compile

American  

[kuhm-pahyl] / kəmˈpaɪl /

verb (used with object)

compiled, compiling

1. to put together (documents, selections, or other materials) in one book or work.

2. to make (a book, writing, or the like) of materials from various sources.

   to compile an anthology of plays; to compile a graph showing changes in profit.

3. to gather together.

   to compile data.

4. Computers. to translate (a computer program) from a high-level language into another language, usually machine language, using a compiler.

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compile British  

/ kəmˈpaɪl /

verb

1. to make or compose from other materials or sources

   to compile a list of names

2. to collect or gather for a book, hobby, etc

3. computing to create (a set of machine instructions) from a high-level programming language, using a compiler

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Other Word Forms

• precompile verb (used with object)
• recompile verb (used with object)
• uncompiled adjective
• well-compiled adjective

Etymology

Origin of compile

First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English, from Latin compīlāre “to rob, pillage, steal from another writer,” equivalent to com- “with” + -pīlāre, perhaps akin to pīla “column, pier,” pīlāre “to fix firmly, plant” (hence, “pile up, accumulate”); com-, pile ¹

Example Sentences

By using numbers rather than names when we compile our diary, I think they’ll feel more comfortable and it will probably be safer for all of us.

From Literature

Bobby, dog tag entwined, managed to compile an even score, with two wins, two losses, and six draws, fretting afterward that “I didn’t do too well.”

From Literature

After I clean my room, I continue to compile my enormous list of questions for the Socrates Project.

From Literature

I merely determined to compile a list of all the books I had ever read.

From Literature

Several of the island’s censors would compile a brief news digest from other daily radio bulletins.

From Literature

Related Words

• amass
• arrange
• assemble
• collect
• compose
• cull
• edit
• gather
• glean
• organize