Adjacent Words

Company definitions

	Tweet

Webster's 1828 Dictionary

COMPANY, n.
1. In military affairs, the soldiers united under the command of a captain; a subdivision of a regiment, consisting usually of a number fRomans 60 to 100 men. But the number is indefinite.
2. Any assemblage of persons; a collection of men, or other animals, in a very indefinite sense. It may be applied to a small number, or any multitude whatever; as in scripture we read of a company of priests, a company of prophets, and an innumerable company of angels; also, a company of horses.
3. An assemblage of persons for entertainment or festivity; a party collected by invitation or otherwise.
4. Persons that associate with others for conversation or pleasure; society; as, let your children keep good company.
5. The state of being a companion; the act of accompanying; fellowship; society.
I will keep thee company.
We cannot enjoy the company of licentious men.
6. A number of persons untied for the same purpose, or in a joint concern; as a company of merchants or mechanics; a company of players. The word is applicable to private partnerships or to incorporated bodies of men. Hence it may signify a firm, house or partnership; or a corporation, as the East India Company, a banking or insurance company.
7. The crew of a ship, including the officers; also, a fleet.
To bear company, to accompany; to attend; to go with; denoting a temporary association.
His faithful dog shall bear him company.
To keep company, to accompany; to attend; also, to associate with frequently or habitually; hence, to frequent public houses. Proverbs 29.
COMPANY, v.t. To accompany; to attend; to go with; to be companion to.
COMPANY, v.i.
1. To associate with; to frequent the company of.
I wrote you not to company with fornicators. 1 Corinthians 5.
2. To be a gay companion.
3. To have commerce with the other sex.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: an institution created to conduct business; "he only invests in large well-established companies"; "he started the company in his garage"
2: small military unit; usually two or three platoons
3: the state of being with someone; "he missed their company"; "he enjoyed the society of his friends" [syn: company, companionship, fellowship, society]
4: organization of performers and associated personnel (especially theatrical); "the traveling company all stayed at the same hotel" [syn: company, troupe]
5: a social or business visitor; "the room was a mess because he hadn't expected company" [syn: caller, company]
6: a social gathering of guests or companions; "the house was filled with company when I arrived"
7: a band of people associated temporarily in some activity; "they organized a party to search for food"; "the company of cooks walked into the kitchen" [syn: party, company]
8: crew of a ship including the officers; the whole force or personnel of a ship [syn: ship's company, company]
9: a unit of firefighters including their equipment; "a hook- and-ladder company" v
1: be a companion to somebody [syn: company, companion, accompany, keep company]

Merriam Webster's

I. noun (plural -nies) Usage: often attributive Etymology: Middle English companie, from cumpaignie, from cumpaing companion — more at companion Date: 13th century 1. a. association with another ; fellowship <enjoy a person's company> b. companions, associates <know a person by the company she keeps> c. visitors, guests <having company for dinner> 2. a. a group of persons or things <a company of horsemen> b. a body of soldiers; especially a unit (as of infantry) consisting usually of a headquarters and two or more platoons c. an organization of performing artists d. the officers and crew of a ship e. a firefighting unit 3. a. a chartered commercial organization or medieval trade guild b. an association of persons for carrying on a commercial or industrial enterprise c. those members of a partnership firm whose names do not appear in the firm name <John Doe and Company> II. verb (-nied; -nying) Date: 14th century transitive verb accompany <may…fair winds company your safe return — John Masefield> intransitive verb associate

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. & v. --n. (pl. -ies) 1 a a number of people assembled; a crowd; an audience (addressed the company). b guests or a guest (am expecting company). 2 a state of being a companion or fellow; companionship, esp. of a specific kind (enjoys low company; do not care for his company). 3 a a commercial business. b (usu. Co.) the partner or partners not named in the title of a firm (Smith and Co.). 4 a troupe of actors or entertainers. 5 Mil. a subdivision of an infantry battalion usu. commanded by a major or a captain. 6 a group of Guides. --v. (-ies, -ied) 1 tr. archaic accompany. 2 intr. literary (often foll. by with) be a companion. Phrases and idioms: company officer a captain or a lower commissioned officer. company Sergeant-major see SERGEANT. err (or be) in good company discover that one's companions, or better people, have done the same as oneself. good (or bad) company 1 a pleasant (or dull) companion. 2 a suitable (or unsuitable) associate or group of friends. in company not alone. in company with together with. keep company (often foll. by with) associate habitually. keep (archaic bear) a person company accompany a person; be sociable. part company (often foll. by with) cease to associate. ship's company the entire crew. Etymology: ME f. AF compainie, OF compai(g)nie f. Rmc (as COMPANION(1))

