different between comply vs complaisant

English

Etymology

From Italian complire, Catalan complir (“to complete, fulfil; to carry out”), Spanish cumplir (“to complete, fulfil”), from Latin compl?re, from comple? (“to finish, complete; to fulfil”), from com- (prefix indicating completeness of an act) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *?óm (“beside, near; by, with”)) + ple? (“to fill; to fulfil”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *pleh?- (“to fill”)). More likely from Old French compli, past participle of complir "to accomplish, fulfill, carry out," from Vulgar Latin *complire, from Latin complere "to fill up," transferred to "fulfill, finish (a task)," from com-, here probably as an intensive prefix (see com-), + plere "to fill" (from PIE root *pele- (1) "to fill")https://www.etymonline.com/word/comply. The word is very close to the French verb "complaire" which means to satisfy or to please. The word is also cognate with Old French complir (“to accomplish, complete; to do”) (modern French accomplir (“to accomplish, achieve”)). Compare complete, compliment.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation, General American) IPA^(key): /k?m?pla?/
• Rhymes: -a?
• Hyphenation: com?ply

Verb

comply (third-person singular simple present complies, present participle complying, simple past and past participle complied)

1. To yield assent; to accord; to acquiesce, agree, consent; to adapt oneself, to conform.

   Synonyms: give way; see also Thesaurus:accede

   Antonym: violate

   • 1663, John Tillotson, The Wisdom of being Religious

     That the generality of the Philo?ophers and wi?e men of all Nations and Ages, did di??ent from the multitude in the?e things. They believed but one Supreme Deity, which with re?pect to the various benefits men received from him, had ?everal titles be?towed upon him. And although they did ?ervilely comply with the people in wor?hipping God by ?en?ible images and repre?entations, yet it appears by their writings that they de?pi?ed this way of wor?hip as ?uper?titous and un?uitable to the nature of God.
2. (archaic) To accomplish, to fulfil. [from late 16th c.]

   Synonyms: carry out, consummate
3. (archaic) To be ceremoniously courteous; to make one's compliments.
4. (archaic) To enfold; to embrace.

Usage notes

The word is usually followed by with.

Derived terms

Related terms

• accomplish
• complete
• compliment

Translations

References

Anagrams

• clompy

English

Etymology

From French complaisant (“willing to please”), from complaire, from Latin complac?re, present active infinitive of complace? (“please well”), from com- (“with”) + place? (“please”).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /k?m?ple?s?nt/
• Homophone: complacent
• (US) IPA^(key): /k?m?ple?s?nt/, /k?m?ple?z?nt/

Adjective

complaisant (comparative more complaisant, superlative most complaisant)

1. Compliant.
2. Willing to do what pleases others; obliging.
3. (archaic) Polite; showing respect.

Usage notes

• Complaisant should not be confused with its homophone, complacent.

Derived terms

• complaisantly

Related terms

• complaisance

Translations

French

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /k??.pl?.z??/

Verb

complaisant

1. present participle of complaire

Adjective

complaisant (feminine singular complaisante, masculine plural complaisants, feminine plural complaisantes)

1. complaisant, obliging, eager to please

Derived terms

• mari complaisant

Further reading

• “complaisant” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).