▪ I. compère, n.
(‖ kɔ̃pɛr, ˈkɒmpɛə(r))
Also 8, 20 compere.
[F. compère, a godfather in relation to the godmother, and to the actual father and mother of a child; hence, male gossip, fellow, familiar, intimate:—L. compater: cf. comperage, compeer 2.]
† 1. A male friend or familiar acquaintance. Obs.
| 1738 Common Sense (1739) II. 151 In France, there was scarce an Old Gentleman..without a Mistress, nor a Married Woman who had not her Compere as well as her Galant. |
2. The organizer or general director of a musical or vaudeville entertainment; now esp. one whose role in an entertainment on the stage, radio, etc., is to introduce the performers to the audience and provide a linking commentary between the acts.
| 1914, 1916 [see commère 2]. 1928 Weekly Dispatch 24 June 15 The genial Davy Burnaby seems to be quite content as a cabaret compère. He has got together a company for the underground grill of the Piccadilly. 1932 BBC Year-bk. 199 In the Charlot shows..the compère reigned supreme. 1955 Times 12 May 11/4 ‘Breezy’ is another dangerous adjective,..suggesting one who will act as a televisionary compère to the whole society. |
▪ II. compère, v.
(‖ kɔ̃pɛr, ˈkɒmpɛə(r))
[f. the n.]
trans. and intr. To act as compère (for an entertainment).
| 1933 Radio Times 25 Aug. 414/3 André Charlot..will compére Charlot's Review in mid-September. 1938 Eng. Studien LXXII. 330 Mr. Steve Geray compères and announces everything in his amusingly inadequate English. 1954 A. Heckstall-Smith 18 Months v. 67 He was always ready to don a seedy frock coat and compère a prison concert, telling stories between the acts. 1957 Observer 20 Oct. 16/3 Patrick O'Donovan, in Monday's Panorama, compèred with artful relaxedness, and no gush, a film of Washington. 1965 G. Melly Owning-Up xv. 192 The first year I compèred and sang a spot with Chris Barber. |
Hence ˈcompèring vbl. n., the action or duties of a compère.
| 1959 Observer 7 June 22/7 The compèring was either too arch or too flat. 1964 Hall & Whannel Pop. Arts ii. x. 285 A shift..to pantomime, compèring and straight drama. |