ADJECTIVE Something that is compact takes up very little space, or no more space than is necessary.
compact disc compact discs
NOUN a music or video recording in the form of a small plastic disc
companion companions
NOUN someone you travel or spend time with
company companies
NOUN 1 a business that sells goods or provides a service
2 If you have company, you have a friend or visitor with you.
PHRASE 3 If you keep someone company, you spend time with them.
comparative comparatives
ADJECTIVE 1 You use comparative to show that something is true only when compared with something else.
NOUN 2 In grammar, the comparative is the form of an adjective or adverb that shows an increase in size, quality or amount. It is usually formed by adding -er to a word, for example, bigger, faster, or by putting more before the word, for example, more difficult.
compare compares, comparing, compared
VERB When you compare things, you see in what ways they are different or similar. • We compared our hair to see whose was longest.
comparison comparisons
NOUN When you make a comparison, you consider two things together and decide in what ways they are different or similar.
compartment compartments
NOUN 1 a section of a railway carriage
2 one of the separate sections of something such as a bag or a box
compass compasses
NOUN 1 an instrument with a magnetic needle that always points north. You use a compass to find your way.
PLURAL NOUN 2 Compasses are a hinged instrument for drawing circles.
compassion
NOUN pity and sympathy for someone who is suffering
compassionate ADJECTIVE
compass point compass points
NOUN one of the 32 marks on the dial of a compass that show direction • North, south, east and west are compass points.
compel compels, compelling, compelled
VERB 1 If you compel someone to do something, you force them to do it.
ADJECTIVE 2 A compelling story or event is extremely interesting.
3 A compelling argument or reason makes you believe that something is true.
compensate compensates, compensating, compensated
VERB 1 To compensate someone means to give them money to replace something that has been lost or damaged.
2 If one thing compensates for another, it cancels out the bad effects of it. • The trip to Disneyland compensated for her long illness.
compete competes, competing, competed
VERB 1 If you compete in a contest or game, you take part in it.
2 If you compete, you try to do better than others.
competent
ADJECTIVE Someone who is competent at something can do it satisfactorily. • He is a competent nurse.
competition competitions
NOUN an event in which people take part to find out who is the best at something
compile compiles, compiling, compiled
VERB When you compile information, you collect it and put it together.
complain complains, complaining, complained
VERB 1 If you complain, you say that you are not happy about something. • The neighbours complained about the noise.
2 If you complain of pain or illness, you say that you have it.
complaint NOUN
complement complements, complementing, complemented
VERB 1 If one thing complements another, the two things go well together. • Her piano music complements the poem.
NOUN 2 In grammar, a complement is a word or phrase that gives information about the subject or object of a sentence. For example, in the sentence Rover is a dog, is a dog is the complement.