Etymology : Middle English, from Middle French compiler, from Latin compilare to plunder
Pronunciation : k&m-'pI(&)l
Function : transitive verb
Date : 14th century
1. collect, gather together in one place; compose (an essay, book, etc.) from many parts; (Computers) translate a program that is written in a high level programming language from a source code into object code (machine language). compile\com*pile"\ , v. t. [imp. & p. p. compiled ; p. pr. & vb. n. compiling.] [f. compiler, fr.l. compilare to plunder, pillage; com- + pilare to plunder. see:
pill, v. t., pillage.].
2. to put together; to construct; to build. [obs.] before that merlin died, he did intend a brazen wall in compass to compile.
3. to contain or comprise. [obs.] which these six books compile.
4. to put together in a new form out of materials already existing; esp., to put together or compose out of materials from other books or documents. he [goldsmith] compiled for the use of schools a history of rome.
5. to write; to compose. [obs.] w. temple.compile v.
6. get together [syn: collect, accumulate, pile up, amass, hoard].
7. put together out of existing material; "compile a list" [syn: compose].
8. use a computer program to translate source code written in a particular programming language into computer-readable machine code that can be executed.
9. To put together; to construct; to build.
10. To contain or comprise.
11. To put together in a new form out of materials already existing; esp., to put together or compose out of materials from other books or documents.
12. To write; to compose. use a computer program to translate source code written in a particular programming language into computer-readable machine code that can be executed.
13. When you compile something such as a report, book, or programme, you produce it by collecting and putting together many pieces of information. The book took 10 years to compile A report compiled by the Fed's Philadelphia branch described the economy as weak.