compound a crime

transitive verb

1. to mix or combine
2. to make by combining parts or elements
3. to settle by mutual agreement; specif., to settle (a debt) by a compromise payment of less than the total claim
4. to compute (interest) on the sum of the principal and the accumulated interest which has accrued at regular intervals: interest compounded semiannually
5. to increase or intensify by adding new elements: to compound a problem

Origin: ME compounen < OFr compon(d)re, to arrange, direct < L componere, to put together: see composite

intransitive verb

1. to agree
2. to compromise with a creditor
3. to combine and form a compound

adjective

noun

1. a thing formed by the mixture or combination of two or more parts or elements
2. a substance containing two or more elements chemically combined in fixed proportions
3. a word composed of two or more base morphemes, whether hyphenated or not: English compounds are usually distinguished from phrases by reduced stress on one of the elements and by changes in meaning (Ex.: blackʹbird, blackʹ birdʹ; grandʹ-aunt, grandʹ auntʹ)