Definitions
from The Century Dictionary.
- To hold in check; restrain; curb.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- transitive verb rare To hold in check; to restrain.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- verb obsolete, transitive To hold in check; to
restrain .
Etymologies
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
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Examples
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= For wine as a diversion from sorrow, compare Tib I ii 1 'Adde merum uinoque nouos compesce dolores' (with Smith's note) and Tib I v 37
The Last Poems of Ovid 43 BC-18? Ovid
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He hath undertaken this great work, to compesce (250) this mutiny and rebellion that was raised up in the creation by sin, else what peace could be between God and us, as long as his enemy and ours dwelt in our bosom, and we at peace with it.
The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning Hugh Binning 1640
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Linguam cohibe, prae aliis omnibus, ad deorum exemplum. {33a} Digito compesce labellum. {33b}
Discoveries Made Upon Men and Matter and Some Poems Ben Jonson 1605
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aufer abhinc lacrimas, balatro, et compesce querelas: 25 omnia perfunctus uitai praemia marces, sed quia semper aues quod abest, praesentia temnis, imperfecta tibi elapsast ingrataque uita et nec opinanti mors ad caput adstitit ante quam satur ac plenus possis discedere rerum.
The Powers of Hell Lucretius 1912
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Now this sedition and rebellion being arisen in the world, and one of the most noble creatures carried away in this revolt, from allegiance to the divine majesty, the most holy and wise counsel of heaven concludes to send the King’s Son, to compesce (173) this rebellion, to reduce men again unto obedience, and destroy that arch traitor, sin, which his nature most abhors.
The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning Hugh Binning 1640
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