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Company Com"pa*ny, n.; pl. Companies. [F. compagnie, fr. OF. compaing. See Companion.] 1. The state of being a companion or companions; the act of accompanying; fellowship; companionship; society; friendly intercourse. --Shak. Evil company doth corrupt good manners. --1 Cor. xv. 33. (Rev. Ver.). Brethren, farewell: your company along I will not wish. --Milton. 2. A companion or companions. To thee and thy company I bid A hearty welcome. --Shak. 3. An assemblage or association of persons, either permanent or transient. Thou shalt meet a company of prophets. --1 Sam. x. 5. 4. Guests or visitors, in distinction from the members of a family; as, to invite company to dine. 5. Society, in general; people assembled for social intercourse. Nature has left every man a capacity of being agreeable, though not of shining in company. --Swift. 6. An association of persons for the purpose of carrying on some enterprise or business; a corporation; a firm; as, the East India Company; an insurance company; a joint-stock company. 7. Partners in a firm whose names are not mentioned in its style or title; -- often abbreviated in writing; as, Hottinguer & Co. 8. (Mil.) A subdivision of a regiment of troops under the command of a captain, numbering in the United States (full strength) 100 men. 9. (Naut.) The crew of a ship, including the officers; as, a whole ship's company. 10. The body of actors employed in a theater or in the production of a play. To keep company with. See under Keep, v. t. Syn: Assemblage; assembly; society; group; circle; crowd; troop; crew; gang; corporation; association; fraternity; guild; partnership; copartnery; union; club; party; gathering.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Company Com"pa*ny, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Companied; p. pr. & vb. n. Companying.] To accompany or go with; to be companion to. [Obs.]

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Company Com"pa*ny, v. i. 1. To associate. Men which have companied with us all the time. --Acts i. 21. 2. To be a gay companion. [Obs.] --Spenser. 3. To have sexual commerce. [Obs.] --Bp. Hall.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(companies) Frequency: The word is one of the 700 most common words in English. 1. A company is a business organization that makes money by selling goods or services. Sheila found some work as a secretary in an insurance company. ...the Ford Motor Company. = firm N-COUNT-COLL; N-IN-NAMES 2. A company is a group of opera singers, dancers, or actors who work together. ...the Phoenix Dance Company. N-COUNT-COLL; N-IN-NAMES 3. A company is a group of soldiers that is usually part of a battalion or regiment, and that is divided into two or more platoons. The division will consist of two tank companies and one infantry company... N-COUNT; N-IN-NAMES 4. Company is having another person or other people with you, usually when this is pleasant or stops you feeling lonely. 'I won't stay long.'—'No, please. I need the company'... Ross had always enjoyed the company of women... I'm not in the mood for company. 5. see also joint-stock company, public company 6. If you say that someone is in good company, you mean that they should not be ashamed of a mistake or opinion, because some important or respected people have made the same mistake or have the same opinion. Mr Koo is in good company. The prime minister made a similar slip a couple of years back. PHRASE: V inflects 7. If you have company, you have a visitor or friend with you. He didn't say he had had company. PHRASE: V inflects 8. When you are in company, you are with a person or group of people. When they were in company she always seemed to dominate the conversation... ? alone PHRASE: v-link PHR, PHR after v 9. If you feel, believe, or know something in company with someone else, you both feel, believe, or know it. (FORMAL) Saudi Arabia, in company with some other Gulf oil states, is concerned to avoid any repetition of the two oil price shocks of the 1970s. PREP-PHRASE: PHR n 10. If you keep someone company, you spend time with them and stop them feeling lonely or bored. Why don't you stay here and keep Emma company? PHRASE: V inflects 11. If you keep company with a person or with a particular kind of person, you spend a lot of time with them. He keeps company with all sorts of lazy characters. PHRASE: V inflects 12. If two or more people part company, they go in different directions after going in the same direction together. (WRITTEN) The three of them parted company at the bus stop. PHRASE: V inflects, pl-n PHR, PHR with n 13. If you part company with someone, you end your association with them, often because of a disagreement. (FORMAL) The tennis star has parted company with his Austrian trainer... We have agreed to part company after differences of opinion. PHRASE: V inflects, PHR with n, pl-n PHR

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

kum'-pa-ni: The fertility of the original languages in synonyms and varied shades of meaning is seen by the fact that 20 Hebrew and 12 Greek words are represented by this single term. An analysis of these words shows that "company" is both an indefinite and limitless term, signifying few or many, and all kinds of assemblages of people, e.g.:

(1) Caravan,

(a) migratory (Isa 21:13 the King James Version);

(b) commercial (Ge 37:25 the King James Version); Job 6:19, "The companies of Sheba waited (in vain) for them."

(2) Military, gedhudh, "troop," hamon, 2Ch 20:12; ro'sh, "head," "detachment"; Jud 7:16,20: "three companies"; Jud 9:34,37,43: "four companies."

(3) Band (chebher) or "gang," as rendered by Keil and Delitzsch; a gang of murderous priests (Ho 6:9).

