Archaic term meaning to restrain, suppress, or check something; to bring under control.
From Latin 'compescere,' combining 'com-' (together) and 'pescere' (to confine or restrict). This is an extremely rare word, appearing mainly in medieval and Renaissance texts, largely replaced by 'compel' and 'suppress' in modern usage.
This word is so archaic it's almost invisible—but seeing it reminds us that English inherited layers of Latin vocabulary at different times. Some layer (like 'compel') became common; other layers (like 'compesce') were forgotten before most modern speakers even knew they existed!
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