composition 
equivalent tn a sinuli- fnn-i- having tin- ilin-rtinn anil mai,' 
Ilitllilcnf the diagonal of tin- pal-alh-ln^iam. Si -,- /!,,;? alitl 
ri'xiii/niii. Composition of proportion, in math., the 
:-nli ,1 il nl i-.ii. in a sri-ifs of fullr prnpni tinnals. nf tin- sum 
of the tlrst anil srroml terms fnr tin- Ihst ti-rm, and the 
Slim of the thiril anil I'mirth fur the fnili-fh, flu- -aim 
n|iiality of priipoi-tinn subsisting in tin- s,-rmiil series jis 
in the llrst. Thus, if it : l> ::':/, tln-n, l> <<>, ij,,,i^it inn, 
n ii : ii -. : < \ il:d. Composition of ratios. Beveom 
fiiiini'i ,-ntin, under 0oiMN>vnai , '/. Composition pedal, 
in iii-'fiin-bit/l'/iii'/, a prilal whirh ilraws nr withdraws sev- 
eral stiips at olli-e. Si-i- <-i,nil,i,ini;,,n / <lnl , iiliili-r ,-niitlii,in 
ii'<n. Composition plane, tin plain- b> wbii-h tin- tn 
|ia|-ts nf a twin crjstal (s,-.- in-i,,) an- null, il in Ihi-ir n- 
vcrseil iiiisitinns : it is usually the same as tin- ti'innin-r 
I'lnni'. Also i-alli-ii i-nit> + >r 
compositive (kom-po//i-tiv), (i. [< L. compoxi- 
tllK, pp., compound (see I'tim/insifi . flllll/'OSI-), + 
-in 1 .] Having the power of compounding or 
composing; proceeding by composition ; >\n 
thetic. /loHirnrtlt. Compositive method, hjnth.'-i 
compositor (kom-poz'i-tor), n. [= F. coinpiixi- 
ti'in- = Sp. Pg, 1'iiiii/iii.iitiir = It. compiisitnri . a 
composer, a type-setter, < h. compositor, one 
who arranges or disposes, < com/nnn-i-i-, arrange: 
see compose.] 1. In printimj, one who si-Is 
types; a type-setter. 2. A composing or 
type-setting machine. = gyn. l-ruit,,-. Competitor. 
Sl-l- /n-illl'-l-. 
compositous (kom-poz'i-tus), a. [< L. rompn- 
pp. of foiiipoiiere, put together: see i-tun- 
; compost:] In hot., composite; belong- 
ing to the order Vompositie. Hum-in. 
compos mentis (kom'pos men'tis). [L., hav- 
ing control of one's mind : compos, conpus (corn- 
pot-, cunpot-), having control, possessing, shar- 
ing in, ^ com- (intensive) 4- pot is, able : see 
potent; mentis, gen. of men(t-)s, mind: see 
mental.} Of sound mind. See non compos 
mentis. 
compossessort (kom-po-zes'or), n. [LL., < L. 
com-, with, together, + possessor, owner.] A 
joint possessor. Sherwood. 
compossibility (kom-pos-i-bil'i-ti), n. [< NL. 
<> compossibilitt((t-)s, < "compossibilis : see corn- 
possible^] The possibility of existing or being 
together. [Rare.] 
compossible (kom-pos'i-bl), a. [< NL. *com- 
poxsibilis, < L. com-, together, + LL. possibilis, 
possible.] Capable of existing in one subject; 
consistent ; capable of being true together. 
ChilUngworth. 
compost (kpm'post), ti. [X ME. compost, a con- 
diment, mixed dish, < OF. composte, a condi- 
ment, a mixed dish, pickle (F. compote, > E. 
compote = Sp. Pg. eompota, stewed fruit), < It. 
composta, fern., composto, masc., = Pg. composto, 
mixture, conserve (ML. compostum, a mixture 
of manures), < L. eompositus, compostus, fern. 
composita, composta, neut. compositiim, compos- 
tum, pp. ofcomponerc, bring together, compose : 
see composite, compose, compound 1 , .] 1. A 
mixture. 
Finding the most pleasurable sin such a sad . . . com- 
pout of more bitter than sweet. Ilammoiut, Works, IV. 534. 
