cōmo, mpsi (msi), mptum (mtum), 3, v. a. [co- (i. e. con) and emo; cf.: demo, promo].
I To bring together , form , frame , construct (Lucretian): dum perspicis omnem Naturam rerum quā constet compta figurā, Lucr. 1, 950 Munro ad loc.: nunc ea quo pacto inter sese mixta quibusque compta modis vigeant, id. 3, 259: quibus e rebus cum corpore compta vigeret (animi natura), Quove modo distracta rediret in ordia prima, id. 4, 27.—
II To care for , take care of.
A Prop., in the class. per. usu. of the care of the hair, to comb , arrange , braid , dress; absol. : amica dum comit dumque se exornat, Plaut. Stich. 5, 4, 19: capillos, Cic. Pis. 11, 25; Verg. A. 10, 832: nitidum caput, Tib. 1, 8, 16: caput in gradus atque anulos, Quint. 12, 10, 47: comas acu, id. 2, 5, 12: comas hasta recurva, Ov. F. 2, 560: capillos dente secto, Mart. 12, 83.—Transf. to the person: sacerdos Fronde super galeam et felici comptus olivā, wreathed , Verg. A. 7, 751: Tisiphone serpentibus undique compta, id. Cul. 218: pueri praecincti et compti, Hor. S. 2, 8, 70: longas compta puella comas, Ov. Am. 1, 1, 20.—
B In partic., to adorn , deck , ornament : corpora si quis vulsa atque fucata muliebriter comat, Quint. 8, prooem. § 19: colla genasque, Stat. S. 1, 2, 110: vultus, Claud. in Eutr. 2, 337: vestes et cingula manu, id. VI. Cons. Hon. 525.—
2 Transf. of things: vittā comptos praetendere ramos, Verg. A. 8, 128: colus compta, i. e. furnished or adorned with wool , Plin. 8, 48, 74, § 194.—
II Trop., to deck , adorn : Cleopatra simulatum compta dolorem, Luc. 10, 83.—Esp. freq. of rhet. ornament: non quia comi expolirique non debeat (oratio), Quint. 8, 3, 42; cf.: linguae orationisque comendae gratiā, Gell. 1, 9, 10.
VII —Hence, comptus ( -mtus ), a, um, P. a., adorned , ornamented , decked : juvenes ut femina compti, Ov. H. 4, 75: anima mundissima atque comptissima, Aug. Quant. Anim. 33.—But usu. of discourse, embellished , elegant : compta et mitis oratio, Cic. Sen. 9, 28 (al. composita): comptior sermo, Tac. H. 1, 19: (Vinicius) comptae facundiae, id. A. 6, 15.—Transf. to the person: Isocrates in diverso genere dicendi nitidus et comptus, Quint. 10, 1, 79. —Adv.: comptē ( comt- ), with ornament , elegantly , only trop.: compte disserere, Sen. Ep. 75, 6: agere rem, Gell. 7, 3, 52.—* Comp. : comptius dicere, Gell. 7, 3, 53.— Sup. , Plaut. Mil. 3, 3, 66, acc. to Ritschl (al. comissime).