compendium
(kəmˈpɛndɪəm)
Pl. -ums, -a.
[a. L. compendium that which is weighed together, a sparing, saving, abbreviation, f. compend-ĕre to weigh together, f. com- + pendĕre to weigh.]
† 1. A short cut; ‘the near way’ (J.).
| 1581 Mulcaster Positions xlii. (1887) 258 [He] may perhaps wish for some way without Grammer, and couet a Compendium. |
2. a. An abridgement or condensation of a larger work or treatise, giving the sense and substance, within smaller compass.
| 1589 Nashe Pref. to Greene's Arcadia (1616) 7 These men..doe pound their capacitie in barren Compendiums. 1668 Hale Pref. Rolle's Abridgm. 5 There were an incredible number of..Volumes of their Laws; whereupon that..Prince..reduced them into a better Compendium. 1793 T. Beddoes Math. Evid. 79 The writers of compendiums of mathematics and natural philosophy. 1878 Huxley Physiogr. Pref. 6 Many highly valuable compendia of Physical Geography are extant. |
| fig. 1607 T. Walkington Opt. Glass xv. (1664) 158 Others, having but the compendium of excellency, he alone had it in the greatest volumns. |
b. An epitome, a summary, a brief.
| 1608 Middleton Fam. Love v. iii, You understand my case now? I do..here's the compendium. 1619 Drayton Legends Pref., By way of Briefe or Compendium. 1713 Guardian No. 78 Indexes and dictionaries..are the compendium of all knowledge. 1853 Herschel Pop. Lect. Sc. iv. §30 (1873) 167 Admiral Fitzroy's interesting compendium of the state of the barometer, etc. |
c. transf. and
fig. A condensed representation, an embodiment in miniature; an abstract.
| 1602 Return fr. Parnass. iii. iv. (Arb.) 44 Old Sir Raderick, that new printed compendum of all iniquity. 1634 Sir T. Herbert Trav. 231 Great Brittaine, a Compendium of the World for varietie of Excellencies. 1766 Sterne Serm. v. 112 A case..which may be looked upon as the compendium of all charity. 1863 Geo. Eliot Romola i. vi, A compendium of extravagances and incongruities. |
d. An abbreviation whereby two or more letters are expressed by a single character.
| 1833 G. S. Faber Recapit. Apost. 88 In the construction of these compendia or..contractions, the compendium {sigmatau} was framed out of the two distinct cursive letters ς and τ. |
† 3. Sparing or saving; economy of labour, space, etc.
Obs.| 1638 Wilkins New World i. (1684) 29 Shewing a Compendium of Providence, that could make the same Body a World, and a Moon. 1651 Charleton Ephes. & Cimm. Matrons ii. (1668) 71 Nor do we think that substraction a loss, but a Compendium. 1668 Wilkins Real Char. 372 Double Consonants..for the Compendium of writing, are..expressed by single Characters. a 1734 North Lives I. 248 The judges, for compendium of travel, took the first town..capable of receiving them. ― Exam. iii. x. (1740) 660 These Methods are used for Compendium. 1793 Smeaton Edystone L. §32 The manner..is herein copied, on account of the compendium thereby suggested. 1812 Woodhouse Astron. xviii. 199 The sole object of this..is compendium of calculation. |
4. a. A box, etc., containing or comprising several different games.
| c 1899 (title) Guide to the compendium of games. Comprising rules for playing—backgammon, besique, chess, [etc.]. 1960 R. C. Bell Board & Table Games vii. 172 The antique compendium of games from western India. |
b. A package of the stationery required for letter-writing.
| 1923 H. A. Maddox Dict. Stationery 20 Compendium, a line of stationery goods which was in considerable demand during the war for soldiers' use, comprising a pad of note, envelopes, and blotting. 1938 E. Bowen Death of Heart ii. iii. 215 Portia bought a compendium—lightly ruled violet paper, purple lined envelopes. 1960 K. Amis Take a Girl like You xiii. 158 He shut the compendium. |