compromise
EnglishEdit
EtymologyEdit
From Middle French compromis, from Medieval Latin, Late Latin compromissum (“a compromise, originally a mutual promise to refer to arbitration”), prop. neuter of Latin compromissus, past participle of compromittere (“to make a mutual promise to abide by the decision of an arbiter”), from com- (“together”) + promittere (“to promise”); see promise.
PronunciationEdit
Audio (UK) (file) - Rhymes: -aɪz
- (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˈkɒmpɹəˌmaɪz/
- (General American) IPA(key): /ˈkɑmpɹəˌmaɪz/
Audio (US) (file)
NounEdit
compromise (countable and uncountable, plural compromises)
- The settlement of differences by arbitration or by consent reached by mutual concessions.
- c. 1595, William Shakespeare, King Richard the Second
- But basely yielded upon compromise / That which his noble ancestors achieved with blows.
- 1775, Edmund Burke, Conciliation with America
- All government, indeed every human benefit and enjoyment, every virtue and every prudent act, is founded on compromise and barter.
- 1827, Henry Hallam, The Constitutional History of England
- An abhorrence of concession and compromise is a never failing characteristic of religious factions.
- c. 1595, William Shakespeare, King Richard the Second
- A committal to something derogatory or objectionable; a prejudicial concession; a surrender.
- a compromise of character or right
- 1823, Charles Lamb, Modern Gallantry
- I was determined not to accept any fine speeches, to the compromise of that sex the belonging to which was, after all, my strongest claim and title to them.
- (computer security) A breach of a computer or network's rules such that an unauthorized disclosure or loss of sensitive information may have occurred, or the unauthorized disclosure or loss itself.
Related termsEdit
TranslationsEdit
settlement of differences by arbitration or by consent reached by mutual concessions
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Further readingEdit
- compromise in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
- compromise in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
VerbEdit
compromise (third-person singular simple present compromises, present participle compromising, simple past and past participle compromised)
- (transitive, intransitive) To bind by mutual agreement.
- c. 1596–1598, William Shakespeare, “The Merchant of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: Printed by Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, OCLC 606515358, [Act I, scene ii]:
- Laban and himself were compromised / That all the eanlings which were streaked and pied / Should fall as Jacob's hire.
- To adjust and settle by mutual concessions; to compound.
- 1662, Thomas Fuller, History of the Worthies of England
- The controversy may easily be compromised.
- 1662, Thomas Fuller, History of the Worthies of England
- (intransitive) To find a way between extremes.
- To pledge by some act or declaration; to endanger the life, reputation, etc., of, by some act which can not be recalled; to expose to suspicion.
- 1855, John Lothrop Motley, The Rise of the Dutch Republic
- To pardon all who had been compromised in the late disturbances.
- 1855, John Lothrop Motley, The Rise of the Dutch Republic
- (transitive) To cause impairment of.
- (transitive) To breach (a security system).
- He tried to compromise the security in the computer by guessing the password.
SynonymsEdit
Derived termsEdit
- compromising (adjective)
TranslationsEdit
to bind by mutual agreement
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to adjust and settle by mutual concessions
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to pledge by some act or declaration
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to breach a security system
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- The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.
Translations to be checked
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Further readingEdit
AnagramsEdit
ItalianEdit
VerbEdit
compromise
- third-person singular past historic of compromettere