navigational instrument for finding directions
"The hikers consulted their compass to ensure they stayed on the correct trail through the dense forest."
an area in which something acts or operates or has power or control: "the range of a supersonic jet"
"a piano has a greater range than the human voice"
"the ambit of municipal legislation"
"within the compass of this article"
"within the scope of an investigation"
"outside the reach of the law"
"in the political orbit of a world power"
drafting instrument used for drawing circles
"The architect carefully adjusted the compass to draw a perfect circle on the blueprint."
A magnetic or electronic device used to determine the cardinal directions (usually magnetic or true north).
"The hiker checked her compass to ensure she was walking toward true north."
In plain English: A compass is an old-fashioned tool with two pointed ends used for drawing circles and measuring distances on paper.
"The sailor used his compass to find his way across the open ocean."
Usage: Use "compass" as a noun when referring to an instrument for finding direction, not as a verb meaning to travel around or encompass something else. When describing movement that goes in all directions from a center point, prefer the phrase "goes every which way" rather than using "compass" loosely.
get the meaning of something
"Do you comprehend the meaning of this letter?"
To surround; to encircle; to environ; to stretch round.
"The high walls of the fortress compassed the entire village, leaving no escape route open."
In plain English: To compass means to go around something completely by moving on all sides of it.
"The crowd will compass their path through the narrow alley to reach the exit quickly."
In a circuit; round about.
"The current flows in a compass around the battery and back through the wire."
In plain English: To compass something means to go all around it, usually by walking on every side of an area.
"She walked south with her compass in hand to find the nearest town."
The word "compass" comes from the Old French compas, which originally meant "a circle" or "circuit." It is derived from Latin roots meaning "together" and "pace," reflecting its original sense of measuring a distance by steps.