compliment

n.

1. An expression of praise, admiration, or congratulation.
2. A formal act of civility, courtesy, or respect.
3. compliments Good wishes; regards: Extend my compliments to your parents. See Usage Note at complement.

tr.v., -ment·ed, -ment·ing, -ments.

1. To pay a compliment to.
2. To show fondness, regard, or respect for by giving a gift or performing a favor.

[French, from Italian complimento, from Spanish cumplimiento, from cumplir, to complete, from Latin complēre, to fill up : com-, intensive pref.; see com- + plēre, to fill.]

noun

1. An expression of admiration or congratulation: commendation, congratulation (often used in plural), praise, tribute. See praise/blame.
2. An expression of warm approval: acclaim, acclamation, applause, celebration, commendation, encomium, eulogy, kudos, laudation, panegyric, plaudit, praise. See praise/blame.
3. An act requiring special generosity: beau geste, courtesy, favor. See give/take/reciprocity.

verb

1. To pay a compliment to: commend, congratulate, praise. Idioms: take off one's hat to. See praise/blame.
2. To express warm approval of: acclaim, applaud, commend, laud, praise. See praise/blame.

n

Definition: praise, flattery
Antonyms: blame, censure, complaint, criticism, denunciation, insult, libel, slander

v

Definition: praise, flatter
Antonyms: blame, censure, complain, criticize, denounce, insult, libel, slander

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IN BRIEF: To praise or make a flattering statement.

It is a greater compliment to be trusted than to be loved. — George Macdonald (1824-1905).

Tutor's tip: I had to "compliment" (express approval or praise) the chef on what an excellent "complement" (something that goes well with something else) the potatoes made to the roast beef.

Quotes:

"Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones." - Bible

"When millions applaud you seriously ask yourself what harm you have done; and when they disapprove you, what good." - Charles Caleb Colton

"The best compliment to a child or a friend is the feeling you give him that he has been set free to make his own inquiries, to come to conclusions that are right for him, whether or not they coincide with your own." - Alistair Cooke

"No compliment can be eloquent, except as an expression of indifference." - George Eliot

"Compliments cost nothing, yet many pay dear for them." - Thomas Fuller

"Nothing makes people so worthy of compliments as receiving them. One is more delightful for being told one is delightful -- just as one is more angry for being told one is angry." - Katherine F. Gerould

See more famous quotes about Compliments

Dansk (Danish)
n. - hilsen, ros, kompliment
v. tr. - rose, hædre, komplimentere

idioms:

• compliments slip    kort med navn fra giver vedhæftet gave
• with compliments    med hilsen fra

Nederlands (Dutch)
complimenteren, compliment

Français (French)
n. - compliment
v. tr. - complimenter

idioms:

• compliments slip    carte avec les sentiments de l'expéditeur
• with compliments    avec tous nos compliments
• with the compliments of    avec les compliments de

Deutsch (German)
n. - Kompliment, Grüße
v. - jmdm. Komplimente machen

idioms:

• compliments slip    Begleitzettel zu Werbegeschenken
• with compliments    mit den besten Empfehlungen
• with the compliments of    mit den besten Empfehlungen

Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - φιλοφρόνηση, κομπλιμέντο, (πληθ.) ευχές, σεβάσματα, χαιρετίσματα
v. - κολακεύω, παινεύω

idioms:

• compliments slip    σημείωμα με ευχές, ευχετήριο σημείωμα
• with compliments    με τις ευχές μας

Italiano (Italian)
complimentarsi, complimento, congratulazioni

idioms:

• compliments slip    biglietto di congratulazioni
• return the compliment    rendere il complimento
• with compliments    con gli omaggi

Português (Portuguese)
n. - cumprimento (m), elogio (m)
v. - cumprimentar, elogiar, agraciar

idioms:

• compliments slip    voucher gratuito
• return the compliment    retribuir a cortesia
• with compliments    com os cumprimentos de

Русский (Russian)
делать комплимент, поздравлять, комплимент, поздравление

idioms:

• compliments slip    печатная записка указывающая от кого
• return the compliment    вернуть комплимент, подарить получив чего-нибудь
• with compliments    с уважением

Español (Spanish)
n. - cumplido, atención, elogio, piropo
v. tr. - felicitar, cumplimentar, alabar

idioms:

• compliments slip    tarjeta comercial
• with compliments    obsequio de, gentileza o cortesía de
• with the compliments of    obsequio de, gentileza o cortesía de, con los saludos de

Svenska (Swedish)
n. - komplimang
v. - komplimentera

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
称赞, 致意, 恭维, 褒扬

idioms:

• compliments slip    赠礼便条
• with compliments    敬赠

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 稱讚, 致意, 恭維
v. tr. - 稱讚, 恭維, 褒揚

idioms:

• compliments slip    贈禮便條
• with compliments    敬贈

한국어 (Korean)
n. - 칭찬, 아첨, 축사
v. tr. - 칭찬하다, 아첨하다, 증정하다

idioms:

• with compliments    기증본에 쓰는 문구

日本語 (Japanese)
n. - 賛辞, 褒言葉, お世辞, 光栄なこと, 挨拶
v. - 賛辞を述べる, 贈呈する, 誉める

idioms:

• with compliments    謹呈

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(الاسم) ثنا, مديح, مجامله (فعل) مدح, امتدح, جامل, هنا, أثنى على‏

עברית (Hebrew)
n. - ‮מחמאה‬
v. tr. - ‮נתן מחמאה, החמיא‬

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