[ad. L. commensūrāt-us (Boeth.), f. com- together + mensūrāt-us measured, f. mensūrāre to measure: see COMMENSURABLE.]
1. Having the same measure; of equal extent, duration, or magnitude; coextensive. Const. with.
1641. J. Jackson, True Evang. T., I. 57. He … whose actions are exactly commensurate with equity and justice.
1666. J. Smith, Old Age, 191 (T.). An age, a certain long space of time, that is commensurate with the duration of the thing that is spoken of.
a. 1742. Bentley (J.). Matter and gravity are always commensurate.
1833. Macaulay, Burleigh, Ess. (1851), I. 224. The life of Burleigh was commensurate with one of the most important periods.
1855. Milman, Lat. Chr. (1864), II. 5. Christendom and … the Roman Empire, according to his notions commensurate.
a. 1862. Buckle, Misc. Wks., I. 2. In modern Europe, the influence of women and the spread of civilization have been nearly commensurate, both advancing with almost equal speed.
† b. Formerly also with to. Obs.
1660. Ingelo, Bentiv. & Ur. (1682), II. 201. Having a Duration … commensurate to Eternity.
1696. Whiston, Th. Earth, II. (1722), 162. The Solar Year, and the Lunar Year too, were exactly commensurate to one another.
1713. Derham, Phys.-Theol., 10, note. If the Fish … be of equal Weight to the Water, that is Commensurate to the Bulk of it, the Fish will rest there.
1750. Johnson, Rambler, No. 71, ¶ 14. The duties of life are commensurate to its duration.
2. Of corresponding extent, magnitude, or degree; proportionate, adequate. Const. to, also with.
1649. Hammond, Serm., Wks. 1684, IV. 554. That our hope be but commensurate to our sincerity.
1660. W. Secker, Nonsuch, Prof. 15. A drop of praises is not commensurate to a sea of favours.
1691. Ray, Creation (1714), 157. The necks of Birds and Quadrupeds are commensurate to their legs.
1790. Burke, Fr. Rev., 95. You know how it can act when its power is commensurate to its will.
1839. G. P. R. James, Louis XIV., II. 374. To assist him with a force at all commensurate to the undertaking.
1863. Tyndall, Heat, iii. 59. If we have firmness to imitate his [Newton’s] example, we shall, no doubt, reap a commensurate reward.
1873. Cook, Job (Speaker’s Comm.), IV. 3/2. Prosperity and misery are not always … commensurate with man’s deserts.
† 3. Corresponding in nature (with, to); belonging to the same sphere or realm of things. Obs.
1643. Milton, Divorce, II. iii. (1851), 68. Herein he … judges and is judg’d, measures and is commensurat to the right reason.
1674. Govt. Tongue (J.). By the mediation of some organ equally commensurate to soul and body.
1678. Cudworth, Intell. Syst., 15. Plato adds … that according to Empedocles, the Definition of Colour was this, ἀροῤῤοὴ σχημάτων όψει σύμμετρος καὶ αἰσθητὸς, The Defluxion of Figures … Commensurate to the Sight and Sensible.
1875. Jowett, Plato (ed. 2), I. 276. Colour is an effluence of form, commensurate with sight, and sensible.
4. Characterized by a common measure; = COMMENSURABLE 1. rare.
1690. Locke, Ham. Und., I. xvii. We can … have no positive idea of any space or duration … not made up, and commensurate to repeated numbers of feet or yards, or days, and years, which are the common measures.
1788. Priestley, Lect. Hist., III. xiii. 107. Were these three periods commensurate to one another, that is, did a month consist of any equal number of days and the year of a certain number of lunar months.
1833. Herschel, Astron., xi. 346. The mean motions of no two planets are exactly commensurate.
