compesce

C3O1M3P3E1S1C3E1
/kəmˈpɛs/

verb

To keep in check; to restrain or hold down

OriginLatin compēscō →
Scrabble 16
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Meanings

verbcompesce (third-person singular simple present compesces, present participle compescing, simple past and past participle compesced)

present singular third person compesces · participle present compescing · participle past compesced · past compesced

  1. obsoletetransitiveTo keep in check; to restrain or hold down

    And has coerced and compesced them (all that did not contrive to desert) into soldierly obedience[.]

    1858, Thomas Carlyle, History of Friedrich II of Prussia

Origin

  1. Latincompēscō“to restrain”
  2. Englishcompesce

Latin compēscō (“to restrain”).

More words from Latin

Full word history & related roots →

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with compesce

saddressaccesspressprocessyeslessexpresssuccessunlesscongressguessdressstressexcessSMSassesschessmessblesspossessdistressnessWes
All rhymes →
Cite this entry
APA

compesce. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/compesce

MLA

“compesce.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/compesce. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “compesce,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/compesce.

Source: compesce on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.