comport

verb, noun — 4 senses

comport

verb

/kəmˈpɔː(ɹ)t/

Etymology From late Middle English comporten, from Old French comporter, from Latin comportare (“to bring together”), from com- (“together”) + portare (“to carry”).

1

Ambitransitive, Obsolete To tolerate, bear, put up (with).

  • to comport with an injury
  • The malecontented sort / That never can the present state comport.1595, Samuel Daniel, “(please specify the folio number)”, in The First Fowre Bookes of the Ciuile Wars between the Two Houses of Lancaster and Yorke, London: […] P[eter] Short for Simon Waterson, →OCLC:
2

To be in agreement (with); to be of an accord.

  • The new rules did not seem to comport with the spirit of the club.
  • How ill this dullness doth comport with greatness.1622 May 24 (licensing date; Gregorian calendar), John Fletcher, Philip Massinger, “The Prophetesse”, in Comedies and Tragedies […], London: […] Humphrey Robinson, […], and for Humphrey Moseley […], published 1647, →OCLC, Act V, scene ii:
1 more example
  • How their behaviour herein comported with the institution.a. 1705 (date written), [John Locke], “[(please specify the title)]”, in A Paraphrase and Notes on the Epistles of St. Paul […], London: […] J[ohn] H[umphreys] for Awnsham and John Churchill, […], published 17, →OCLC:
3

To behave (in a given manner).

  • She comported herself with grace.
  • Observe how Lord Somers […] comported himself.1790 November, Edmund Burke, Reflections on the Revolution in France, and on the Proceedings in Certain Societies in London Relative to that Event. […], London: […] J[ames] Dodsley, […], →OCLC:
1 more example
  • Though genial enough when she got her way, on the rare occasions when people attempted to thwart her she was apt to comport herself in a manner reminiscent of Cleopatra on one of the latter’s bad mornings.1923, P. G. Wodehouse, chapter I, in Leave It to Psmith:
Synonyms
cohere, carry oneself, bear oneself, deport oneself
Derived terms
comportable

comport

noun

Etymology From late Middle English comporten, from Old French comporter, from Latin comportare (“to bring together”), from com- (“together”) + portare (“to carry”).

1

Obsolete Manner of acting; conduct; comportment; deportment.

  • I know them well, and mark'd their rude comport.1700, [John] Dryden, “Ceyx and Alcyone”, in Fables Ancient and Modern; […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC:
  • Personal virtues can be symbolic of capital—e.g., comport and charm as marks of “good” breeding—but to be a “celebrity” or “surgeon” or “professor” requires specific forms of capital.2022, W. David Marx, chapter 1, in Status and Culture, Viking, →ISBN:

Entry derived from the Wiktionary, under licence CC BY-SA 4.0 — list of authors.

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