compound

One entry found for compound.

Main Entry: ¹com·pound
Pronunciation: käm-'paund, k&m-', 'käm-"
Function: verb
Etymology: Middle English compounen, from Anglo-French *cumpundre, from Latin componere, from com- + ponere to put -- more at POSITION
transitive verb
1 : to put together (parts) so as to form a whole : COMBINE <compound ingredients>
2 : to form by combining parts <compound a medicine>
3 a : to settle amicably : adjust by agreement b : to agree for a consideration not to prosecute (an offense) <compound a felony>
4 a : to pay (interest) on both the accrued interest and the principal b : to add to : AUGMENT <we compounded our error in later policy -- Robert Lekachman>
intransitive verb
1 : to become joined in a compound
2 : to come to terms of agreement
- com·pound·able /-'paun-d&-b&l, -"paun-/ adjective
- com·pound·er noun