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Entry 10 senses · 5 variants Webster, 1913

Compound

/(kŏm"pound)/ · Com·pound · IPA /ˈkɑmˈpaʊnd/
01 n. In the East Indies, an inclosure containing a house, outbuildings, etc.
  1. 1.
    In the East Indies, an inclosure containing a house, outbuildings, etc.
02 v. t. To form or make by combining different elements, ingredients, or parts; as, to compound a medicine.
imp. & p. p. Compounded; p. pr. & vb. n. Compounding
  1. 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. 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. 3.
    To modify or change by combination with some other thing or part; to mingle with something else.
    “Only compound me with forgotten dust.” — Shak.
  4. 4.
    To compose; to constitute.[Obs.]
    “His pomp and all what state compounds.” — Shak.
  5. 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.” — Shak.
Phrases & compounds
To compound a felony — to accept of a consideration for forbearing to prosecute, such compounding being an indictable offense. See Theftbote.
03 v. 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 …
  1. 1.
    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.” — Shak.
    “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.
04 a. Composed of two or more elements, ingredients, parts; produced by the union of several ingredients, parts, or things; composite; as, a comp…
  1. 1.
    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.
Phrases & compounds
Compound addition, subtraction, multiplication, division — the addition, subtraction, etc., of compound numbers.
Compound crystal — a twin crystal, or one seeming to be made up of two or more crystals combined according to regular laws of composition.
Compound engine — 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 — See under Ether.
Compound flower — 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 — 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.
Compound interest — See Interest.
Compound larceny — See Larceny.
Compound leaf — a leaf having two or more separate blades or leaflets on a common leafstalk.
Compound microscope — See Microscope.
Compound motion — See Motion.
Compound number — one constructed according to a varying scale of denomination; as, 3 cwt., 1 qr., 5 lb.; -- called also denominate number.
Compound pier — a clustered column.
Compound quantity — 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 — See Radical.
Compound ratio — 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 — the tool carriage of an engine lathe.
Compound screw — 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 — 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.
05 n. That which is compounded or formed by the union or mixture of elements ingredients, or parts; a combination of simples; a compound word; th…
  1. 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.
    “Rare compound of oddity, frolic, and fun.” — Goldsmith.
    “When the word “bishopric” was first made, it was made as a compound.” — Earle.
  2. 2.
    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.(Chem.)
Phrases & compounds
Binary compound — See under Binary.
Carbon compounds — See under Carbon.