Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
The Collaborative International Dictionary
Compromise \Com"pro*mise\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Compromised; p. pr. & vb. n. Compromising.] [From Compromise, n.; cf. Compromit.]
-
To bind by mutual agreement; to agree. [Obs.]
Laban and himself were compromised That all the eanlings which were streaked and pied Should fall as Jacob's hire.
--Shak. -
To adjust and settle by mutual concessions; to compound.
The controversy may easily be compromised.
--Fuller. -
To pledge by some act or declaration; to endanger the life, reputation, etc., of, by some act which can not be recalled; to expose to suspicion.
To pardon all who had been compromised in the late disturbances.
--Motley.
Wiktionary
1 Willing or able to compromise 2 vulnerable to suspicion v
(present participle of compromise English)
WordNet
adj. making or willing to make concessions; "loneliness tore through him...whenever he thought of...even the compromising Louis du Tillet" [syn: conciliatory, flexible] [ant: uncompromising]
vulnerable to danger especially of discredit or suspicion; "she found herself in a compromising situation"
Usage examples of "compromising".
Then seating herself beside it, with the gesture of a queen and the grace of a Parisienne, she had spread the ample folds of her skirts over the compromising case, hiding it entirely from view.
The comedy could not be kept up through another visit from them, and while the compromising letter-case remained in Déroulède's private study he was in imminent danger at the hands of his enemy.
She had, of course, no time to examine it more closely, but instinct naturally told her that it was of a highly compromising character.
First she poured the oil over the fragments of paper in the ash-pan, then with the wick she set fire to the whole compromising correspondence.
All that was compromising to Déroulède was effectually reduced to dust.
As a matter of fact, the opportunity to send an agent to obtain badly needed supplies-one who could do so safely and without arousing the suspicions of the company authorities-had been the determining factor in the Governor's unprecedented decision to risk compromising the secrets of his constituency.
Now, should any letters or other documents of a compromising character be found upon him, will it not be taken for granted that all who uphold him are his accomplices?
At these words he rose, and put off his frock-coat and cravat, went towards a table on which lay his son's toilet articles, lathered his face, took a razor, and, with a firm hand, cut off the compromising whiskers.
Then he said to himself, "I must put this to the test, but without compromising anybody.
Doubtless Signor Pastrini found this pleasantry compromising, for he only answered half the question, and then he spoke to Franz, as the only one likely to listen with attention.
Then there will be no blood, no groans, no convulsions, and above all, no consciousness of that horrid and compromising moment of accomplishing the act, -- then one escapes the clutch of the human law, which says, `Do not disturb society!
But why has she preserved these others, compromising enough in themselves?
She is determined to save him, at the risk even of compromising her reputation.
This compromising letter happened to be very conveniently in Claire's pocket.
More, the method he had chosen to attain it, compromising her without physically possessing her, had been relatively humane.