n. [ F. compromis, fr. L. compromissum a mutual promise to abide by the decision of an arbiter, fr. compromittere to make such a promise; com- + promittere to promise. See Promise. ] 1. A mutual agreement to refer matters in dispute to the decision of arbitrators. [ Obs. ] Burrill. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A settlement by arbitration or by mutual consent reached by concession on both sides; a reciprocal abatement of extreme demands or rights, resulting in an agreement. [ 1913 Webster ]

But basely yielded upon compromise
That which his noble ancestors achieved with blows. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

All government, indeed every human benefit and enjoyment, every virtue and every prudent act, is founded on compromise and barter. Burke. [ 1913 Webster ]

An abhorrence of concession and compromise is a never failing characteristic of religious factions. Hallam. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A committal to something derogatory or objectionable; a prejudicial concession; a surrender; as, a compromise of character or right. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. Lamb. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Compromised p. pr. & vb. n. Compromising. ] [ From Compromise, n.; cf. Compromit. ] 1. To bind by mutual agreement; to agree. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Laban and himself were compromised
That all the eanlings which were streaked and pied
Should fall as Jacob's hire. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To adjust and settle by mutual concessions; to compound. [ 1913 Webster ]

The controversy may easily be compromised. Fuller. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. 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. [ 1913 Webster ]

To pardon all who had been compromised in the late disturbances. Motley. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. 1. To agree; to accord. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To make concession for conciliation and peace. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who compromises. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Relating to compromise. [ R. ] Chalmers. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Promised beforehand; preëngaged. Bp. Hall. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Promiscuousness; confusion. H. Spencer. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. promiscuus; pro before, in place of, for + miscere to mix. See Mix. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. Consisting of individuals united in a body or mass without order; mingled; confused; undistinguished; as, a promiscuous crowd or mass. [ 1913 Webster ]

A wild, where weeds and flowers promiscuous shoot. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Distributed or applied without order or discrimination; not restricted to an individual; common; indiscriminate; as, promiscuous love or intercourse. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In a promiscuous manner. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The quality or state of being promiscuous. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ F. promesse, L. promissum, fr. promittere, promissum, to put forth, foretell, promise; pro forward, for + mittere to send. See Mission. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. In general, a declaration, written or verbal, made by one person to another, which binds the person who makes it to do, or to forbear to do, a specified act; a declaration which gives to the person to whom it is made a right to expect or to claim the performance or forbearance of a specified act. [ 1913 Webster ]

For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise. Gal. iii. 18. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Law) An engagement by one person to another, either in words or in writing, but properly not under seal, for the performance or nonperformance of some particular thing. The word promise is used to denote the mere engagement of a person, without regard to the consideration for it, or the corresponding duty of the party to whom it is made. Chitty. Parsons. Burrill. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. That which causes hope, expectation, or assurance; especially, that which affords expectation of future distinction; as, a youth of great promise. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

My native country was full of youthful promise. W. Irving. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Bestowal, fulfillment, or grant of what is promised. [ 1913 Webster ]

He . . . commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father. Acts i. 4. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Promised p. pr. & vb. n. Promising. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. To engage to do, give, make, or to refrain from doing, giving, or making, or the like; to covenant; to engage; as, to promise a visit; to promise a cessation of hostilities; to promise the payment of money. “To promise aid.” Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To afford reason to expect; to cause hope or assurance of; as, the clouds promise rain. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To make declaration of or give assurance of, as some benefit to be conferred; to pledge or engage to bestow; as, the proprietors promised large tracts of land; the city promised a reward. [ 1913 Webster ]

Promised land. See Land of promise, under Land. --
To promise one's self. (a) To resolve; to determine; to vow. (b) To be assured; to have strong confidence. [ 1913 Webster ]

I dare promise myself you will attest the truth of all I have advanced. Rambler. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. [ 1913 Webster ]

1. To give assurance by a promise, or binding declaration. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To afford hopes or expectation; to give ground to expect good; rarely, to give reason to expect evil. [ 1913 Webster ]

Will not the ladies be afeard of the lion?
I fear it, I promise you. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Law) The person to whom a promise is made. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who promises. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Making a promise or promises; affording hope or assurance; as, promising person; a promising day. -- Prom"is*ing*ly, adv. [1913 Webster]

n. (Law) One who engages or undertakes; a promiser. Burrill. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Making a promise; implying a promise; promising. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In a promissory manner. Sir T. Browne. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Containing a promise or binding declaration of something to be done or forborne. [ 1913 Webster ]

Promissory note (Law), a written promise to pay to some person named, and at a time specified therein, or on demand, or at sight, a certain sum of money, absolutely and at all events; -- frequently called a note of hand. Kent. Byles. Story. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Not admitting of compromise; making no truce or concessions; obstinate; unyielding; inflexible. -- Un*com"pro*mi`sing*ly, adv. [1913 Webster]

v. t. [ 1st pref. un- + promise. ] To revoke or annul, as a promise. Chapman. [ 1913 Webster ]

