compliment

compliment
    n 1: a remark (or act) expressing praise and admiration
    v 1: say something to someone that expresses praise; "He
         complimented her on her last physics paper" [syn:
         {compliment}, {congratulate}]
    2: express respect or esteem for
    

Compliment \Com"pli*ment\, v. t.
   To praise, flatter, or gratify, by expressions of
   approbation, respect, or congratulation; to make or pay a
   compliment to.
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         Monarchs should their inward soul disguise; . . .
         Should compliment their foes and shun their friends.
                                                  --Prior.
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   Syn: To praise; flatter; adulate; commend.
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Compliment \Com"pli*ment\, v. i.
   To pass compliments; to use conventional expressions of
   respect.
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         I make the interlocutors, upon occasion, compliment
         with one another.                        --Boyle.
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Compliment \Com"pli*ment\, n. [F. compliment. It complimento,
   fr. comlire to compliment, finish, suit, fr. L. complere to
   fill up. See {Complete}, and cf. {Complement}.]
   An expression, by word or act, of approbation, regard,
   confidence, civility, or admiration; a flattering speech or
   attention; a ceremonious greeting; as, to send one's
   compliments to a friend.
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         Tedious waste of time, to sit and hear
         So many hollow compliments and lies.     --Milton.
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         Many a compliment politely penned.       --Cowper.
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   {To make one a compliment}, to show one respect; to praise
      one in a flattering way. --Locke.

   {To make one's compliments to}, to offer formal courtesies
      to.

   {To stand on compliment}, to treat with ceremony.

   Syn: See {Adulation}.
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85 Moby Thesaurus words for "compliment":
      TL, acclaim, accolade, adulate, adulation, applaud, benevolence,
      beslobber, beslubber, best wishes, blandish, blandishment, blarney,
      bless, blessing, blessings, boon, bouquet, bunkum, cajole,
      cajolement, cajolery, commend, commendation, compliments, conceit,
      congratulate, congratulation, congratulations, encomium, eulogy,
      eyewash, fair words, favor, fawn upon, fawning, felicitate,
      felicitation, flatter, flattering remark, flattery, give a bouquet,
      good wishes, gratulate, gratulation, grease, greetings, hail,
      hand it to, homage, honeyed phrases, honeyed words, honor, incense,
      largess, laud, laudation, make fair weather, oil, oil the tongue,
      orchids, palaver, pay a compliment, polite commendation, posy,
      praise, present, pretty lies, recommend, regards, rejoice with,
      respects, salutations, slobber over, soap, soft soap,
      sweet nothings, sweet talk, sweet words, sycophancy, take off,
      trade-last, tribute, wheedle, wheedling