Com·pass·ing a. Shipbuilding Curved; bent; as, compassing timbers.
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Com·pass v. t. [imp. & p. p. Compassed p. pr. & vb. n. Compassing.]
1. To go about or entirely round; to make the circuit of.
Ye shall compass the city seven times. --Josh. vi. 4.
We the globe can compass soon. --Shak.
2. To inclose on all sides; to surround; to encircle; to environ; to invest; to besiege; -- used with about, round, around, and round about.
With terrors and with clamors compassed round. --Milton.
Now all the blessings
Of a glad father compass thee about. --Shak.
Thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round. --Luke xix. 43.
3. To reach round; to circumvent; to get within one's power; to obtain; to accomplish.
If I can check my erring love, I will:
If not, to compass her I'll use my skill. --Shak.
How can you hope to compass your designs? --Denham.
4. To curve; to bend into a circular form. [Obs. except in carpentry and shipbuilding.]
5. Law To purpose; to intend; to imagine; to plot.
Compassing and imagining the death of the king are synonymous terms; compassing signifying the purpose or design of the mind or will, and not, as in common speech, the carrying such design to effect. --Blackstone.
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