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Webster 1913 Edition

Compound

‖

Com′pound

(kŏm′pound)
,
Noun.
[Malay
kompung
a village.]
In the East Indies, an inclosure containing a house, outbuildings, etc.

Com-pound′

(kŏm-pound′)
,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Compounded
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Compounding
.]
[OE.
componen
,
compounen
, L.
componere
,
compositum
;
com-
+
ponere
to put set. The
d
is excrescent. See
Position
, and cf.
Componé
.]
1.
To form or make by combining different elements, ingredients, or parts;
as, to
compound
a medicine
.
Incapacitating him from successfully
compounding
a tale of this sort.
Sir W. Scott.
2.
To put together, as elements, ingredients, or parts, in order to form a whole; to combine, mix, or unite.
We have the power of altering and
compounding
those images into all the varieties of picture.
Addison.
3.
To modify or change by combination with some other thing or part; to mingle with something else.
Only
compound
me with forgotten dust.
Shakespeare
4.
To compose; to constitute.
[Obs.]
His pomp and all what state
compounds
.
Shakespeare
5.
To settle amicably; to adjust by agreement; to compromise; to discharge from obligation upon terms different from those which were stipulated;
as, to
compound
a debt
.
I pray, my lords, let me
compound
this strife.
Shakespeare
To compound a felony
,
to accept of a consideration for forbearing to prosecute, such compounding being an indictable offense. See
Theftbote
.

Com-pound′

,
Verb.
I.
To effect a composition; to come to terms of agreement; to agree; to settle by a compromise; – usually followed by with before the person participating, and for before the thing compounded or the consideration.
Here’s a fellow will help you to-morrow; . . .
compound
with him by the year.
Shakespeare
They were at last glad to
compound
for his bare commitment to the Tower.
Clarendon.
Cornwall
compounded
to furnish ten oxen after Michaelmas for thirty pounds.
R. Carew.
Compound
for sins they are inclined to
By damning those they have no mind to.
Hudibras.

Com′pound

,
Adj.
[OE.
compouned
, p. p. of
compounen
. See
Compound
,
Verb.
T.
]
Composed of two or more elements, ingredients, parts; produced by the union of several ingredients, parts, or things; composite;
as, a
compound
word
.
Compound
substances are made up of two or more simple substances.
I. Watts.
Compound addition
,
subtraction
,
multiplication
,
division
(Arith.)
,
the addition, subtraction, etc., of compound numbers.
–
Compound crystal
(Crystallog.)
,
a twin crystal, or one seeming to be made up of two or more crystals combined according to regular laws of composition.
–
Compound engine
(Mech.)
,
a form of steam engine in which the steam that has been used in a high-pressure cylinder is made to do further service in a larger low-pressure cylinder, sometimes in several larger cylinders, successively.
–
Compound ether
.
(Chem.)
See under
Ether
.
–
Compound flower
(Bot.)
,
a flower head resembling a single flower, but really composed of several florets inclosed in a common calyxlike involucre, as the sunflower or dandelion.
–
Compound fraction
.
(Math.)
See
Fraction
.
–
Compound fracture
.
See
Fracture
.
–
Compound householder
,
a householder who compounds or arranges with his landlord that his rates shall be included in his rents.
[Eng.]
–
Compound interest
.
See
Interest
.
–
Compound larceny
.
(Law)
See
Larceny
.
–
Compound leaf
(Bot.)
,
a leaf having two or more separate blades or leaflets on a common leafstalk.
–
Compound microscope
.
See
Microscope
.
–
Compound motion
.
See
Motion
.
–
Compound number
(Math.)
,
one constructed according to a varying scale of denomination; as, 3 cwt., 1 qr., 5 lb.; – called also
denominate number
.
–
Compound pier
(Arch.)
,
a clustered column.
–
Compound quantity
(Alg.)
,
a quantity composed of two or more simple quantities or terms, connected by the sign + (plus) or - (minus). Thus,
a + b - c
, and
bb - b
, are compound quantities.
–
Compound radical
.
(Chem.)
See
Radical
.
–
Compound ratio
(Math.)
,
the product of two or more ratios; thus
ab:cd
is a ratio compounded of the simple ratios
a:c
and
b:d
.
–
Compound rest
(Mech.)
,
the tool carriage of an engine lathe.
–
Compound screw
(Mech.)
,
a screw having on the same axis two or more screws with different pitch (a differential screw), or running in different directions (a right and left screw).
–
Compound time
(Mus.)
,
that in which two or more simple measures are combined in one; as, 6-8 time is the joining of two measures of 3-8 time.
–
Compound word
,
a word composed of two or more words; specifically, two or more words joined together by a hyphen.

Com′pound

,
Noun.
1.
That which is compounded or formed by the union or mixture of elements ingredients, or parts; a combination of simples; a compound word; the result of composition.
Shak.
Rare
compound
of oddity, frolic, and fun.
Goldsmith.
When the word “bishopric” was first made, it was made as a
compound
.
Earle.
2.
(Chem.)
A union of two or more ingredients in definite proportions by weight, so combined as to form a distinct substance;
as, water is a
compound
of oxygen and hydrogen
.
☞ Every definite chemical compound always contains the same elements, united in the same proportions by weight, and with the same internal arrangement.
Binary compound
(Chem.)
.
See under
Binary
.
–
Carbon compounds
(Chem.)
.
See under
Carbon
.

