Meaning of "compass" in the English dictionary

ETYMOLOGY OF THE WORD COMPASS

From Old French compas, from compasser to measure, from Vulgar Latin compassāre (unattested) to pace out, ultimately from Latin passus step.

Etymology is the study of the origin of words and their changes in structure and significance.

PRONUNCIATION OF COMPASS

compass  [ˈkʌmpəs]

GRAMMATICAL CATEGORY OF COMPASS

Compass is a verb and can also act as a noun.

A noun is a type of word the meaning of which determines reality. Nouns provide the names for all things: people, objects, sensations, feelings, etc.

The verb is the part of the sentence that is conjugated and expresses action and state of being.

See the conjugation of the verb compass in English.

WHAT DOES COMPASS MEAN IN ENGLISH?

Compass

A compass is a navigational instrument that shows directions in a frame of reference that is stationary relative to the surface of the Earth. The frame of reference defines the four cardinal directions – north, south, east, and west. Intermediate directions are also defined. Usually, a diagram called a compass rose, which shows the directions, is marked on the compass. When the compass is in use, the rose is aligned with the real directions in the frame of reference, so, for example, the "N" mark on the rose really points to the north. Frequently, in addition to the rose or sometimes instead of it, angle markings in degrees are shown on the compass. North corresponds to zero degrees, and the angles increase clockwise, so east is 90 degrees, south is 180, and west is 270. These numbers allow the compass to show azimuths or bearings, which are commonly stated in this notation. The magnetic compass was first invented as a device for divination as early as the Chinese Han Dynasty. The compass was used in Song Dynasty China by the military for navigational orienteering by 1040-1044, and was used for maritime navigation by 1111 to 1117.

Definition of compass in the English dictionary

The first definition of compass in the dictionary is an instrument for finding direction, usually having a magnetized needle which points to magnetic north swinging freely on a pivot. Other definition of compass is Also called: pair of compasses an instrument used for drawing circles, measuring distances, etc, that consists of two arms, joined at one end, one arm of which serves as a pivot or stationary reference point, while the other is extended or describes a circle. Compass is also limits or range.

CONJUGATION OF THE VERB TO COMPASS

PRESENT

Present

I compass

you compass

he/she/it compasses

we compass

you compass

they compass

Present continuous

I am compassing

you are compassing

he/she/it is compassing

we are compassing

you are compassing

they are compassing

Present perfect

I have compassed

you have compassed

he/she/it has compassed

we have compassed

you have compassed

they have compassed

Present perfect continuous

I have been compassing

you have been compassing

he/she/it has been compassing

we have been compassing

you have been compassing

they have been compassing

Present tense is used to refer to circumstances that exist at the present time or over a period that includes the present time. The present perfect refers to past events, although it can be considered to denote primarily the resulting present situation rather than the events themselves.

PAST

Past

I compassed

you compassed

he/she/it compassed

we compassed

you compassed

they compassed

Past continuous

I was compassing

you were compassing

he/she/it was compassing

we were compassing

you were compassing

they were compassing

Past perfect

I had compassed

you had compassed

he/she/it had compassed

we had compassed

you had compassed

they had compassed

Past perfect continuous

I had been compassing

you had been compassing

he/she/it had been compassing

we had been compassing

you had been compassing

they had been compassing

Past tense forms express circumstances existing at some time in the past,

FUTURE

Future

I will compass

you will compass

he/she/it will compass

we will compass

you will compass

they will compass

Future continuous

I will be compassing

you will be compassing

he/she/it will be compassing

we will be compassing

you will be compassing

they will be compassing

Future perfect

I will have compassed

you will have compassed

he/she/it will have compassed

we will have compassed

you will have compassed

they will have compassed

Future perfect continuous

I will have been compassing

you will have been compassing

he/she/it will have been compassing

we will have been compassing

you will have been compassing

they will have been compassing

The future is used to express circumstances that will occur at a later time.

