(often + for) to make amends to (somebody), esp by appropriate payment
She compensated her neighbour for damage to his property
to have an equal and opposite effect to (something); to counterbalance
(+ for) to supply an equivalent
He compensated for his bad memory by taking plenty of notes
compensative /-sətiv/ adj
compensator noun
compensatory /-ʹsayt(ə)ri, kəmʹpensət(ə)ri/ adj
[Latin compensatus, past part. of compensare, from compensus, past part. of compendere: see compendium]