compass (kumpas)

[Early mod. E. also cumpa e; 1142 And in that compa all the world contains. compa tern.-10. In archery, elevation of the arrow in shooting. Well acquainted with what compa his arrows would require in their flight. Strutt , Sports and Pastimes, p. 124. Amplitude compa . See amplitude . - Azimuth com IMG:content-0908.png:[merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small] mixed chorus is about three octaves and two tones (1); but exceptional singers extend this about an octave up and down. The compa of the modern pianoforte is usually seven octaves and three tones (2). The compa of the modern orchestra is about six octaves (3). 6t. Contrivance; scheme; plotting; plan. For al hir sleight and hir compas , Acheved al his aventure. 7. An instrument used to indicate the magnetic meridian, or the direction of objects with ref- erence to that meridian. The mariners' or ship's compa consists of three parts, viz., the bowl , the card, and the needle . The bowl, which contains the card and needle, is usually a hemispherical bra receptacle, sus- pended by two concentric bra rings (called gimbals ) in such a manner that the bowl is kept in a horizontal pos i- tion, notwithstanding the motion of the ship. The circu- lar card is divided into 32 equal parts by lines drawn from the center to the circumference, the points of intersection with the circumference (or the radial lines, or rhumbs , themselves) being called the points of the compa . The intervals between the points are also divided into halves and quarters. The whole circumference is divided into 360 degrees; consequently, the angle between any two ad- joining points is 11° 15'. The four principal divisions (di- viding the circumference into four equal parts) are called the cardinal points , viz., north, east, south, and west. The names of the others are compounded of these; and if the di- rection or bearing referred to lies between any two points, quarter or half points are added, as N. E. by E. E.; or it is expre ed in degrees, as south 42° west. The needles, of which there are generally from two to four, fastened to the bottom of the card, consist either of lam inæ or layers of hard- NW byN ened steel or of MiqMN bundles of steel wire. In the cen MNM ter of the card is a conical socket Nhq M poised on an upright pin fixed in 182M the bottom of the shq bowl, so that the card hanging on the pin turns freely round its pa , a mariners' compa , OF. compas, F. center. On ship. MiqMS compas = Pr. Sp. compas = Pg. compas so, com paço = It. compas so, In myddes of that Chirche is a Compas , in the whiche Joseph of Aramathie leyde the Body of oure Lord, whan he had taken him down of the Croys: and there he wa ched the Woundes of oure Lord: and that Compas , seye men, is the myddes of the World. Mandeville , Travels, p. 79. Specifically-2t. The circle of the earth. All rounde the compas though man be sekyng, In all the worlde so noble king is noght As the kyng of Fraunce, certes, to be thought. Rom . of Partenay (E. E. T. S.), 1. 6270. 3. A pa ing round or in a circle; a circular course; a circuit; round; circumference. Men gon be the See Occean, be many Yles, unto an Yle that is clept Nacumera; that is a gret Yle and good and fayr and it is in kompas aboute more than a 1000 Myle. Mandeville, Travels, p. 196. Time is come round, And where I did begin, there shall I end; My life is run his compa . Shak ., J. C., v. 3. Taking leave of Cadenham, where we had ben long and nobly entertain'd, we went a compa into Leicestershire. Evelyn, Diary, July 31, 1654. 4. Range or extent within limits; hence, limit or boundary; limits. O Juliet, I already know thy grief; It strains me past the compa of my wits. Shak., R. and J., iv. 1. board the compa is so fixed that a black mark, called the lubber's line, coin NbyW North Nbyk NNE South SbyE SSE NE by E ENE for use in boats. - Bow-compa es, the name given to several instruments for measuring distances, describing arcs, etc., having the two legs united at the top by a bow or spring so as to tend to move apart, the distance be- tween the legs being adjusted by means of a screw and nut.-Bullet-compa es, compa es having a sphere at the end of one leg, which can be set in a hole; club-com- pa es.-Dumb compa ( naut . ), an apparatus for tak- ing bearings, consisting of a compa -card painted on wood or canvas or engraved on metal, and sometimes furnished with an alidade or sight-vanes. The point of the compa toward which the ship heads being adjusted on a line parallel with the ship's keel, the bearings of surrounding objects are easily determined. - Extended compa , in music , the range of a voice or of an instru- ment which goes beyond the ordinary limit. Fly of the mariners' compa . See fly . - Hair-compa es, com- pa es having a spring attached to the upper part of the inside of one of the legs, and pre ing outward against the lower part of the other, thus constantly tending to keep the legs apart. By means of a finely threaded screw the spring can be compre ed or relaxed with the utmost nicety, and the distance of the legs regulated to a hair's- breadth.-Millwrights' compa , a tool for laying off the dre on the face of a millstone. - Napier's compa es, draft the pocket comes havasimpa es and pencil pivoted to one leg, and a point and drawing-pen to the other. The legs are jointed so that the working ends can be folded inward when not in use. Oval compa , a compa for describing ovals; an ellipsograph. - Pair of compa es. Same as compa , 8. Proportional compa es. See proportional . - Standard compa , in a ship, a compa , generally the one used as the azi- muth compa , to which others are referred to ascertain their errors, and by which the ship is navigated. - Steer- ing-compa , a compa situated in front of the steer- ing-wheel, by which the helmsman is guided. The trine compa t, probably, the equinoctial circle and two co- lures, or or by synecdoche the universe: but the Trinity, according to Tyrwhitt; the threefold world, containing earth, sea, and heaven, according to Skeat. The Eternal Love and Pees, That of the tryne compas lord and gyde is, Whom erthe and see and heven, out of relees, Ay herien. Chaucer, Second Nun's Tale, 1. 45. To box the compa . See box2, v. - To fetch a compa , to make a circuit or detour. Landing at Syracuse, we tarried there three days. And from thence we fetched a compa , and came to Rhegium. Acts xxviii. 12, 13. To keep compa . (a) In archery, to observe a due elevation of the arrow in shooting. She'll keep a surer compa ; I have too strong a confidence to mistrust her. Ford and Dekker , Witch of Edmonton, ii. 2. (b) To keep within bounds. Nares. Some pre ed the queen, that he [the fool] should come to her, undertaking for him that he should keep compa . King James , Apothegms, 1669. Triangular compa es. See triangular . - Within compa t, within bounds. I speak much within compa ; for the Savannahs would at present feed 1000 Head of Cattle besides Goats. Dampier , Voyages, I. 88.