(4) Camp or encampment (Ge 32:8,21; 50:9).

(5) Religious body, "company of prophets" (1Sa 19:20).

(6) Assembly, congregation, "company of nations" (Ge 35:11; Eze 38:4,7,13,15).

(7) A tumultuous crowd (2Ki 9:17).

(8) Associate, companion, often with reference to moral affinity (Job 34:8; Pr 29:3; Ac 10:28), kollaomai, "to glue or cement together," indicative of the binding power of moral affinity (the Revised Version (British and American) "to join himself"); as a verb, to "company with" or "keep company" (Ac 1:21; 1Co 5:9,11; 2Th 3:14). In Apocrypha in the sense of "to cohabit" (Susanna 1:54,57,58).

(9) A host. "Great was the company," etc. (Ps 68:11 the Revised Version (British and American) "The women .... are a great host"). In the East it is the women who celebrate victories with song and dance (see 1Sa 18:6,7).

(10) A chorus, dance (mecholah). "The company of two armies" (So 6:13 the King James Version; the Revised Version (British and American) "the dance of Mahanaim").

(11) Meal party, klisia, "a reclining company at meals." "Make them sit down (Greek "recline") in companies" (Lu 9:14). Compare "companion," from Latin com, "together," and panis, "bread."

(12) A myriad, a ten-thousand, an indefinite number (murias; Heb 12:22 (the Revised Version (British and American) "hosts")).

(13) Companions on a journey, sunodia, "a journeying together" (Lu 2:44).

(14) Signifying kinship of spirit, idios, "one's own." "They came to their own company" (Ac 4:23).

(15) A mob (Ac 17:5 (the Revised Version (British and American) "a crowd")).

Dwight M. Pratt

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

n. 1. Assemblage, assembly, body, gathering, collection, group, circle, troop, crew, gang, set, concourse, congregation. 2. Party, meeting of friends, social meeting. 3. Visitor, visitors, guests. 4. Fellowship, companionship, society. 5. Corporation, association, partnership, copartnership, firm, house, joint concern.

1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue

To see company; to enter into a course of prostitution.

Moby Thesaurus

Aktiengesellschaft, KP, ace, acting company, actors, affiliation, age group, agency, aggregation, aktiebolag, amigo, army, army group, assemblage, assembly, associate, associates, association, atelier, attend, attendance, band, barbershop, battalion, battery, battle group, bear, beauty parlor, beauty shop, bedfellow, bedmate, bench, bevy, body, body corporate, bosom buddy, brigade, bring, buddy, bunch, bunkie, bunkmate, business, business establishment, butcher shop, butty, cabal, cadre, caller, camarade, camaraderie, carry, cartel, cast, cast of characters, chamber of commerce, chamberfellow, chaperon, characters, chorus, chum, circle, circus troupe, classmate, clique, club, cohort, colleague, collection, column, comate, combat command, combat team, combine, commercial enterprise, community, compagnie, companion, companions, companionship, compeer, complement, comrade, comrades, comradeship, concern, conduct, confrere, conglomerate, conglomerate corporation, congregation, consociate, consociation, consolidating company, consort, consort with, consortium, consortship, contingent, convention, convoy, cooperation, copartner, copartnership, corporate body, corporation, corps, corps de ballet, coterie, covey, crew, crony, crowd, desk, detachment, detail, diversified corporation, division, dramatis personae, eight, eleven, ensemble, enterprise, entourage, establishment, facility, faction, fellow, fellow student, fellowship, field army, field train, file, firm, first string, first team, five, fleet, flock, flying column, followers, following, fraternity, fraternization, freeloader, frequenter, friends, gang, garrison, gate-crasher, gathering, girl friend, gossip, group, grouping, groupment, guest, guests, habitue, holding company, horde, house, in-group, industry, installation, institution, joint-stock association, joint-stock company, junta, kitchen police, legion, loft, maniple, mate, membership, messmate, mob, moocher, movement, muster, nine, old crony, operating company, order, organization, out-group, outfit, pack, pal, pard, pardner, parlor, partaking, participation, partner, partnership, party, peer group, phalanx, platoon, playfellow, playmate, plunderbund, pool, posse, presence, proprietorship, public utility, rank, regiment, repertory company, reserves, retinue, roommate, rowing crew, ruck, salon, schoolfellow, schoolmate, second string, second team, section, set, sharing, shipmate, shop, side partner, sidekick, society, squad, squadron, stable, stock company, string, studio, suite, supporting cast, sweatshop, syndicate, tactical unit, task force, team, teammate, third string, throng, trade association, train, tribe, troop, troupe, trust, uninvited guest, unit, utility, varsity, visitant, visitor, visitors, wing, work site, work space, workbench, workfellow, workhouse, working space, workplace, workroom, workshop, worktable, yokefellow, yokemate