See accommodating.
See aching.
See ailing.
See aiming.
See alarming.
See altering.
See appreciating.
See approving.
See aspiring.
See assisting.
See attempting.
See attending.
See bearing.
See befitting.
See beginning.
See believing.
See bleaching.
See bleeding.
See blemishing.
See blenching.
See blossoming.
See blushing.
See boding.
See branching.
See breathing.
See burning.
See calculating.
See ceasing.
See changing.
See charming.
See communicating.
See complaining.
See complying.
See conceiving.
See conducing.
See confessing.
See conniving.
See consenting.
See considering.
See conspiring.
See consulting.
See consuming.
See contending.
See contriving.
See conversing.
See convincing.
See dawning.
See decaying.
See delaying.
See depending.
See derogating.
See deserving.
See desiring.
See despairing.
See detesting.
See deviating.
See differencing.
See discerning.
See discording.
See discriminating.
See disobliging.
See dispensing.
See dissembling.
See dissolving.
See distinguishing.
See distracting.
See disturbing.
See doubting.
See dreading.
See drooping.
See ebbing.
See echoing.
See edifying.
See ending.
See enduring.
See engaging.
See enjoying.
See entering.
See enterprising.
See entertaining.
See envying.
See existing.
See fadging.
See fading.
See fainting.
See faltering.
See fearing.
See feigning.
See fighting.
See fitting.
See flagging.
See flattering.
See flinching.
See folding.
See forbearing.
See foreboding.
See foreseeing.
See forgiving.
See giving.
See grudging.
See harming.
See heeding.
See hesitating.
See hoping.
See hurting.
See importing.
See imposing.
See improving.
See interesting.
See intermitting.
See intoxicating.
See inviting.
See jarring.
See laboring.
See lingering.
See listening.
See loving.
See meddling.
See meriting.
See mistrusting.
See moving.
See murmuring.
See obliging.
See observing.
See offending.
See opening.
See pardoning.
See paying.
See perceiving.
See performing.
See perishing.
See pitying.
See pleasing.
See possessing.
See preaching.
See prepossessing.
See presuming.
See pretending.
See prevailing.
See prevaricating.
See profiting.
See promising.
See proving.
See quailing.
See questioning.
See reasoning.
See recalling.
See reclining.
See recurring.
See referring.
See reflecting.
See refunding.
See refusing.
See rejoicing.
See relaxing.
See relishing.
See remembering.
See repenting.
See repining.
See reproving.
See repulsing.
See resisting.
See resolving.
See resting.
See returning.
See rewarding.
See sanctifying.
See satisfying.
See searching.
See seeing.
See setting.
See shrinking.
See sinking.
See sleeping.
See slipping.
See slumbering.
See speaking.
See stinting.
See stirring.
See stooping.
See submitting.
See sufficing.
See suiting.
See surging.
See suspecting.
See sweating.
See swerving.
See sympathizing.
See tasting.
See thriving.
See tiring.
See toiling.
See trading.
See trembling.
See trespassing.
See trifling.
See vacillating.
See varying.
See walking.
See wandering.
See waning.
See wasting.
See wavering.
See weeping.
See winking.
See winning.
See withdrawing.
See withering.
See wondering.
See working.
See writing.
See yielding.
----- and the like. [ 1913 Webster ]

The above classes of words are unlimited in extent, and such compounds may be formed by any writer or speaker at will from almost all the adjectives or participles in the language, excepting those which have a recognized and usual negative correspondent with the prefix -in. No attempt will be made, therefore, to define them all in this Dictionary; many will be omitted from its Vocabulary which are negations of the simple word, and are readily explained by prefixing a not to the latter. Derivatives of these words in -ly and -ness will also, for the most part, be omitted for the same or similar reasons. [ 1913 Webster ]

There will be inserted as separate articles with definitions, the following: -- [ 1913 Webster ]

1. Those which have acquired an opposed or contrary, instead of a merely negative, meaning; as, unfriendly, ungraceful, unpalatable, unquiet, and the like; or else an intensive sense more than a prefixed not would express; as, unending, unparalleled, undisciplined, undoubted, unsafe, and the like. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Those which have the value of independent words, inasmuch as the simple words are either not used at all, or are rarely, or at least much less frequently, used; as, unavoidable, unconscionable, undeniable, unspeakable, unprecedented, unruly, and the like; or inasmuch as they are used in a different sense from the usual meaning of the primitive, or especially in one of the significations of the latter; as, unaccountable, unalloyed, unbelieving, unpretending, unreserved, and the like; or inasmuch as they are so frequently and familiarly used that they are hardly felt to be of negative origin; as, uncertain, uneven, and the like. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Those which are anomalous, provincial, or, for some other reason, not desirable to be used, and are so indicated; as, unpure for impure, unsatisfaction for dissatisfaction, unexpressible for inexpressible, and the like. [ 1913 Webster ]

II. Un- is prefixed to nouns to express the absence of, or the contrary of, that which the noun signifies; as, unbelief, unfaith, unhealth, unrest, untruth, and the like. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ Compounds of this last class are given in full in their proper order in the Vocabulary. [ 1913 Webster ]