Topic: MATHS
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| Date: | 1300-1400 |
| Language: | Old French |
| Origin: | compas 'measure, circle, compass', from compasser 'to measure', from Vulgar Latin compassare 'to measure by walking', from Latin com- ( COM-) + passus ( PACE1) |
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com‧pass
1 [countable]DLO an instrument that shows directions and has a needle that always points north : a map and compass
a map and compass compass points/points of the compass (=the marks on a compass that show you north, south, east, west etc)
2 [countable] also compassesHMSG a V-shaped instrument with one sharp point and a pen or pencil at the other end, used for drawing circles or measuring distances on maps
3 [uncountable] formal the area or range of subjects that someone is responsible for or that is discussed in a book
