Obs. [app. a. OF. compact-er ‘faire un pacte,’ in med.L. compactāre, f. compactum COMPACT sb.1]
1. intr. To make a compact.
1535. J. ap Rice, in Four C. Eng. Lett., 33. They had confedered and compacted before our commyng that they shulde disclose nothing.
1615. G. Sandys, Trav., 225. For Saturne resolued to destroy his male children, either hauing so compacted with his brother Titan, or to preuent the prophesie, which was that his sonne should depose him.
1652. Gaule, Magastrom., 53. Compacting with the Devill.
1690. Locke, Govt., I. i. § 5. Slaves could never have a Right to compact or consent.
2. trans. To plan by compact, conspire.
1667. Waterhouse, Fire Lond., 47. If all the Engineers of mischief would have compacted the … Burning of London.
¶ An intermediate sense between COMPACT v.1 and 2 = ‘To join or associate by compact’ appears in the following:
1592. Greene, Art Conny-catch., III. 17. Some notorious varlets … beeing compacted with such kind of people, as this present treatise manifesteth.
1606. G. W[oodcocke], trans. Hist. Ivstine, 101 b. These harlots … compact themselues confederates with the most dissolute persons.
