4  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Complement  \Com"ple*ment\,  n.  [L.  complementun:  cf  F. 
  compl['e]ment.  See  {Complete},  v.  t.,  and  cf  {Compliment}.] 
  1.  That  which  fills  up  or  completes;  the  quantity  or  number 
  required  to  fill  a  thing  or  make  it  complete. 
 
  2.  That  which  is  required  to  supply  a  deficiency,  or  to 
  complete  a  symmetrical  whole. 
 
  History  is  the  complement  of  poetry.  --Sir  J. 
  Stephen. 
 
  3.  Full  quantity,  number,  or  amount;  a  complete  set 
  completeness. 
 
  To  exceed  his  complement  and  number  appointed  him 
  which  was  one  hundred  and  twenty  persons.  --Hakluyt. 
 
  4.  (Math.)  A  second  quantity  added  to  a  given  quantity  to 
  make  it  equal  to  a  third  given  quantity. 
 
  5.  Something  added  for  ornamentation;  an  accessory.  [Obs.] 
 
  Without  vain  art  or  curious  complements.  --Spenser. 
 
  6.  (Naut.)  The  whole  working  force  of  a  vessel. 
 
  7.  (Mus.)  The  interval  wanting  to  complete  the  octave;  --  the 
  fourth  is  the  complement  of  the  fifth  the  sixth  of  the 
  third 
 
  8.  A  compliment.  [Obs.]  --Shak. 
 
  {Arithmetical  compliment  of  a  logarithm}.  See  under 
  {Logarithm}. 
 
  {Arithmetical  complement  of  a  number}  (Math.),  the  difference 
  between  that  number  and  the  next  higher  power  of  10;  as  4 
  is  the  complement  of  6,  and  16  of  84. 
 
  {Complement  of  an}  {arc  or  angle}  (Geom.),  the  difference 
  between  that  arc  or  angle  and  90[deg]. 
 
  {Complement  of  a  parallelogram}.  (Math.)  See  {Gnomon}. 
 
  {In  her  complement}  (Her.),  said  of  the  moon  when  represented 
  as  full. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Complement  \Com"ple*ment\,  v.  t. 
  1.  To  supply  a  lack;  to  supplement.  [R.] 
 
  2.  To  compliment.  [Obs.]  --Jer.  Taylor. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  complement 
  n  1:  a  word  or  phrase  used  to  complete  a  grammatical  construction 
  2:  a  complete  number  or  quantity:  "a  full  complement" 
  3:  number  needed  to  make  up  whole  force:  "a  full  complement  of 
  workers"  [syn:  {full  complement}] 
  4:  something  added  to  complete  or  make  perfect:  "a  fine  wine  is 
  a  perfect  complement  to  the  dinner" 
  5:  one  of  a  series  of  enzymes  in  the  blood  serum  that  are  part 
  of  the  immune  response 
  6:  either  of  two  parts  that  mutually  complete  each  other 
  v  :  make  complementary  to  "I  need  some  pepper  to  complement  the 
  sweet  touch  in  the  soup" 
 
  From  The  Free  On-line  Dictionary  of  Computing  (13  Mar  01)  [foldoc]: 
 
  complement 
 
    The  other  value  or  values  in  the  set  of  possible 
  values. 
 
  See  {logical  complement},  {bitwise  complement},  {set 
  complement}. 
 
  (1995-01-24) 
 
 

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