compass

CEFRB2

/ˈkʌmpəs/

noun

Türkçe translations

Translating…

In plain English

  1. 01

    noun

    A tool that shows direction, especially north.

  2. 02

    noun

    A tool used to draw circles.

Examples

  • Charles Walcot investigated the magnetic compass bearing sense in pigeons.

  • Hikers need to carry a compass with them to find their way through the woods.

At a glance

Sits at B2 on the CEFR scale

Senses
5
Parts of speech
1
Citations
5
Synonyms
5

Deep Dive

noun

Extra meanings

  1. A pair of compasses (a device used to draw circular arcs and transfer length measurements).

  2. The range of notes of a musical instrument or voice.

  3. A magnetic or electronic device used to determine the cardinal directions (usually magnetic or true north).

More examples

In context

  • But it went beyond it by the loose construction of compassing to depose the King, …

  • within the compass of an encircling wall

  • 1689/1690, John Locke, On improvement of understanding He that […] first discovered the use of the compass […] did more for the propagation of knowledge […] than those who built workhouses.

Synonyms

Quick test

Two questions on this entry. Nothing is scored.

Question 1 · Quick check

The hiker used a blank to find the correct direction through the dense forest.

Practise this properly in the app, where the word comes back before you forget it.

Nearby

Origin

noun

From Middle English compas (“a circle, circuit, limit, form, a mathematical instrument”), from Old French compas, from Medieval Latin compassus (“a circle, a circuit”), from Latin com- (“together”) + passus (“a pace, step, later a pass, way, route”); see pass, pace.