CONDITIONAL

Conditional

I would compass

you would compass

he/she/it would compass

we would compass

you would compass

they would compass

Conditional continuous

I would be compassing

you would be compassing

he/she/it would be compassing

we would be compassing

you would be compassing

they would be compassing

Conditional perfect

I would have compass

you would have compass

he/she/it would have compass

we would have compass

you would have compass

they would have compass

Conditional perfect continuous

I would have been compassing

you would have been compassing

he/she/it would have been compassing

we would have been compassing

you would have been compassing

they would have been compassing

Conditional or "future-in-the-past" tense refers to hypothetical or possible actions.

IMPERATIVE

Imperative

you compass
we let´s compass
you compass

The imperative is used to form commands or requests.

NONFINITE VERB FORMS

Infinitive

to compass

Past participle

compassed

Present Participle

compassing

Infinitive shows the action beyond temporal perspective. The present participle or gerund shows the action during the session. The past participle shows the action after completion.

SYNONYMS OF «COMPASS»

The following words have a similar or identical meaning as «compass» and belong to the same grammatical category.

synonyms of compass

area · beset · besiege · blockade · bound · boundary · circle · circuit · circumference · circumscribe · encircle · enclose · enclosure · encompass · environ · extent · field · invest · limit · range · reach · realm · round · scope · sphere · stretch · surround · zone

TRANSLATION OF COMPASS

Find out the translation of compass to 25 languages with our English multilingual translator.

The translations of compass from English to other languages presented in this section have been obtained through automatic statistical translation; where the essential translation unit is the word «compass» in English.

• Translator English - Chinese: 罗盘
• Translator English - Spanish: brújula
• English: compass
• Translator English - Hindi: कम्पास
• Translator English - Arabic: بُوصُلَة
• Translator English - Russian: компас
• Translator English - Portuguese: bússola
• Translator English - Bengali: কম্পাস
• Translator English - French: boussole
• Translator English - Malay: Kompas
• Translator English - German: Kompass
• Translator English - Japanese: コンパス
• Translator English - Korean: 나침반
• Translator English - Javanese: Kompas
• Translator English - Vietnamese: la bàn
• Translator English - Tamil: திசைகாட்டி
• Translator English - Marathi: होकायंत्र
• Translator English - Turkish: pusula
• Translator English - Italian: bussola
• Translator English - Polish: kompas
• Translator English - Ukrainian: компас
• Translator English - Romanian: busolă
• Translator English - Greek: πυξίδα
• Translator English - Afrikaans: kompas
• Translator English - Swedish: kompass
• Translator English - Norwegian: kompass

10 QUOTES WITH «COMPASS»

Famous quotes and sentences with the word compass.

1

Rudolf Arnheim

The line that describes the beautiful is elliptical. It has simplicity and constant change. It cannot be described by a compass, and it changes direction at every one of its points.

2

Saint Augustine

Men go abroad to wonder at the heights of mountains, at the huge waves of the sea, at the long courses of the rivers, at the vast compass of the ocean, at the circular motions of the stars, and they pass by themselves without wondering.

3

Marcus Aurelius

Because your own strength is unequal to the task, do not assume that it is beyond the powers of man; but if anything is within the powers and province of man, believe that it is within your own compass also.

4

Harvey Ball

There are two ways to go about it. You can take a compass and draw a perfect circle and make two perfect eyes as neat as can be. Or you can do it freehand and have some fun with it. Like I did. Give it character.

5

John Perry Barlow

So I'm just waiting until one party or the other actually gets a moral compass and a backbone.

6

Michael Biehn

My moral compass swings far to the left, but when it comes to gratuitous violence, I have trouble.

7

Michael Bloomberg

I think if you look at people, whether in business or government, who haven't had any moral compass, who've just changed to say whatever they thought the popular thing was, in the end they're losers.

8

Hugh Bonneville

I have an excellent internal compass.

9

Sam Brownback

As we consider the fast pace of scientific and technological progress in our modern world, we must not lose our moral compass and give way to 'free market eugenics'.

10

Ada Cambridge

Alone! Alone! No beacon, far or near! No chart, no compass, and no anchor stay!

10 ENGLISH BOOKS RELATING TO «COMPASS»

Discover the use of compass in the following bibliographical selection. Books relating to compass and brief extracts from same to provide context of its use in English literature.

The Golden Compass

Accompanied by her daemon, Lyra Belacqua sets out to prevent her best friend and other kidnapped children from becoming the subject of gruesome experiments in the Far North.

