compass : Dictionary / Wörterbuch (BEOLINGUS, TU Chemnitz)

English Dictionary: compass	by the DICT Development Group
4 results for compass
From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
compass n navigational instrument for finding directions an area in which something acts or operates or has power or control: "the range of a supersonic jet"; "a piano has a greater range than the human voice"; "the ambit of municipal legislation"; "within the compass of this article"; "within the scope of an investigation"; "outside the reach of the law"; "in the political orbit of a world power" Synonym(s): scope, range, reach, orbit, compass, ambit the limit of capability; "within the compass of education" Synonym(s): compass, range, reach, grasp drafting instrument used for drawing circles v bring about; accomplish; "This writer attempts more than his talents can compass" travel around, either by plane or ship; "We compassed the earth" Synonym(s): circumnavigate, compass get the meaning of something; "Do you comprehend the meaning of this letter?" Synonym(s): grok, get the picture, comprehend, savvy, dig, grasp, compass, apprehend
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]:
Compass \Com"pass\, n. [F. compas, fr. LL. compassus circle, prop., a stepping together; com- + passus pace, step. See {Pace}, {Pass}.] 1. A passing round; circuit; circuitous course. They fetched a compass of seven day's journey. --2 Kings iii. 9. This day I breathed first; time is come round, And where I did begin, there shall I end; My life is run his compass. --Shak. 2. An inclosing limit; boundary; circumference; as, within the compass of an encircling wall. 3. An inclosed space; an area; extent. Their wisdom . . . lies in a very narrow compass. --Addison.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]:
Compass \Com"pass\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Compassed}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Compassing}.] [F. compasser, LL. compassare.] 1. To go about or entirely round; to make the circuit of. Ye shall compass the city seven times. --Josh. vi. 4. We the globe can compass soon. --Shak. 2. To inclose on all sides; to surround; to encircle; to environ; to invest; to besiege; -- used with about, round, around, and round about. With terrors and with clamors compassed round. --Milton. Now all the blessings Of a glad father compass thee about. --Shak. Thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round. --Luke xix. 43. 3. To reach round; to circumvent; to get within one's power; to obtain; to accomplish. If I can check my erring love, I will: If not, to compass her I'll use my skill. --Shak. How can you hope to compass your designs? --Denham. 4. To curve; to bend into a circular form. [Obs. except in carpentry and shipbuilding.] --Shak. 5. (Law) To purpose; to intend; to imagine; to plot. Compassing and imagining the death of the king are synonymous terms; compassing signifying the purpose or design of the mind or will, and not, as in common speech, the carrying such design to effect. --Blackstone.
From The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (15Feb98) [foldoc]:
COMPASS COMPrehensive ASSembler. The {assembly language} on {CDC} computers. (1995-01-19)