2f. A mixed dish ; a compote. 
Companies & contltes. Bafcees Book (E. E. T. S.), p. 121. 
Datys in composte. 
Booke of Precedence (E. E. T. S., extra ser.), i. 02. 
3. In agri., a mixture or composition of vari- 
ous manuring substances for fertilizing land. 
Avoid what is to come ; 
And do not spread the cotnpoat on the weeds. 
To make them ranker. Shak., Hamlet, ill. 4. 
The wealth of the Indies was a rich compont, that brought 
up parasites and rogues with other noxious weeds. 
Ticknor, Span. Lit., III. 98. 
4. A composition for plastering the exterior of 
houses. Usually called compo. 
compost (kom'post), v. t. [Cf. ML. compostare; 
from the noun : see compost, n. Cf . compcster.] 
1. To manure with compost. 
By ... forbearing to comport the earth, water-mint 
ttirneth into field-mint. Bacon, Nat. Hist. 
2. To plaster. 
composturet (kom-pos'tur), w. [< conipost + 
-urc. Cf. Sp. Pg. compostiira, composition, com- 
posure, decency, < L. compostura, compositura, 
a connection, commissure, syntax, < compostus, 
eompositus, pp. of componere, compose : see com- 
pose, compound 1 , p.] 1. Composition; com- 
posure. 
It hath been taken indifferently, whether you call them 
the one or the other, both for similitude of delineaments 
ami i-nnipoiiture. Drayton, Polyolbion, xi., note. 
2. Compost; manure. 
The earth's a thief, 
That feeds and breeds by a composure stolen 
['rnia general excrement. Shak.. T. of A., iv. 3. 
73 
1153 
COmpOSUistt, ". [Irreg. < ciitiipiw + -ii-i>.t, after 
tin- mistaken analogy of i-n^insl, etc.] A com- 
poser. I'irl.-i i-iiiii. 
composure ( kom-po'xhiir). . [< compose + -iiri: 
Cf. I., riimpimiiiirii, connection, commissure, 
x\nla.\: see I'linipiisturi . ] 1. The act of com- 
posing; composition. 
\ l-,inl >! <;rii k winr I have met with, sir, in my trav 
i-ls ; it is tin- samr that hi innsthi-ni s usuall) 'h link, in the 
00mjNWUn nf all his . \.|liisiti- anil llli-llitlllnii.s Mialimi-. 
It. Joi,,on, I'jnthiiiB Ki-n -Is. i. I. 
Tin v hail a great opinion nf the piety and unblamable 
i-iniijtoitiirf of tin- t "iiininn prayi-r -Imnk. 
Jer. Tnillnr, Umksl.,1. 1 -.:::. >, II. US 
2f. That which is composed; a composition. 
Tis beleev'd this wording was almvi- Ins kimwn stile and 
Orthographic, and accuaeft the wl ure to be con- 
scions nl sum nthi-r Ailthni-. M<ll<n,, lakmioklastes, iv. 
Sinn- flu- lift- nf the first men was certainly rural, we 
may reasonably conjecture that . . . th '.'* . . . 
\\rir pasinral hymns. ./../,, i-" M . 
3f. Arrangement ; combination ; order ; adjust- 
ment ; disposition ; posture. 
Mi. ...,/,..</,. nf himself is a studied carelesnessc with 
his armes a erosse. 
/{ft. f-.'nrl'', Mirrn-cnsinographic, A Uiscnntt-nfi-il Man. 
Tile shai>c of his person, and composure of his limbs, 
are remarkably exact and beautiful. 
Steele, Spectator, No. 340. 
4f. Frame ; composition ; hence, temperament ; 
disposition ; constitution. 
His composure must be rare indeed 
Whom these things cannot blemish. 
Shak., A. ami C., 1. 4. 
Other women would think themselves blest In your 
case ; handsome, witty, lov'd by everybody, and of to 
happy a composure to care a Fig for nobody. 
.SVr J. Vanbrugh, Confederacy, i. 
5. A composed state of mind; serenity; calm- 
ness; tranquillity. 
Old sailors were amazed at the composure which he | Wil- 
liam of Orange] preserved amid roaring breakers on a 
perilous coast. Macaulay, Hist. Eng.,vli. 
