a. [a. F. compatible, ad. med.L. compatibilis (as in beneficium compatibile, i.e., one that can be held along with another, Du Cange), f. compati to suffer with (see COMPASSION).
Dr. Johnson thought this word a corruption of COMPETIBLE, which ‘is found in good authors, and ought always to be used.’ The quotations, however, show that the meanings of the two words were different from the beginning, and that COMPATIBLE was the older word. Confusion seems to have taken place later: see 2 c.]
† 1. Participating in suffering; sympathetic. Obs.
1490. Caxton, Eneydos, xxii. (1890), 78. Ye remembraunce greued hym ryght sorowfully by incytacion compatyble whiche admonnesteth hym to socoure this dolant lady.
1605. Bacon, Adv. Learning, II. ix. § 3. The Infant in the mothers wombe is compatible with the mother, and yet separable.
1618. Mynshul, Ess. Prison, 33. A compatible commiseration of those, who I know lye groaning under it.
2. Mutually tolerant; capable of being admitted together, or of existing together in the same subject; accordant, consistent, congruous, agreeable.
1532. More, Confut. Tindale, Wks. 485/1. Wedlocke and priesthod be not repugnant but compatible of their nature.
1563–87. Foxe, A. & M., 328 (R.). But those formes which are so distracted, that they be not contrarie but disalike: are compatible in one subiect, as quantitie and qualitie.
1589. Puttenham, Eng. Poesie, III. iv. (Arb.), 160. Many other like words borrowed out of the Latin and French, were not so well to be allowed by vs, as these words … compatible, for agreeable in nature.
1611. Cotgr., Compatible, compatible, concurrable; which can abide, or agree together; or indure, or beare with, one another.
1636. Healey, Theophrast., Oligarchy, 91. If any do them affront or iniurie, He and I (say they) are not compatible in this City.
1725. Pope, View Epic Poem, etc., § vi., in Odyss. I. xxxii. For the making up this Union, our Poets have join’d together such Qualities as are by nature the most compatible; Valour with Anger, Meekness with Piety, and Prudence with Dissimulation.
1754. Richardson, Grandison, I. xxxvi. 259. Can friendship and reserve be compatible?
1884. Contemp. Rev., Oct., 524. It develops … all sorts of energies and capacities … with all compatible fulness and efficiency.
b. Const. with.
1641. Baker, Chron., Edw. III., an. 1347 (1670), 126/2. The King refuseth to accept it, as being an honour out of his way, and scarce compatible with his State at home.
1688. Miége, Fr. Dict., s.v. Heat is compatible with Moisture.
1794. Ld. Auckland’s Corr. (1862), III. 196. Every reform that was compatible … with order and good government.
1855. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., III. 549. He did not think it compatible with his personal dignity.
† c. Const. to. Obs. (In this const. confused with COMPETIBLE: cf. esp. quots. 1668, 1714.)
1623. Jas. I., Answ. Parl., in Rushw., Hist. Coll. (1659), I. 127. A fault in my discretion scarce compatible to the love and trust I bear him.
1668. Howe, Bless. Righteous (1825), 88. A pleasure compatible to a creature.
1690. Locke, Hum. Und., II. xiii. § 13. Neither of these ways of Separation … is, as I think, compatible to pure Space.
1699. Sharp, Serm. (1738), II. iii. 75. We have not only all the Proofs of Genuineness of those Writings, that can be given for any other Writings, which are the most unquestioned in the World; but this over and above, which is compatible to none but these.
3. Of benefices: Capable of being held together.
1559. in Strype, Ann. Ref., I. xiv. 186. Being presented to such churches compatible, over and above his principal cure.
1872. O. Shipley, Gloss. Eccl. Terms, 65.
