Comminate, kom′in-āt, v.t. to threaten.—n. Comminā′tion, threatening, denunciation: a recital of God's threatenings made on Ash-Wednesday and at other times in the English Church.—adjs. Comm′inative, Comm′inatory, threatening punishment. [L.,—com, inten., and mināri, to threaten.]
Commingle, kom-ing′gl, v.t. to mingle or mix with.—adj. Commin′gled. [L. com, together, and Mingle.]
Comminute, kom′in-ūt, v.t. to reduce to minute particles: to pulverise.—n. Comminū′tion.—Comminuted fracture, the breaking of a bone in several places: a compound fracture. [L. comminuĕre, -ūtum, to break into pieces—com, and minuĕre, to make small—root minus, less.]
Commiserate, kom-iz′ėr-āt, v.t. to feel for the miseries of another: to pity: to condole with.—adj. Commis′erable, requiring commiseration: pitiable.—n. Commiserā′tion, concern for the sufferings of others: pity.—adj. Commis′erative, feeling or expressing sympathetic sorrow.—n. Commis′erātor. [L. com, with, miserāri, to deplore—miser, wretched.]
Commissary, kom′is-ar-i, n. one to whom any charge is committed: a deputy: (Scots law) the judge in a commissary court: a higher officer of police: (eccles.) an officer representing a bishop, and performing his duties in distant parts of the diocese: an officer who furnishes provisions, &c., to an army.—adj. Commissā′rial, pertaining to a commissary.—ns. Commissā′riat, the department charged with the furnishing of provisions, as for an army: the supply of provisions: the office of a commissary; Comm′issary-gen′eral, the head of the department for supplying provisions, &c., to an army; Comm′issaryship.—Commissary Court, a supreme court established in Edinburgh in 1563, with jurisdiction in questions of marriage—its powers conjoined with those of the Court of Session in 1836. [Low L. commissarius—L. committĕre, commissum.]
Commission, kom-ish′un, n. act of committing: that which is committed: a writing conferring certain powers: authority: the percentage paid in a transaction to an active agent who usually incurs some pecuniary and always some moral responsibility: a body of persons appointed to perform certain duties: a warrant from the head of the state for holding various military offices, whether combatant or non-combatant.—v.t. to give a commission to: to empower: to send: to appoint.—ns. Commis′sion-ag′ent, Commis′sion-mer′chant, a person employed to sell goods delivered to him by another (his principal), for a certain percentage—his commission or factorage; Commissionaire′, a messenger, or light porter: one employed about public places and hotels to undertake light commissions.—adj. Commis′sioned.—ns. Commis′sioner, one who holds a commission to perform some business: a member of a commission; Commis′sionership.—Commissioned officer, one appointed by commission—in the navy, the officers from the lieutenant; in the army, from the ensign upwards. [From Commit.]
Commissure, kom′mis-sūr, n. a joint: place where two bodies meet and unite: (anat.) a term applied to nervous connections between adjacent parts of the nervous system.—adj. Commis′sural. [L., commissura, a joining, from root of Commit.]
Commit, kom-it′, v.t. to give in charge or trust: to consign: to do: to endanger: to involve: to pledge:—pr.p. commit′ting; pa.p. commit′ted.—ns. Commit′ment, act of committing: an order for sending to prison: imprisonment; Commit′tal, commitment: a pledge, actual or implied; Commit′tee, a portion, generally consisting of not less than three members, selected from a more numerous body, to whom some special act to be performed, or investigation to be made, is committed; Commit′teeship.—Commit one's self, to compromise one's self: to pledge one's self wittingly or unwittingly to a certain course; Commit to memory, to learn by heart. [L. committĕre—com, with, mittĕre, to send.]
Commix, kom-iks′, v.t. to mix together.—v.i. to mix.—ns. Commix′tion, Commix′ture, act of mixing together: the state of being mixed: the compound formed by mixing: the rite of putting a piece of the host into the chalice, emblematic of the reunion of body and soul at the Resurrection.
Commodious, kom-ō′di-us, adj. suitable or convenient: roomy, spacious: (Shak.) serviceable: comfortable.—n. Commode′, a small sideboard: a large, high head-dress formerly worn by ladies: a box for holding a chamber utensil: a night-stool.—adv. Commō′diously.—ns. Commō′diousness; Commod′ity, convenience: (Shak.) profit: (Shak.) parcel: an article of traffic: (pl.) goods, produce. [L. commodus—com, with, modus, measure.]