I remember a child who, able to look with tolerable 
compoirure on a horrible cadaverous mask while it was 
held in the hand, ran away shrieking when his father put 
it on. //. Sjfcncer, Man vs. State, p. 51). 
6f. Agreement ; settlement of differences ; com- 
position. [Rare.] 
The treaty of Uxbridge gave the fairest hopes of a happy 
compotmre. Likon fllumnr 
7t. Combination; bond. 
compott, Same as compote. 
computation (kom-po-ta'shon), n. [= F. corn- 
potation = It. compotazione, < L. eompotatio(n-), 
Cicero's translation of Or. avjmitciiav, sympo- 
sium (see symposium), < com-, together, + po- 
tatio(n-), a drinking: see potation.} The act of 
drinking or tippling together. Sir T. Browne. 
The fashion of compotation was still occasionally prac- 
tised in Scotland. Scott. 
compotator (kom'po-ta-tor), n. [LL. (> F. com- 
potnteur), collateral form of L. compotor, a 
drinking companion, < com-, together, + pota- 
tor,potor, a dnnker, < potare, pp. potatus, drink. 
Cf . compotation.] One who drinks with another. 
[Rare.] 
Our companions and compotatora of syllabub. 
Pof>e, To Mr. Knight. 
compote (kom'ppt), n. [= D. Dan. kompot = Q. 
compot = Sp. Pg. eompota, < F. compote, < OF. 
composte, a mixture, compost: see compost, .] 
1. Fruit stewed or preserved in syrup, some- 
times with spices. 2. Same as compotier. 
cpmpotentt, " [ME., < L. compoten(t-)s, hav- 
ing power with (one), < com-, together, + po- 
ten(t-)s, having power: see compos mentis and 
potent.) Having control. Chaucer. 
compotier (F. pron. kom-po-ti-a'), n. [F., < 
compote : see com]iote.~\ A china or glass dish 
in which stewed or preserved fruit, or the like, 
is served. Also, sometimes, compote. 
compotor (kom-po'tor), n. [L. : see compota- 
tor.] A compotator. Walker. [Rare.] 
compount, i'. An obsolete form of compound*. 
Chaucer. 
compound 1 (kom-pound'), v. [As in expound 
ana propound, which have the same radical ele- 
ment, the d is excrescent after , as in round 1 , 
.voMMffS, hind%, lend, and the vulgar drotend, 
swound, etc. (the rf being naturally developed 
from the n by dissimilated gemination, but 
partly due, perhaps, in this case, to the ME. 
pp. eompouned, E. adj. compound); < ME. com- 
pouncn, later componen (the later E. compone 
being based directly on the L.), < OF. com- 
pondre, cumpundrc, arrange, direct (rare, the 
compound 
usual word being /;//: |M '-"//), = 
I'r. ciim/nnii/i'i . /'nm/jiiin'r = Sp. <-iini/niiier = 
I'g. rnmpi>r= It. ro//>//< n , rum/ion -i , < 1,. rom- 
l>/llli ri', i-inljitnnfi . pp. i-iiiii iKimtii.--, i-iiii/n: 
pill, place, lay, bring, or set together, el,-., in ,-i 
-.ariety of applications. '. < OHI . 
i-, put, place ml 1,1,111 n/ t anil 
cl. rj/niilili/, /l/ii/iniliiil, i-iiin/illlK, ill /i inn . /nn 
/nun, etc., .-mil see film film, . which is peculiarly 
related to i-iiiii/niiiiiil. < '(. iiiiiii>i}i'inl\. ii. Hence 
(from I,, rninpiiiii-fi ) also i-iim/Hiiii n/. i-nniji' 
ClllllpllHltlll-. mill pll.lt. flllllplltl , Clc. I I. I fill:-. 1. 
To put together or mix (two or more elements 
or ingredients ) : as, to fiim/minut drugs. 
Ni- fen-in railHcH necessi -> r tn 
) k'- nf llntl r\ IIL-'- II 
CWMMW, Kn, thins, iii. meter 9. 
