compliance

American  

[kuhm-plahy-uhns] / kəmˈplaɪ əns /

noun

1. the act of conforming, acquiescing, or yielding.

2. a tendency to yield readily to others, especially in a weak and subservient way.

3. conformity; accordance.

   in compliance with orders.

4. cooperation or obedience.

   Compliance with the law is expected of all.

5. Physics.

   1. the strain of an elastic body expressed as a function of the force producing the strain.

   2. a coefficient expressing the responsiveness of a mechanical system to a periodic force.

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compliance British  

/ kəmˈplaɪəns /

noun

1. the act of complying; acquiescence

2. a disposition to yield to or comply with others

3.  C.  a measure of the ability of a mechanical system to respond to an applied vibrating force, expressed as the reciprocal of the system's stiffness

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Usage

What is compliance? Compliance is the act of conforming and yielding, as with orders or laws. It is usually used in reference to written rules and regulations or spoken commands, as from police officers or a superior.Compliance can also refer to someone’s tendency to agree, especially in a submissive way.In physics, compliance refers to a coefficient expressing something’s responsiveness or counterforce when force is applied to it.Related to that, compliance is also the strain of an elastic body expressed as a function of the force producing the strain. In other words, compliance describes how easy it is for something to pool or flow within parts of the body or flexible vessels.Example: To be in full compliance with his school’s uniform policy, Tom had to get his hair cut.

Other Word Forms

• overcompliance noun
• precompliance noun

Etymology

Origin of compliance

First recorded in 1635–45; comply + -ance

Example Sentences

Wasserman is hardly the highest-profile name mentioned in more than 3.5 million pages of documents released Jan. 30 by the Department of Justice in compliance with the Epstein Files Transparency Act.

From Los Angeles Times

Too often, my profession has chosen compliance over judgment, mistaking accommodation for care.

From The Wall Street Journal

“It is critical that examiners be allowed to evaluate banks’ safety and soundness and their compliance with applicable laws and regulations without fear or favor,” the letter said.

From The Wall Street Journal

Insurance companies have 21 days to respond when a complaint is filed, and then state compliance officers can review the record for adherence with insurance law.

From Los Angeles Times

Eric Troutman, a partner at a Southern California firm, has already told his clients that he is upping his rates to $6,000 for consulting on compliance issues in his niche specialty of telecom regulation.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• conformity
• consent