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Webster 1913 Edition


Compensate

Com′pen-sate

(? or ?; 277)
,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Compensated
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Compensating
.]
[L.
compensatus
, p. p. of
compensare
, prop., to weigh several things with one another, to balance with one another, verb intens. fr.
compendere
. See
Compendium
.]
1.
To make equal return to; to remunerate; to recompense; to give an equivalent to; to requite suitably;
as, to
compensate
a laborer for his work, or a merchant for his losses
.
2.
To be equivalent in value or effect to; to counterbalance; to make up for; to make amends for.
The length of the night and the dews thereof do
compensate
the heat of the day.
Bacon.
Syn. – To recompense; remunerate; indemnify; reward; requite; counterbalance.

Com′pen-sate

,
Verb.
I.
To make amends; to supply an equivalent; – followed by
for
;
as, nothing can
compensate
for the loss of reputation
.

Webster 1828 Edition


Compensate

COMPENSATE

, v.t.
1.
To give equal value to; to recompense; to give an equivalent for services, or an amount lost or bestowed; to return or bestow that which makes good a loss, or is estimated a sufficient remuneration; as, to compensate a laborer for his work, or a merchant for his losses.
2.
To be equivalent in value or effect to; to counterbalance; to make amends for.
The length of the night and the dews do compensate the heat of the day.
The pleasures of sin never compensate the sinner for the miseries he suffers, even in this life.

COMPENSATE

,
Verb.
I.
To make amends; to supply an equivalent; followed by for.
Nothing can compensate for the loss of reputation.
This word is generally accented on the second syllable, most unfortunately, as any ear will determine by the feebleness of the last syllables n the participles, compensated, compensating.
Each seeming want compensated of course.
With the primary accent on the first syllable and the secondary accent on the third, this defect and the difficulty of uttering distinctly the last syllables are remedied.

Definition 2024


compensate

compensate

English

Verb

compensate (third-person singular simple present compensates, present participle compensating, simple past and past participle compensated)

  1. To pay or reward someone in exchange for work done or some other consideration.
    It is hard work, but they will compensate you well for it.
  2. (transitive, intransitive) To make up for; to do something in place of something else; to correct, satisfy; to reach an agreement such that the scales are literally or (metaphorically) balanced; to equalize or make even.
    His loud voice cannot compensate for a lack of personality.
    To compensate me for his tree landing on my shed, my neighbor paved my driveway.
    • Francis Bacon
      The length of the night and the dews thereof do compensate the heat of the day.
    • Prior
      The pleasures of life do not compensate the miseries.
  3. To adjust or adapt to a change, often a harm or deprivation.
    I don't like driving that old car because it always steers a little to the left so I'm forever compensating for that when I drive it. Trust me, it gets annoying real fast.
    To compensate for his broken leg, Gary uses crutches.

Derived terms

Related terms

Synonyms

1. To pay

2. To make up for, correct, satisfy, or equalize, to balance the scales, to equalize or make even.

3. To adjust to a change.

Translations

External links

  • compensate in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
  • compensate in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911

Italian

Verb

compensate

  1. second-person plural present indicative of compensare
  2. second-person plural imperative of compensare
  3. feminine plural of compensato

Latin

Verb

compensāte

  1. second-person plural present active imperative of compensō