Philip Pullman, 2006

Compass: A Story of Exploration and Innovation

A history of the compass describes its pivotal role in early shipping, relating how its development over the course of hundreds of years was marked by thousands of shipwrecks and the disastrous fates of sailors who misused it. 30,000 first ...

Alan Gurney, 2004

Finding Your Way Without Map Or Compass

Shows how to determine locations in the wilderness, in a desert, in snow-covered areas, and on the ocean, applying methods used by aboriginal peoples and early explorers

Harold Gatty, 1998

Be Expert with Map and Compass

It features: Clear, concise instructions for using a map and compass effectively Exercises to help you learn and practice your orienteering skills An introduction to the basics of competitive orienteering Useful references for further ...

Bjorn Kjellstrom, Carina Kjellstrom Elgin, 2009

COMPASS Exam - Bob Miller's Math Prep

Drills and examples build skills and explain key concepts. The book includes two practice tests based on actual COMPASS test questions.

Bob Miller, 2013

Compass

The Compass is a four-week series of uniquely simple, personal, and practical daily devotions that provide a framework to help you seek, find, and follow God's direction in any situation.

Gary Usery, 2006

Compass

Each book in this series explains the uses for a simple tool found in the elementary classroom. With simple sentences and colorful photographs, this series corresponds directly to science standards.

Sheila Rivera, 2007

The Compass of Pleasure: How Our Brains Make Fatty Foods, ...

Provocative and illuminating, this is a radically new and thorough look at the desires that define us.

David J. Linden, 2011

Moral Compass: Stories for a Life's Journey

Presents a selection of spiritually and morally uplifting literature, organized according to the stages on life's way

William J. Bennett, 1995

True Compass: A Memoir

TRUE COMPASS The youngest of nine children born to Joseph P. Kennedy and Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy, he came of age among siblings from whom much was expected.

Edward M. Kennedy, 2009

10 NEWS ITEMS WHICH INCLUDE THE TERM «COMPASS»

Find out what the national and international press are talking about and how the term compass is used in the context of the following news items.

Compass Cider closes temporarily

Compass Cider closed its doors at 216 N. College Ave. last week for an unspecified amount of time. The year-and-a-half-old Old Town Fort ... «The Coloradoan, Jul 15»

Statelessness: The Obama Administration's Faulty Moral Compass …

While Mr. Obama was having his "best week" in office, according to the mainstream media, the biggest blot on his time in office erupted in ... «Huffington Post, Jul 15»

Webb was director of Jack Warner's Cayman company

According to the agreement, which the Compass has seen and reviewed, JDI sold those rights to the Caribbean Football Union for $4.25 ... «Cayman Compass, Jul 15»

Mount Compass steers reach $2336

Pro-Stock manager Kym Endersby, Mount Compass, said the sale had exceeded expectations. “It was nothing like what we expected,” he said. «Stock Journal, Jul 15»

Stingrays driven by NASCAR themed meet

Compass Search. Currently in Cayman Partly cloudy | 84F / 29C · The islands' most-trusted news source · Today's News · Front Page · Local. «Cayman Compass, Jul 15»

Nan's no easy rider

If that's the case, she feels decades younger, she tells The Compass during an interview at Luxury Estates in Carbonear. “I'm not a party pooper ... «Newfoundland and Labrador Compass, Jul 15»

Ratings Watch: Compass Minerals International, Inc. (NYSE:CMP)

Shares of Compass Minerals International, Inc. (NYSE:CMP) have been given a consensus rating of 2 by brokerage analysts covering the stock ... «Investor Newswire, Jul 15»

Do Babies Have An Inbuilt Moral Compass? Scientist To Find Out

A new research program on early childhood learning in Singapore aims to study how children deal with conflicting moral principles such as ... «Asian Scientist Magazine, Jul 15»

Compass to open first Brooklyn office — in Park Slope

Compass is planting a flag in Brooklyn, following several months of heavy agent recruitment. The startup brokerage inked a deal Monday to ... «The Real Deal Magazine, Jul 15»

Westminster: Compass School to provide computer access for all …

WESTMINSTER >> Since its inception 16 years ago, Compass School has been committed to real-world learning for its students. Community ... «Brattleboro Reformer, Jul 15»