Cŏm'pen-sāte or Com-pĕn'sāte1, v. t.
(Synop., § 130), v. t. [imp. & p. p. COMPENSATED; p. pr. & vb. n. COMPENSATING.] [Lat. compensatus, p. p. of compensare, to weigh several things with one another, to balance with one another, verb intens. from compendere. See COMPEND.] [See Note under CONTEMPLATE.]
Sense 1. To make equal return to; to remunerate; to recompense; to give an equivalent to; as, to compensate a laborer for his work, or a merchant for his losses.
Sense 2. To be equivalent in value or effect to; to counterbalance; to make amends for.
The length of the night and the dews thereof do compensate the heat of the day. Bacon.
The pleasures of life do not compensate the miseries. Prior.
For often fineness compensated size. Tennyson.
Synonyms—To recompense; remunerate; reward; requite.