(',ij:"itii'tiltit all the mati-rials nf fury, bavnr an-l 
lation Into one blm-k i I I. In- IIIIIIL' for a Mhili- nn thi- 
iliilniti.-si.l tin- mnnnUlns. llnrkr. Salmi, nf 
2. To join or couple together; combine: ae, 
to compound words. 
I h. i- i.. i. . ..,i-|iiiiii/ all tii<.'i-tbi-r iilainc, 
'1 hi-j 'li'l tln-ir rnnnsi-N nii\s in nni- <-<./;... 
>>.,.., K. <l.\l. Y. 14. 
We have the |iowt-r nf altering ami citnti>iiniliii'i . . . 
images into all the varieties nf pi. 
Addifiin S|. 
3. To form by uniting or mixing two or more 
elements or materials. 
hyuerse membres i-omiiiincn a lMly. 
Chaucer, ISoethlus, ill. proe 10. 
'1'ln- ilisrnnlant t h-im-nts nut nf uhirb the KmlH-ror had 
contpouiuted his realm iliil imt i nali-nr,- ihirin^ his life- 
tinn . Mntlrii, Dutch Republic, I. -2. 
Are not we and my we takes in you rather a mixed 
people, a people cnuiiHntiiili-it of two elemenU, Saxon and 
Norman? IS. A. Freeman, Amer. U-cts., p. 168. 
4. To make ; constitute ; form : establish. 
His pomp, and all what state coinptntHd*. 
Shale., T. of A., Iv. i 
Sending for her agalne, hee told her before her friends, 
she must goe with him, and compound peace betwixt her 
t'ountrio and vs. 
Quoted in Capt. John Smith's Trne Travels, II. 14. 
6f. To put together in due order, as words or 
sentences; compose. 
'lln- first rule of seole, as thus 
llnw that Latin shall > eompouned 
And in what wise it shall he solined. 
Gotrer, C'onf. Amant., II. 90. 
Lucian's attempt in compounding his new dialogue. 
Bp. Hunt. 
6. To settle amicably; adjust by agreement, as 
a difference or controversy ; compose. 
I pray, my lords, let me compound this strife. 
Shak., 2 Hen. VI., It 1. 
7. To settle by agreement for a reduced amount 
or upon different terms, as a debt or dues of any 
kind: as, to compound tithes. See II., 3. 
This gentleman had now compounded a debt of 200,- 
000, contracted by his grandfather. 
l-'.i-i-lnn. Diary, June 19, 1662. 
Shall I, ye gods, he cries, my debts compound > Gay. 
8. To agree, for a consideration, not to prose- 
cute or punish a wrong-doer for: as, to com- 
pound a crime or felony. It is equally illegal, whe- 
ther the consideration be a money present, the restitution 
of stolen money or goods, or other acts performed or pro- 
cured by the offemler or another in his interest, upon a 
promise of immunity from prosecution or the withholding 
of evidence. 
II. intrant. 1. To agree upon concession; 
come to terms of agreement by abating some- 
thing of the first demand, or by granting some- 
thing on both sides ; make a compromise : used 
absolutely, or with for (formerly also on) be- 
fore the thing accepted or remitted, and with 
before the person with whom the agreement is 
made. 
We here deliver, 
Snliscrilicil by the consuls and patricians, 
Together with the seal >' the senate, what 
We have compounded on. Shak., Tor,, v. 5. 
Cornwall cowijwwwterf to furnish ten oxen . . . for thirty 
pounds. K. Careu; Survey of Cornwall. 
Their fortunes do somewhat gild their infirmities, and 
their purses compouml for their follies. 
Sir T. Broiene, Religio Medici, U. 1. 
No, no, dear Friend, make It up, make it up; ay, ay, 
I'll compound. Conyrere, Way of the World, v. 5. 
2. To make a bargain, in general ; agree. 
If you think it meet, rnui/Kinnd with him by the year, 
anil let him abide here with you ; if not, use him for the 
present, and dismiss him. Shak., M. for M., iv. 2. 
They saw Men offer to compound with Heaven forall their 
injustice and oppression. Stitlinnflcet, Sermons, I. ill. 
3. To settle with a creditor by agreement, and 
discharge a debt on the payment of a less sum 
in fall ; or to make an agreement to pay a debt 
