Comply

//kəmˈplaɪ// verb

Definitions

Verb
  1. 1
    To yield assent; to accord; to acquiesce, agree, consent; to adapt oneself, to conform.

    "comply with rules"

  2. 2
    act in accordance with someone's rules, commands, or wishes wordnet
  3. 3
    To accomplish, to fulfil. archaic

    "Gentle Abrahen, I / am griev'd my power cannot comply my promiſe: / my Father's ſo averſe from granting my / requeſt concerning thee, that with angrie frowns / he did expreſs rather a paſſionate rage, / then a refuſall civil, or accuſtom'd / to his indulgent diſpoſition."

  4. 4
    To be ceremoniously courteous; to make one's compliments. archaic

    "[Y]our hands come then, th’appurtenance of welcome is faſhion and ceremonie; let mee comply with you in this garb, let me^([sic – meaning lest my]) extent to the players, which I tell you muſt ſhowe fairely outwards, ſhould more appeare like entertainment than yours: […]"

  5. 5
    To enfold; to embrace. archaic

    "And then a rug of carded wooll, / Which, spunge-like, drinking in the dull / Light of the moon, seem'd to comply, / Cloud-like, the daintie deitie."

Etymology

From Italian complire, Catalan complir (“to complete, fulfil; to carry out”), Spanish cumplir (“to complete, fulfil”), (alternatively from Old French compli), from Latin complēre, from compleō (“to finish, complete; to fulfil”), from com- (prefix indicating completeness of an act) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ḱóm (“beside, near; by, with”)) + pleō (“to fill; to fulfil”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *pleh₁- (“to fill”)). The word is very close to the French verb complaire which means to satisfy or to please. The word is also cognate with Old French complir (“to accomplish, complete; to do”) (modern French accomplir (“to accomplish, achieve”)). Compare complete, compliment.

Next best steps

Mini challenge

Unscramble this word: comply