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Webster 1913 Edition

Compile

Com-pile′

,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Compiled
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Compiling
.]
[F.
compiler
, fr.L.
compilare
to plunder, pillage;
com-
+
pilare
to plunder. See
Pill
,
Verb.
T.
,
Pillage
.]
1.
To put together; to construct; to build.
[Obs.]
Before that Merlin died, he did intend
A brazen wall in compass to
compile
.
Spenser.
2.
To contain or comprise.
[Obs.]
Which these six books
compile
.
Spenser.
3.
To put together in a new form out of materials already existing; esp., to put together or compose out of materials from other books or documents.
He [Goldsmith]
compiled
for the use of schools a History of Rome.
Macaulay.
4.
To write; to compose.
[Obs.]
Sir W. Temple.

Webster 1828 Edition

Compile

COMPILE

, v.t.
1.
To collect parts or passages of books or writings into a book or pamphlet; to select and put together parts of an author, or to collect parts of different authors; or to collect and arrange separate papers, laws, or customs, in a book, code or system.
2.
To write; to compose.
In poetry, thy compile the praises o virtuous men and actions.
3.
To contain; to comprise.
4.
To make up; to compose.
5.
To put together; to build.

Definition 2024

compile

compile

See also: compilé

English

Verb

compile ‎(third-person singular simple present compiles, present participle compiling, simple past and past participle compiled)

  1. (transitive) To put together; to assemble; to make by gathering things from various sources.
    Samuel Johnson compiled one of the most influential dictionaries of the English language.
  2. (obsolete) To construct, build.
    • 1590, Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene, III.3:
      Before that Merlin dyde, he did intend / A brasen wall in compas to compyle / About Cairmardin [...].
  3. (transitive, programming) To use a compiler to process source code and produce executable code.
    After I compile this program I'll run it and see if it works.
  4. (intransitive, programming) To be successfully processed by a compiler into executable code.
    There must be an error in my source code because it won't compile.
  5. (obsolete, transitive) To contain or comprise.
    • Spenser
      Which these six books compile.
  6. (obsolete) To write; to compose.
    (Can we find and add a quotation of Sir W. Temple to this entry?)

Derived terms

Translations

Noun

compile ‎(plural compiles)

  1. (programming) An act of compiling code.
    • 1985, Robert A Stern, An Introduction to Computers and Information Processing
      ...programming team managers assumed the "improved programs" produced through structured programming would not require as many compiles during development.
    • 2007, Scott Meyers, Mike Lee, MAC OS X Leopard: Beyond the Manual
      Any file with an error or warning on it will be added to this smart group until the next compile.

Anagrams

French

Verb

compile

  1. inflection of compiler:
    1. first-person and third-person singular present indicative
    2. first-person and third-person singular present subjunctive
    3. second-person singular imperative

Portuguese

Verb

compile

  1. first-person singular (eu) present subjunctive of compilar
  2. third-person singular (ele and ela, also used with você and others) present subjunctive of compilar
  3. third-person singular (você) affirmative imperative of compilar
  4. third-person singular (você) negative imperative of compilar

Spanish

Verb

compile

  1. Formal second-person singular (usted) imperative form of compilar.
  2. First-person singular (yo) present subjunctive form of compilar.
  3. Formal second-person singular (usted) present subjunctive form of compilar.
  4. Third-person singular (él, ella, also used with usted?) present subjunctive form of compilar.

Etymology

from Old French compiler (early 14c.), from Latin compilo ‎(“heap, plunder”)

Pronunciation

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