compensate
verbattested in dialogue
- United Kingdom//ˈkɒm.pən.seɪt//
- United Kingdom//ˈkɒm.pɛn.seɪt//
- United States//ˈkɑm.pənˌseɪt//
- Canada//ˈkɒm.pən.seɪt//
- Australia//ˈkɔm.penˌsæɪt//
To do (something good) after (something bad) happens.
verb
- 1
To do (something good) after (something bad) happens.
- 2
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.
- 3
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.
The length of the night and the dews thereof do compensate the heat of the day.
, Preface The pleasures of life do not compensate the miseries.
- 4
To adjust or adapt to a change, often a harm or deprivation.
I hate that old car because it steers a little to the left and I'm always compensating for that when I drive it.
To compensate for his broken leg, Gary uses crutches.
Etymology
Borrowed from Latin compēnsātus, perfect passive participle of compensō (“to weight together one thing against another, balance, make good”), -ate (verb-forming suffix) for more.
Forms
- past tense
- compensated
- past participle
- compensated
- present participle
- compensating
- third person singular
- compensates
compensate · To do (something good) after (something bad) happens.
compensation · The act or principle of compensating.compete · To be in battle or in a rivalry with another for the same…competent · Having sufficient skill, knowledge, ability, or…