Library / English Dictionary

COMPLY

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

Irregular inflected form: complied   

 I. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Act in accordance with someone's rules, commands, or wishes

Example:

abide by the rules

Synonyms:

abide by; comply; follow

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Hypernyms (to "comply" is one way to...):

obey (be obedient to)

Verb group:

follow; stick to; stick with (keep to)

adopt; espouse; follow (choose and follow; as of theories, ideas, policies, strategies or plans)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "comply"):

accommodate; oblige (provide a service or favor for someone)

toe the line (do what is expected)

conform to (observe)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s PP

Derivation:

compliance (acting according to certain accepted standards)

compliancy (a disposition or tendency to yield to the will of others)

compliant (inclined to comply)

Credits

 Context examples: 

These are conditions which, considering everything, I had no hesitation in complying with, as far as I thought myself privileged, for you.

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)

She could not be complying, she dreaded being quarrelsome; her heroism reached only to silence.

(Emma, by Jane Austen)

Young folks in their situation should be excused complying with the common forms.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)

You don’t comply with the conditions if you budge from the office during that time.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

The authors of this study observed that higher levels of physical activity at a moderate–vigorous intensity and complying with the specific physical activity recommendations for this population during the first weeks of pregnancy were associated with lower concentrations of interleukin 1β and interferon-γ and higher levels of interleukin 8.

(A new study highlights the importance of undertaking physical activity of moderate–vigorous intensity during the early weeks of pregnancy, University of Granada)

Who knows? you may have to sail with me for a time, he said, quite softly, with a silken threat that belied the softness, as they moved slowly to comply, and we might as well start with a friendly understanding.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

Catherine, in some amazement, complied, and after remaining a few moments silent, was on the point of reverting to what interested her at that time rather more than anything else in the world, Laurentina's skeleton, when her friend prevented her, by saying, For heaven's sake!

(Northanger Abbey, by Jane Austen)

I thought it best to comply with their proposal.

(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)

I hastened to comply with his friendly suggestion, and opening Peggotty's purse, turned it upside down into his hand.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

You will barely have time to shake the New Year’s glitter from your hair—it will seem everyone needs you, and you’ll be happy to comply.

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)