compact
Definitions
Taking up little space because parts are packed closely together; small and dense.
紧凑的；小巧的；密实的
To press something firmly into a smaller, denser mass.
压紧；压实
A formal agreement or contract between parties.
契约；协议
A small flat case holding face powder and a mirror.
粉盒
Root Breakdown
Root-derivedcom- (together) + pact (from pangere, 'press, fix') = 'pressed firmly together.' Everything compact is squeezed into a tight whole: a compact car is small because nothing is wasted; to compact soil is to press it dense; a compact (agreement) is terms struck together; a powder compact snaps shut tight.
Root pack still carries 11 more wordsWhy It Means This
compact looks like several unrelated words but all are 'pressed together.' The adjective (small, dense) is the everyday one — a compact apartment fits everything into little space. The verb (com-PACT, stress shifts) means to crush into a denser mass. The noun 'agreement' (the Mayflower Compact) is a deal 'struck together' — the same fixing sense as pact. And a makeup compact is named for its tight little hinged case. One image, four faces.
Usage Guide
- Stress by part of speech: adjective and noun are COM-pact (a COMpact car, a COMpact disc); the verb is com-PACT (the roller comPACTs the gravel).
- 'Compact' the agreement is formal/legal and chiefly American (an interstate compact); elsewhere 'pact' or 'agreement' is more usual.
- compact disc (CD) literally = a disc whose data is packed densely.
Example Sentences
- 1.
We rented a compact car to make city parking easier.
- 2.
The machine compacts the trash so the bin holds more.
- 3.
The two nations signed a compact to protect the shared river.
- 4.
She pulled a compact from her bag to check her makeup.
Easily Confused
compact vs concise — both mean 'small without waste,' but compact is about physical or structural tightness (a compact camera, a compact layout), while concise is only about language being short and clear (a concise report). A camera is compact, not concise; an essay is concise, not compact.