comport

English

WOTD – 9 December 2009

Etymology

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

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kəmˈpɔː(ɹ)t/

  • Audio (Southern England):

    (file)

• Rhymes: -ɔː(ɹ)t

Verb

comport (third-person singular simple present comports, present participle comporting, simple past and past participle comported)

1. (obsolete, transitive, intransitive) To tolerate, bear, put up (with). [16th–19th c.]

   to comport with an injury

   • 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:

     The malecontented sort / That never can the present state comport.

2. (intransitive) To be in agreement (with); to be of an accord. [from 16th c.]

   The new rules did not seem to comport with the spirit of the club.

   • 1622 May 24 (licensing date), John Fletcher, Philip Massinger, “The Prophetesse”, in Comedies and Tragedies […], London: […] Humphrey Robinson, […], and for Humphrey Moseley […], published 1647, →OCLC, Act V, scene ii:

     How ill this dullness doth comport with greatness.

   • 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:

     How their behaviour herein comported with the institution.

3. (reflexive) To behave (in a given manner). [from 17th c.]

   She comported herself with grace.

   • 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:

     Observe how Lord Somers […] comported himself.

   • 1923, P. G. Wodehouse, chapter I, in Leave It to Psmith:

     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.

Synonyms

• (be in agreement): cohere
• (behave): carry oneself, bear oneself

Derived terms

• comportable

Translations

to be in agreement

• Bulgarian: съгласувам се (sǎglasuvam se)
• Czech: shodovat se impf
• Finnish: sopia yhteen, sopia (fi)
• French: se conformer à (fr), s’accorder avec, être en agrément avec, se mettre d’accord (fr), tomber d’accord (fr)
• Italian: aderire a, accordarsi (it)
• Russian: соотве́тствовать (ru) (sootvétstvovatʹ)
• Spanish: conformarse con (es), acomodarse a (es), ponerse de acuerdo, coincidir (es)
• Ukrainian: узго́джуватися (uzhódžuvatysja), відповіда́ти (uk) (vidpovidáty)

to behave (usually reflexive)

• Bulgarian: държа се (dǎrža se)
• Catalan: conduir-se (ca), captenir-se (ca)
• Czech: chovat se (cs) impf, vystupovat (cs) impf, jednat (cs) impf
• Finnish: käyttäytyä (fi)
• French: se comporter (fr), se conduire (fr), se tenir (fr)
• German: verhalten (de), benehmen (de)
• Gothic: 𐌿𐍃𐌼𐌹𐍄𐌰𐌽 (usmitan)
• Irish: iompair
• Italian: comportarsi (it)
• Portuguese: comportar (pt)
• Russian: вести себя́ (ru) (vesti sebjá)
• Spanish: portarse (es), conducirse (es)
• Ukrainian: пово́дитися (povódytysja)

Noun

comport

1. (obsolete) Manner of acting; conduct; comportment; deportment.
   • 1700, [John] Dryden, “Ceyx and Alcyone”, in Fables Ancient and Modern; […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC:

     I know them well, and mark'd their rude comport.

   • 2022, W. David Marx, chapter 1, in Status and Culture, Viking, →ISBN:

     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.

Catalan

Etymology

Deverbal from comportar.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): (Central) [kumˈpɔrt]
• IPA^(key): (Balearic) [komˈpɔrt]
• IPA^(key): (Valencia) [komˈpɔɾt]

Noun

comport m (plural comports)

1. conduct, behaviour

Further reading

• “comport” in Diccionari de la llengua catalana, segona edició, Institut d’Estudis Catalans.

Romanian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [komˈport]

Verb

comport

1. first-person singular present indicative/subjunctive of comporta