01 n. That which fills up or completes; the quantity or number required to fill a thing or make it complete.
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1.
That which fills up or completes; the quantity or number required to fill a thing or make it complete.
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2.
That which is required to supply a deficiency, or to complete a symmetrical whole.“History is the complement of poetry.” — Sir J. Stephen.
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3.
Full quantity, number, or amount; a complete set; completeness.“To exceed his complement and number appointed him which was one hundred and twenty persons.” — Hakluyt.
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4.
A second quantity added to a given quantity to make it equal to a third given quantity.(Math.)
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5.
Something added for ornamentation; an accessory.[Obs.]“Without vain art or curious complements.” — Spenser.
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6.
The whole working force of a vessel.(Naut.)
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7.
The interval wanting to complete the octave; -- the fourth is the complement of the fifth, the sixth of the third.(Mus.)
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8.
A compliment.[Obs.]
Phrases & compounds
Arithmetical compliment of a logarithm —
See under Logarithm.
Arithmetical complement of a number —
the difference between that number and the next higher power of 10; as, 4 is the complement of 6, and 16 of 84.
Complement of an arc —
the difference between that arc or angle and 90°.
Complement of a parallelogram —
See Gnomon.
In her complement —
said of the moon when represented as full.