compass
2 ENTRIES FOUND:
plural
compasses
plural
compasses
Britannica Dictionary definition of COMPASS
1
[count]
:
a device that is used to find direction by means of a needle that always points north
-
He always carries a compass when he walks in the woods.
-
Guests arrived from all points of the compass. [=directions]
2
[count]
:
something that helps a person make choices about what is right, effective, etc.
-
His religion is the compass that guides him.
-
Interest rates serve as a compass for determining whether to buy or sell stocks.
-
The character in the movie had no moral compass to tell him that stealing was wrong.
3
[count]
a
:
a tool that consists of two pointed sticks joined at the top and that is used for measuring distances
— often plural
-
a pair of compasses [=dividers]
b
:
a tool that consists of a pen or pencil attached to a pointed stick and that is used for drawing circles
4
[noncount]
:
a specialized area of knowledge, skill, experience, etc.
— often used after beyond or within
-
That topic falls beyond the compass [=beyond the scope] of my research.
