compliment

compliment
com|pli|ment1 [ˈkɔmplımənt US ˈka:m-] n
[Date: 1600-1700; : French; Origin: Italian, from Spanish cumplimiento, from cumplir; COMPLY]
1.)
a remark that shows you admire someone or something
▪ Being compared to Abba is a great compliment.
▪ Rob Andrew had a quiet game, which is meant as a compliment .
▪ All Félix's guests paid her extravagant compliments.
▪ To Joe the greatest compliment was to be considered amusing.
2.) take sth as a compliment
to be pleased about what someone says about you, even though they may not mean to be nice
▪ They all seem to think that I ask rather cheeky questions, which I'll take as a compliment.
3.) [singular]
an action that shows you admire someone
▪ He paid MacLennan the finest compliment of all by imitating him.
compliment to
▪ It's a great compliment to the band that he came out of retirement to interview them.
4.) fish for compliments
to try to make someone say something nice about you
5.) compliments [plural]
praise or good wishes
▪ This soup is delicious; my compliments to the chef.
6.) with the compliments of sb/with our compliments
formal used by a person or company when they send or give something to you
▪ With the compliments of J. Nocuold & Son.
▪ Please accept these tickets with our compliments.
7.) the compliments of the season
old-fashioned used as a spoken or written greeting at Christmas and New Year
8.) return the compliment
to behave towards someone in the same way that they have behaved towards you
▪ They didn't take a lot of notice of me, and I returned the compliment.
9.) back-handed compliment
BrE left-handed compliment AmE
something that someone says to you which is nice and not nice at the same time
▪ 'You've got a brain. Try using it.' 'Thanks for the backhanded compliment!'
compliment 2
com|pli|ment2 [ˈkɔmplıment US ˈka:m-] v [T]
to say something nice to someone in order to praise them
compliment sb on sth
▪ Bob complimented me on my new hairstyle.
▪ The groom was so nervous he forgot to compliment the bridesmaids.

Dictionary of contemporary English. 2013.

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Synonyms:
, , , , , , , (by expressions of civility) / , , , , ,


Look at other dictionaries:

  • compliment — [ kɔ̃plimɑ̃ ] n. m. • 1604; esp. complimiento, de cumplir con alguien « être poli envers qqn » 1 ♦ Paroles louangeuses que l on adresse à qqn pour le féliciter. ⇒ congratulation, félicitation. Faire compliment (vieilli), des compliments à qqn de… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • compliment — COMPLIMENT. s. mas. Paroles civiles, obligeantes, pleines d affection ou de respect, selon les diverses personnes et les diverses rencontres. Compliment sincère. Compliment affectueux. Compliment de remercîment. Compliment de félicitation, de… …   Dictionnaire de l'Académie Française 1798

  • compliment — COMPLIMENT. s. m. Paroles civiles, obligeantes, respectueuses, que l on dit à quelqu un selon les diverses rencontres Compliment de remerciment. compliment de conjoüissance, de condoleance. compliment bien froid, bien sec. un compliment ennuyeux …   Dictionnaire de l'Académie française

  • compliment — COMPLIMÉNT, complimente, s.n. 1. Cuvânt de laudă, de măgulire, care exprimă o atitudine prietenească, de stimă, de respect sau de consideraţie. ♢ loc. adv. Fără compliment = fără exagerare, fără gândul de a măguli; pe faţă, sincer. 2. (La pl.)… …   Dicționar Român

  • compliment — n Compliment, flattery, adulation all denote praise addressed directly to a person. A compliment is a courteous expression of commendation and may be either sincere or merely formal {in the noble dedication ... to the Duchess of Ormond we have an …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • Compliment — Com pli*ment, n. [F. compliment. It complimento, fr. comlire to compliment, finish, suit, fr. L. complere to fill up. See {Complete}, and cf. {Complement}.] An expression, by word or act, of approbation, regard, confidence, civility, or… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • compliment — ► NOUN 1) an expression of praise or admiration, either in words or by an action. 2) (compliments) formal greetings. ► VERB ▪ politely congratulate or praise. ● return the compliment Cf. ↑return the compliment …   English terms dictionary

  • Compliment — Com pli*ment, v. t. To praise, flatter, or gratify, by expressions of approbation, respect, or congratulation; to make or pay a compliment to. [1913 Webster] Monarchs should their inward soul disguise; . . . Should compliment their foes and shun… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • compliment — (n.) An act, or expression of civility, usually understood to include some hypocrisy, and to mean less than it declares [Johnson], 1570s, complement, via Fr. compliment (17c.), from It. complimento expression of respect and civility, from V.L.… …   Etymology dictionary

  • Compliment — Com pli*ment, v. i. To pass compliments; to use conventional expressions of respect. [1913 Webster] I make the interlocutors, upon occasion, compliment with one another. Boyle. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • compliment — [n] praise, flattery acclaim, acclamation, admiration, adulation, applause, appreciation, approval, blessing, bouquet*, buttering up*, cajolery, commendation, comp, confirmation, congratulations, courtesy, encomium, endorsement, eulogy, favor,… …   New thesaurus

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