decomposed, as in a compost heap.
And do not spread the
compost
on the weeds
To make them ranker.
Shakespeare

Com′post

,
Verb.
T.
1.
To manure with compost.
2.
To mingle, as different fertilizing substances, in a mass where they will decompose and form into a compost.

Webster 1828 Edition


Compost

COMPOST

,
Noun.
In agriculture, a mixture or composition of various manuring substances for fertilizing land. Compost may be made by almost every animal and vegetable substance in nature, with lime or other earthy matter.

COMPOST

,
Verb.
T.
To manure with compost.

Definition 2024


compost

compost

English

Noun

compost (countable and uncountable, plural composts)

  1. The decayed remains of organic matter that has rotted into a natural fertilizer
    Dig plenty of compost into clay or sandy soil to improve its structure.
    • Shakespeare
      And do not spread the compost on the weeds / To make them ranker.
    • 2014 April 21, Mary Keen, “You can still teach an old gardener new tricks: Even the hardiest of us gardeners occasionally learn useful new techniques [print version: Gardening is always ready to teach even the hardiest of us a few new tricks, 19 April 2014]”, in The Daily Telegraph (Gardening), page G7:
      [T]he very wet winter will have washed much of the goodness out of the soil. Homemade compost and the load of manure we get from a friendly farmer may not be enough to compensate for what has leached from the ground.
  2. (obsolete) A mixture; a compound.
    • Hammond
      A sad compost of more bitter than sweet.

Derived terms

Translations

Verb

compost (third-person singular simple present composts, present participle composting, simple past and past participle composted)

  1. To produce compost, let organic matter decay into fertilizer
    If you compost your grass clippings, you can improve your soil.

Translations

See also

  • mulch (sometimes used interchangeably with compost)
  • humus

Catalan

Adjective

compost m (feminine composta, masculine plural composts or compostos, feminine plural compostes)

  1. compound
    ull compost
    compound eye

Noun

compost m (plural composts or compostos)

  1. compost

Verb

compost

  1. past participle of compondre

Dutch

Pronunciation

  • Rhymes: -ɔst

Etymology

From English compost.

Noun

compost m, n (uncountable)

  1. compost, natural fertilizer produced by decaying organic matter

Derived terms

  • composteren
  • compostering

French

Etymology

From Old French composte (mixture of leaves, manure, etc., for fertilizing land; condiment), from Latin compositus (composed, compound), from componere. Modern French spelling influenced by English. Cognate with compote.

Noun

compost m (plural composts)

  1. compost, natural fertilizer produced by decaying organic matter

Derived terms


Italian

Etymology

From English

Noun

compost m (invariable)

  1. compost

Spanish

Noun

compost m (plural composts)

  1. compost