Meaning

10 senses

  1. A magnetic or electronic device used to determine the cardinal directions (usually magnetic or true north).

    1689/1690, John Locke, On improvement of understanding He that […] first discovered the use of the compass […] did more for the propagation of knowledge […] than those who built workhouses.

    Kompass, Seekompass, Bussole

    ко́мпасkómpas, буссо́льbussólʹ, компа́сkompás

    ко́мпасkómpas, бусо́ляbusólja

  2. A pair of compasses (a device used to draw circular arcs and transfer length measurements).

  3. The range of notes of a musical instrument or voice.

    диапазо́нdiapazón

  4. Moderate bounds, limits of truth; moderation; due limits; used with within.

  5. (formal)Synonym of scope.

    охва́тoxvát

  6. A curved circular form.

  7. (obsolete)A space within limits; an area.

    Umfang, Umkreis

    объёмobʺjóm, кругkrug, окру́жностьokrúžnostʹ

  8. (obsolete)An enclosing limit; a boundary, a circumference.

    within the compass of an encircling wall

    the limit of capability

  9. (obsolete)Range, reach.

  10. (obsolete)A passing round; circuit; circuitous course.

Examples

86 sentences

  1. Tom looked at his compass.

    Том подивився на компас. — deniko

    ruТом посмотрел на свой компас. — sharptoothed

    CK · Tatoeba · CC BY 2.0 FR · B2Open on TatoebaReport a problem

  2. Hikers need to carry a compass with them to find their way through the woods.

    Туристам, щоб знайти дорогу у лісі, потрібно брати з собою компас. — iceman

    ruТуристам, чтобы найти дорогу в лесу, нужно брать с собой компас. — Hellerick

    CK · Tatoeba · CC BY 2.0 FR · C1Open on TatoebaReport a problem

  3. Compasses point north.

    Компаси вказують на північ. — deniko

    ruКомпасы указывают на север. — Wezel

    deKompasse zeigen nach Norden. — raggione

    CK · Tatoeba · CC BY 2.0 FR · B2Open on TatoebaReport a problem

  4. I don't know how to use this compass.

    ruЯ не знаю, как пользоваться этим компасом. — AntonKhorev

    deIch weiß nicht, wie man diesen Kompass benutzt. — riotlake

    CK · Tatoeba · CC BY 2.0 FR · B2Open on TatoebaReport a problem

  5. Tom doesn't know how to use a compass.

    ruТом не умеет пользоваться компасом. — marafon

    deTom weiß nicht, wie man einen Kompass benutzt. — megamanenm

    CK · Tatoeba · CC BY 2.0 FR · B2Open on TatoebaReport a problem

Translations

9 languages
Українська
By meaning 1
instrument to determine cardinal directions:
Русский
By meaning 4
instrument to determine cardinal directions:
range of notes of a musical instrument or voice:
area:
scope:
Deutsch
By meaning 2
instrument to determine cardinal directions:
area:

Origin

From Middle English compas (“a circle, circuit, limit, form, a mathematical instrument”),

From Middle English compas (“a circle, circuit, limit, form, a mathematical instrument”), from Old French compas, from Medieval Latin compassus (“a circle, a circuit”), from Latin com- (“together”) + passus (“a pace, step, later a pass, way, route”); see pass, pace.

Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source

Forms

plural: compasses
Singularcompass
Pluralcompasses

regular

Synonyms

8 synonyms
scopeB1
magnetic direction finder:magnetic compass
device used to draw circular curves:pair of compasses
Close in meaning

Word family

40 related words
Derivedastrocompassbeam compassbiocompassbow compasscabin compasscolor compasscompass cactuscompass cardcompass deflectioncompass dialcompass errorcompass jellyfishcompasslesscompass needlecompass outcompass planecompass plantcompass pointcompass rosecompass sawcompass swingcompass termitecompass timbercompass wallah

See also

neighbours in the dictionary
comparisonB1compartmentcompartmentalizecompassionB2compassionateB2

Dictionary text adapted from Wiktionary (Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0) and Open English WordNet / Princeton WordNet (CC BY 4.0, WordNet License); shared under CC BY-SA 4.0. Example sentences and recordings are credited where they appear.

compass — meaning, examples, forms, synonyms | Krumeto