compass

I

(New American Roget's College Thesaurus)

v. encompass, bound, surround, define, encircle; beset, besiege; reach, accomplish, effect. —n. bounds, extent, scope, area, circumference, range; gamut; needle (naut.). See direction, limit, circuit, environment, space, circumscription.

II

(Roget's IV) n.

1. [Boundary]

Syn. circumference, range, extent; see boundary , expanse , extent , range 2 .

2. [Instrument]

Syn. magnetic compass, mariner's compass, direction finder, direction guide, surveyor's compass, earth inductor, sun compass, induction compass, gyrocompass, cardinal points, radio compass, needle*; see also device 1 .

See Synonym Study at circumference , range .

III

(Roget's Thesaurus II) I noun 1. A line around a closed figure or area: ambit, circuit, circumference, perimeter, periphery. See EDGE. 2. The ability or power to seize or attain: capacity, grasp, range, reach, scope. See ABILITY. 3. An area within which something or someone exists, acts, or has influence or power: ambit, extension, extent, orbit, purview, range, reach, realm, scope, sphere, sweep, swing. See TERRITORY. II verb 1. To encircle with or as if with a band: band1, begird, belt, cincture, encompass, engirdle, gird, girdle, girt, ring1. Archaic: engird. See EDGE. 2. To shut in on all sides: begird, beset, circle, encircle, encompass, environ, gird, girdle, hedge, hem, ring1, surround. See OPEN. 3. To perceive and recognize the meaning of: accept, apprehend, catch (on), comprehend, conceive, fathom, follow, get, grasp, make out, read, see, sense, take, take in, understand. Informal: savvy. Slang: dig. Chiefly British: twig. Scots: ken. Idioms: get (or have) a handle on, get the picture. See UNDERSTAND. 4. To perceive directly with the intellect: apprehend, comprehend, fathom, grasp, know, understand. Scots: ken. See KNOWLEDGE.