Part 416

Com*pul"sa*tive*ly, adv. By compulsion. [R.]

Com*pul"sa*to*ry (?), a. Operating with force; compelling; forcing; constraining; resulting from, or enforced by, compulsion. [R.]

To recover of us, by strong hand And terms compulsatory, those foresaid lands. Shak.

Com*pul"sion (?), n. [L. compulsio. See Compel.] The act of compelling, or the state of being compelled; the act of driving or urging by force or by physical or moral constraint; subjection to force.

If reasons were as plentiful as blackberries, I would give no man a reason upon compulsion. Shak.

With what compulsion and laborious flight We sunk thus low. Milton.

Syn. -- See Constraint.

Com*pul"sive (?), a. Having power to compel; exercising or applying compulsion.

Religion is . . . inconsistent with all compulsive motives. Sharp.

Com*pul"sive*ly, adv. By compulsion; by force.

Com*pul"so*ri*ly (?), adv. In a compulsory manner; by force or constraint.

Com*pul"so*ry (?), a. [LL. compulsorius.] 1. Having the power of compulsion; constraining.

2. Obligatory; enjoined by authority; necessary; due to compulsion.

This contribution threatening to fall infinitely short of their hopes, they soon made it compulsory. Burke.

Com*punct" (?), a. [LL. compunctus, p. p.] Affected with compunction; conscience-stricken. [Obs.]

Com*punc"tion (?), n. [OF. compunction, F. componction, L. compunctio, fr. compungere, compunctum, to prick; com- + pungere to prick, sting. See Pungent.] 1. A pricking; stimulation. [Obs.]

That acid and piercing spirit which, with such activity and compunction, invadeth the brains and nostrils. Sir T. Browne.

2. A picking of heart; poignant grief proceeding from a sense of guilt or consciousness of causing pain; the sting of conscience.

He acknowledged his disloyalty to the king, with expressions of great compunction. Clarendon.

Syn. -- Compunction, Remorse, Contrition. Remorse is anguish of soul under a sense of guilt or consciousness of having offended God or brought evil upon one's self or others. Compunction is the pain occasioned by a wounded and awakened conscience. Neither of them implies true contrition, which denotes self-condemnation, humiliation, and repentance. We speak of the gnawings of remorse; of compunction for a specific act of transgression; of deep contrition in view of our past lives. See Regret.

Com*punc"tion*less, a. Without compunction.

Com*punc"tious (?), a. Of the nature of compunction; caused by conscience; attended with, or causing, compunction.

That no compunctious visitings of nature Shake my fell purpose. Shak.

Com*punc"tious*ly, adv. With compunction.

Com*punc"tive (?), a. Sensitive in respect of wrongdoing; conscientious. [Obs.] Jer. Taylor.

Com`pur*ga"tion (?), n. [L. compurgatio, fr. compurgare to purify wholly; com- + purgare to make pure. See Purge, v. t.] 1. (Law) The act or practice of justifying or confirming a man's veracity by the oath of others; -- called also wager of law. See Purgation; also Wager of law, under Wager.

2. Exculpation by testimony to one's veracity or innocence.

He was privileged from his childhood from suspicion of incontinency and needed no compurgation. Bp. Hacket.