US /kəmˈplaɪ/ UK /kəmˈplaɪ/
verb Freq #11858

Meanings

  1. 1
    verb

    To do what a rule, order, or request demands.

    All drivers must comply with the new speed limits.

Thesaurus

Synonyms
1 verb · to do what a rule, order,... followagreeaccedeyieldconform
Word family
Forms compliedcompliescomplying
Derived forms compliablecompliancecompliancycompliantcompliercomplyinglyrecomplywilco

Etymology

From Italian complire, Catalan complir (“to complete, fulfil; to carry out”), Spanish cumplir (“to complete, fulfil”), (alternatively from Old French compli), from Latin complēre, from compleō (“to finish, complete; to fulfil”), from com- (prefix indicating completeness of an act) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ḱóm (“beside, near; by, with”)) + pleō (“to fill; to fulfil”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *pleh₁- (“to fill”)). The word is very close to the French verb complaire which means to satisfy or to please. The word is also cognate with Old French complir (“to accomplish, comp…

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Topics

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