To give equal value to; to recompense; to give an equivalent for services, or an amount lost or bestowed; to return or bestow that which makes good a loss, or is estimated a sufficient remuneration; as, to compensate a laborer for his work, or a merchant for his losses.

To be equivalent in value or effect to; to counterbalance; to make amends for. The length of the night and the dews do compensate the heat of the day. The pleasures of sin never compensate the sinner for the miseries he suffers, even in this life.

To make amends; to supply an equivalent; followed by for. Nothing can compensate for the loss of reputation. This word is generally accented on the second syllable, most unfortunately, as any ear will determine by the feebleness of the last syllables n the participles, compensated. Each seeming want compensated of course. With the primary accent on the first syllable and the secondary accent on the third, this defect and the difficulty of uttering distinctly the last syllables are remedied.