Part 399

Syn. -- Recompense; reward; indemnification; consideration; requital; satisfaction; set-off.

Com*pen"sa*tive (?), a. [LL. compensativus.] Affording compensation.

Com*pen"sa*tive, n. Compensation. [R.] Lamb.

Com"pen*sa`tor (?), n. 1. One who, or that which, compensates; -- a name applied to various mechanical devices.

2. (Naut.) An iron plate or magnet placed near the compass on iron vessels to neutralize the effect of the ship's attraction on the needle.

Com*pen"sa*to*ry (?), a. Serving for compensation; making amends. Jer. Taylor.

Com*pense" (?), v. t. [F. compenser. See Compensate.] To compensate. [Obs.] Bacon.

Com`pe*ren"di*nate (?), v. t. [L. comperendinatus, p. p. of comperendinare to defer (the time of trial.)] To delay. Bailey.

Com*pesce" (?), v. t. [L. compescere.] To hold in check; to restrain. [R.] Carlyle.

Com*pete" (?), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Competed; p. pr. & vb. n. Competing.] [L. completere, competitum; com- + petere to seek. See Petition.] To contend emulously; to seek or strive for the same thing, position, or reward for which another is striving; to contend in rivalry, as for a prize or in business; as, tradesmen compete with one another.

The rival statesmen, with eyes fixed on America, were all the while competing for European alliances. Bancroft.

{ Com"pe*tence (?), Com"pe*ten*cy (?) }, n. [Cf. F. compÚtence, from L. competentia agreement.] 1. The state of being competent; fitness; ability; adequacy; power.

The loan demonstrates, in regard to instrumental resources, the competency of this kingdom to the assertion of the common cause. Burke.

To make them act zealously is not in the competence of law. Burke.

2. Property or means sufficient for the necessaries and conveniences of life; sufficiency without excess.

Reason's whole pleasure, all the joys of sense, Lie in three words -- health, peace, and competence. Pope.

Superfluity comes sooner by white hairs, but competency lives longer. Shak.

3. (Law) (a) Legal capacity or qualifications; fitness; as, the competency of a witness or of a evidence. (b) Right or authority; legal power or capacity to take cognizance of a cause; as, the competence of a judge or court. Kent.

Com"pe*tent (k&obreve;m"p&esl;*tent; 94), a. [F. compÚtent, p. pr. of compÚter to be in the competency of, LL. competere to strive after together, to agree with; hence, to be fit. See Compete.] 1. Answering to all requirements; adequate; sufficient; suitable; capable; legally qualified; fit. "A competent knowledge of the world." Atterbury. "Competent age." Grafton. "Competent statesmen." Palfrey. /"A competent witness." Bouvier.

2. Rightfully or properly belonging; incident; -- followed by to. [Rare, except in legal usage.]

That is the privilege of the infinite Author of things, . . . but is not competent to any finite being. Locke.

Syn. -- See Qualified.

Com"pe*tent*ly, adv. In a competent manner; adequately; suitably.

Com*pet"i*ble (?), a. Compatible; suitable; consistent. [Obs.] Sir M. Hale.

Com`pe*ti"tion (?), n. [L. competition. See Compete.] The act of seeking, or endeavoring to gain, what another is endeavoring to gain at the same time; common strife for the same objects; strife for superiority; emulous contest; rivalry, as for approbation, for a prize, or as where two or more persons are engaged in the same business and each seeking patronage; -- followed by for before the object sought, and with before the person or thing competed with.

Competition to the crown there is none, nor can be. Bacon.

A portrait, with which one of Titian's could not come in competition. Dryden.

There is no competition but for the second place. Dryden.