Search the Dictionary

An instrument for describing circles, measuring figures, etc., consisting of two, or (rarely) more, pointed branches, or legs, usually joined at the top by a rivet on which they move.

The rim which encompasses and fastens a jewel or other object, as the crystal of a watch, in the cavity in which it is set.

A small pair of compasses, one leg of which carries a pencil, or a pen, for drawing circles. Its legs are often connected by a bow- shaped spring, instead of by a joint.

Bow-compasses carrying a drawing pen. See Bow-compass.

Bow-compasses, one leg of which carries a pencil.

Fig.: Capacity or compass of mind. Burke. Caliber compasses. See Calipers. -- Caliber rule, a gunner's calipers, an instrument having two scales arranged to determine a ball's weight from its diameter, and conversely. -- A ship's caliber, the weight of her armament.

An instrument, usually resembling a pair of dividers or compasses with curved legs, for measuring the diameter or thickness of bodies, as of work shaped in a lathe or planer, timber, masts, shot, etc.; or the bore of firearms, tubes, etc.; -- called also caliper compasses, or caliber compasses. Caliper square, a draugh…

That which encompasses or incloses; an inclosure. "Within the cincture of one wall." Bacon.

The line that goes round or encompasses a circular figure; a periphery. Millon.

A pair of compasses. [R.] To fix one foot of their compass wherever they please. Swift.

g; to draw a plan of; to delineate; to trace or mark out; as, to describe a circle by the compasses; a torch waved about the head in such a way as to describe a circle.

Relating to the measurement of the tactile sensibility of parts; as, diaphemetric compasses. Dunglison.

An instrument for dividing lines, describing circles, etc., compasses. See Compasses.

Used in making drawings; as, draught compasses.

g a part omitted; as, an elliptical phrase. Elliptic chuck. See under Chuck. -- Elliptic compasses, an instrument arranged for drawing ellipses. -- Elliptic function. (Math.) See Function. -- Elliptic integral. (Math.) See Integral. -- Elliptic polarization. See under Polarization.

or go round so as to surround closely; to encircle; to inclose; to environ; as, a ring encompasses the finger; an army encompasses a city; a voyage encompassing the world. Shak. A question may be encompassed with difficulty. C. J. Smith. The love of all thy sons encompass thee. Tennyson.

That part of a bridle or halter which encompasses the head. Shak.

and slender support on which any object rests; as, the leg of a table; the leg of pair of compasses or dividers.

problem by any art or contrivance not strictly geometrical, as by means of the ruler and compasses, or other instruments.

l to the logarithms of the natural numbers; a logarithmic scale. -- Proportional scales, compasses, dividers, etc. (Draughting), instruments used in making copies of drawings, or drawings of objects, on an enlarged or reduced scale.