▪ I. † compt, a. Obs.
[ad. L. compt-us, pa. pple. of cōm-ĕre to bring together, comb (the hair), adorn.]
Dressed, as to the hair; more gen., trim, spruce, polished.
| c 1400 [see compert a.]. 1600 Abp. Abbot Exp. Jonah 592 Who is not much more careful of the grace of his head then of his health, who maketh not more account to be compt then to be honest? 1632 Vicars æneid (N.), A compt, accomplished prince. a 1693 Urquhart Rabelais iii. xiv. 118 My Wife will be jocund, feat, compt. |
b. Of discourse or style: Elegant. [So in L.]
| 1617 J. Fosbroke Eng. Warning (1633) 2 A compt stile and filed phrase of speech. 1652 Pref. Verses Benlowes' Theoph., Our ravisht souls to recreate with delight..of compt discourse. 1670 Baxter Cure Ch. Div. 53 The expressions ready, orderly or compt. |
c. transf. of things.
| 1675 Evelyn Terra (1729) 39 Leaving the Surface rough, rather than too compt and exquisitely trimm'd, if only you dig your Ground. |
Hence † ˈcomptly adv., in a compt manner; † ˈcomptness, compt quality or state, trimness.
| 1611 Cotgr., Cointement, quaintly, comptly, finely, sprucely. ― Cointise, quaintnes, comptnes, neatnes, trimnes. 1634 Pref. Verses to W. Wood's New Eng. Prosp., Much Knowledge in so small roome comptly plac't. 1640 G. Watts tr. Bacon's Adv. Learn. 27 Many affected..Comptnesse of stile. |
▪ II. compt, comptable etc.:
see count, etc.