compromise
English
Etymology
From Middle French compromis, from Medieval Latin, Late Latin compromissum (“a compromise, originally a mutual promise to refer to arbitration”), prop. neuter of Latin compromissus, past participle of compromittere (“to make a mutual promise to abide by the decision of an arbiter”), from com- (“together”) + promittere (“to promise”); see promise.
Pronunciation
Audio (UK) (file) - Rhymes: -aɪz
- (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˈkɒmpɹəˌmaɪz/
- (General American) IPA(key): /ˈkɑmpɹəˌmaɪz/
Audio (US) (file)
Noun
compromise (countable and uncountable, plural compromises)
- The settlement of differences by arbitration or by consent reached by mutual concessions.
- 1595 December 9 (first known performance), William Shakespeare, “The life and death of King Richard the Second”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, OCLC 606515358, (please specify the act number in uppercase Roman numerals, and the scene number in lowercase Roman numerals):
- But basely yielded upon compromise / That which his noble ancestors achieved with blows.
- 1775, Edmund Burke, Conciliation with America
- All government, indeed every human benefit and enjoyment, every virtue and every prudent act, is founded on compromise and barter.
- 1827, Henry Hallam, The Constitutional History of England from the Accession of Henry VII. to the Death of George II. […], volume (please specify |volume=I or II), London: John Murray, […], OCLC 156165476:
- An abhorrence of concession and compromise is a never failing characteristic of religious factions.
- 2021 June 30, Philip Haigh, “Regional trains squeezed as ECML congestion heads north”, in RAIL, number 934, page 53:
- That's the nature of compromises. They truly satisfy no one.
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- A committal to something derogatory or objectionable; a prejudicial concession; a surrender.
- a compromise of character or right
- 1823, Charles Lamb, Modern Gallantry
- I was determined not to accept any fine speeches, to the compromise of that sex the belonging to which was, after all, my strongest claim and title to them.
- (computer security) A breach of a computer or network's rules such that an unauthorized disclosure or loss of sensitive information may have occurred, or the unauthorized disclosure or loss itself.
Related terms
- promise
Translations
settlement of differences by arbitration or by consent reached by mutual concessions
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Further reading
- compromise in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
- compromise in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911
Verb
compromise (third-person singular simple present compromises, present participle compromising, simple past and past participle compromised)
- (transitive, intransitive) To bind by mutual agreement.
- c. 1596–1598 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Merchant of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, OCLC 606515358, [Act I, scene ii]:
- Laban and himself were compromised / That all the eanlings which were streaked and pied / Should fall as Jacob's hire.
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- To adjust and settle by mutual concessions; to compound.
- Synonym: split the difference
- a. 1662 (date written), Thomas Fuller, The History of the Worthies of England, London: […] J[ohn] G[rismond,] W[illiam] L[eybourne] and W[illiam] G[odbid], published 1662, OCLC 418859860:
- The controversy may easily be compromised.
- (intransitive) To find a way between extremes.
- To pledge by some act or declaration; to endanger the life, reputation, etc., of, by some act which can not be recalled; to expose to suspicion.
- 1856, John Lothrop Motley, The Rise of the Dutch Republic. A History. […], volume (please specify |volume=I to III), New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers, […], OCLC 1138660207:
- to pardon all who had been compromised in the late disturbances
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- (transitive) To cause impairment of.
- (transitive) To breach (a security system).
- They tried to compromise the security in the computer by guessing the password.
Derived terms
- anticompromise
- compromisable
- compromisation
- compromise rules
- compromiser
- compromising (adjective)
Translations
to bind by mutual agreement
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to adjust and settle by mutual concessions
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to pledge by some act or declaration
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to breach a security system
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- The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.
Translations to be checked
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Further reading
Compromise in the Encyclopædia Britannica (11th edition, 1911)
Anagrams
- micropoems
Italian
Verb
compromise
- third-person singular past historic of compromettere