“compass” in Latin

ambitus (with regard to expansion in general, e.g., of heaven and earth, caeli et terrarum: of the camp, castrorum): circuitus (with regard to width, extent, also that of any writing, voluminis, Suet., Vitr.): circumscriptio (a circle described, as it were, round anything, e.g., of the earth, terrae): complexus (with regard to the space encompassed, e.g., caeli, mundi): the great compass, magnitudo circuitus: the wide compass, latus ambitus; amplitudo: of great compass, magnus (e.g., a book, liber): of wide compass, lato ambitu; amplus: of enormous compass, vastus (also of the voice): to have a great or wide compass, habere magnum or latum ambitum; late patere (especially of a country; then, also, figuratively = to be of extensive application): in compass, in circuitu; also circuitu: the island is 25, 000 paces in compass, insula viginti quinque millia passuum circuitu patet; insula cingitur viginti quinque millibus passuum: the thing in its whole compass, res tota or universa: to have studied, or to know the whole compass of anything, rem omnem didicisse or novisse; alicujus rei peritissimum esse; to be confined within a narrow compass, to lie in a narrow compass, exiguis finibus contineri (e.g., Latini suis finibus, exiguis sane, continentur): cancelli (the boundary; figuratively the line which ought not to be passed): modus (the measure by means of which an object is limited according to space, time, and degree).

The mariner’s compass: *capsula acus magneticae (the box of a compass): *acus magnetica nautarum (the magnetic needle itself).

circumdare alicui rei aliquid or rem aliqua re: cingere aliqua re (to enclose with anything): circumstare (to stand around): circumsedere (to sit around, as it were of besiegers): stipare (to surround in masses): sepire. circumsepire (to surround with either a hedge or any work intended for a defence): amplecti: complecti (to encompass, surround on all sides), circumplecti (to inclose all round): complecti: comprehendere (physically and metaphysically to comprise).

To go round: ambire (go all around anything): obire (go round, in order to see, to inspect, etc.): circumire (go round, not to go in, therefore improper: aliquid vitabundum circumire, to avoid anything in discourse, e.g., anybody’s name, alicujus nomen, post-Augustan). To attain: consequi: assequi (overtake): adipisci (to attain, reach an object, for which one had a desire or longing): impetrare (effect or obtain what has been requested): obtinere (place one’s self in possession after obstinate resistance): by violence, exprimere, extorquere: to compass the highest power, rerum potiri.