Webster 1828 Edition

Compound

COMPOUND

, v.t.
1.
To mix or unite two or more ingredients in one mass or body; as, to compound drugs.
Whoever compoundeth any like it--shall be cut off from his people. Ex. 30.
2.
To unite or combine.
We have the power of altering and compounding images into all the varieties of picture.
3.
To compose; to constitute.
4.
In grammar, to unite two or more words; to form one word of two or more.
5.
To settle amicably; to adjust by agreement; as a difference or controversy.
6.
To pay by agreement; to discharge, as a debt, by paying a part, or giving an equivalent different from that stipulated or required; as, to compound debts.
But we now use, more generally, to compound with.
To compound felony, is for a person robbed to take the goods again, or other compensation, upon an agreement not to prosecute the thief or robber. This offense is, by the laws of England, punishable by fine and imprisonment.

Definition 2024

compound

compound

English

Pronunciation

  • (UK) IPA(key): /ˈkɒmpaʊnd/
  • (US) enPR: kŏm'pound, IPA(key): /ˈkɑmpaʊnd/

Noun

compound ‎(plural compounds)

  1. an enclosure within which workers, prisoners, or soldiers are confined
  2. a group of buildings situated close together, e.g. for a school or block of offices
Synonyms
Translations

Etymology 2

From Middle English compounen, from Middle French componre, compondre ‎(“to put together”), from Latin componere, from Latin com- ‎(“together”) + ponere ‎(“to put”).

Pronunciation

  • adj. and noun (UK) IPA(key): /ˈkɒmpaʊnd/
  • adj. and noun (US) enPR: kŏm'pound, IPA(key): /ˈkɑmpaʊnd/
  • verb (US, UK) enPR: kəmpound', IPA(key): /kəmˈpaʊnd/
  • Rhymes: -aʊnd

Adjective

compound ‎(not comparable)

  1. composed of elements; not simple
    a compound word
    • I. Watts
      Compound substances are made up of two or more simple substances.
  2. (music) An octave higher than originally (i.e. a compound major second is equivalent to a major ninth).
Synonyms
Antonyms
  • (composed of elements): simple
Derived terms
Translations

Noun

compound ‎(plural compounds)

  1. Anything made by combining several things.
  2. (chemistry, dated) A substance made from any combination elements.
  3. (chemistry) A substance formed by chemical union of two or more ingredients in definite proportions by weight.
  4. (linguistics) A lexeme that consists of more than one stem; compound word; for example laptop, formed from lap and top.
Synonyms
Hyponyms
Translations

Verb

compound ‎(third-person singular simple present compounds, present participle compounding, simple past and past participle compounded)

  1. (transitive) To form (a resulting mixture) by combining different elements, ingredients, or parts.
    to compound a medicine
    • Sir Walter Scott
      incapacitating him from successfully compounding a tale of this sort
  2. (transitive) To assemble (ingredients) into a whole; to combine, mix, or unite.
    • Addison
      We have the power of altering and compounding those images into all the varieties of picture.
  3. (transitive) To modify or change by combination with some other thing or part; to mingle with something else.
    • Shakespeare
      Only compound me with forgotten dust.
  4. (transitive, law) To settle by agreeing on less than the claim, or on different terms than those stipulated.
    to compound a debt
  5. (transitive) To settle amicably; to adjust by agreement; to compromise.
    • Shakespeare
      I pray, my lords, let me compound this strife.
  6. (intransitive) To come to terms of agreement; to agree; to settle by a compromise; usually followed by with before the person participating, and for before the thing compounded or the consideration.
    • Shakespeare
      Here's a fellow will help you to-morrow; […] compound with him by the year.
    • Clarendon
      They were at last glad to compound for his bare commitment to the Tower.
    • R. Carew
      Cornwall compounded to furnish ten oxen after Michaelmas for thirty pounds.
    • Hudibras
      Compound for sins they are inclined to / By damning those they have no mind to.
  7. (transitive, obsolete) To compose; to constitute.
    • Shakespeare
      his pomp and all what state compounds
  8. (transitive) To worsen a situation
    • New Family Structure Study
      This problem is compounded when these studies compare data from the small convenience samples of gay parenting with data on heterosexual parenting
Usage notes

The usage in sense 8 above is widespread but not wholly accepted. The original meaning of the word (see senses 4, 5 and 6 above) implies resolution of a problem, not worsening. It has been suggested (Fraser 1973) that the reverse usage arose by confusion with phrases such as compound interest.

Synonyms
Derived terms
Translations

References

  1. ↑ “compound” in Douglas Harper, Online Etymology Dictionary (2001).

Etymology

Possibly from Malay kampong, kampung ‎(“group of buildings, village”), via Dutch or Portuguese [1].

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