compound

¹com·pound

verb \käm-ˈpau̇nd, kəm-ˈ, ˈkäm-ˌ\

Definition of COMPOUND

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 \-ˈpau̇n-də-bəl, -ˌpau̇n-\ adjective

— com·pound·er noun

Examples of COMPOUND

1. The interest is compounded at regular intervals.
2. <we compounded our error by waiting too long to call for help>

Origin of COMPOUND

Middle English compounen, from Anglo-French *cumpundre, from Latin componere, from com- + ponere to put — more at position

First Known Use: 14th century

Related to COMPOUND

Synonyms: accelerate, add (to), aggrandize, amplify, augment, boost, build up, increase, enlarge, escalate, expand, extend, hype, multiply, pump up, raise, swell, stoke, supersize, up

Antonyms: abate, decrease, de-escalate, diminish, downsize, dwindle, lessen, lower, minify, reduce, subtract (from)

Related Words: boom, jump, skyrocket, spike; bump (up), ratchet (up) also rachet (up); blow up, dilate, distend, inflate; draw out, elongate, flesh (out), lengthen, prolong, protract, stretch; develop, enhance, heighten, intensify, magnify; complement, supplement; beef (up), reinforce (also reenforce), strengthen; maximize; accumulate, amass, collect; follow up, parlay

Near Antonyms: abbreviate, abridge, curtail, shorten; compress, condense, constrict, contract; cut back, retrench

see all synonyms and antonyms

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Rhymes with COMPOUND

abound, aground, around, astound, background, bloodhound, boozehound, brassbound, break ground, campground, chowhound, clothbound, come round, confound, coonhound, deerhound, deskbound, dumbfound, earthbound, eastbound, elkhound, expound, fairground, fogbound, foot-pound, foreground, foxhound, gain ground, go-round, greyhound, half-bound, hardbound, hellhound, hidebound, high ground, homebound, horehound, housebound, icebound, impound, inbound, ironbound, lose ground, newfound, newshound, northbound, outbound, playground, pot-bound, profound, propound, rebound, redound, renowned, resound, rockbound, rock hound, scent hound, sight hound, sleuthhound, smooth hound, snowbound, softbound, southbound, spellbound, staghound, stone-ground, stormbound, strikebound, surround, to ground, top round, unbound, unround, unsound, well-found, westbound, wolfhound, year-round