Compassing
adj, noun, verb ·Rare ·Advanced level
Definitions
- 1 The forming of plots or schemes; machination. dated
"If this proposition needed a reply, it would be sufficient to point to what we have already shown. But take the external circumstances surrounding the case, and they discover that inward intention of the prisoner. His deliberate compassings, the nature and character of the act done, the deliberation shown in preparing for the deed, the state and condition of his mind at the time—all these show express malice."
- 1 present participle and gerund of compass form-of, gerund, participle, present
- 1 curved; bent
"compassing timbers"
Example
More examples"Methinks I am like a man, who having struck on many shoals, and having narrowly escap'd shipwreck in passing a small frith, has yet the temerity to put out to sea in the same leaky weather-beaten vessel, and even carries his ambition so far as to think of compassing the globe under these disadvantageous circumstances."
Etymology
From Middle English compassynge; equivalent to compass + -ing.
More for "compassing"
Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.