[Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/compliment.html)

[home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [dictionaries](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/) / [The school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/) / compliment

[← C](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/C/)

# compliment

«compliment» in Mova's school dictionary: **something nice you say to praise someone or show you…** — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples, with 5 sentences of Mova's corpora that use it.

### part of speech

noun (a compliment, compliments); verb (compliment, compliments, complimented, complimenting)

### meaning for a pupil

1) A compliment is something nice you say to praise someone or show you admire them. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/compliment/#m1)

2) To compliment someone is to say something nice about them or what they did. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/compliment/#m2)

3) «Compliments» (formal) means good wishes, as in «with our compliments». [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/compliment/#m3)

### sense in the lessons

In manners lessons, giving and accepting compliments politely matters: say «thank you» when someone compliments you, and give honest compliments about effort and kindness, not only looks. In stories, compliments show characters being kind, or sometimes a trickster flattering someone to get something. Phrases: «pay someone a compliment», «take it as a compliment», «fish for compliments», «compliment someone on something».

### examples

- She paid me a compliment about my drawing. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/compliment/#x1)
- When someone gives you a compliment, say thank you. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/compliment/#x2)
- He complimented the cook on the delicious meal. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/compliment/#x3)
- "You worked really hard" is a good compliment. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/compliment/#x4)
- I'll take that as a compliment! [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/compliment/#x5)
- The fox flattered the crow with false compliments. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/compliment/#x6)
- My teacher complimented me on my neat writing. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/compliment/#x7)
- Free drinks with the compliments of the hotel. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/compliment/#x8)
- “In a way,” said Smee, “it’s sort of a compliment.” [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/compliment/#x9)

### note

Do not confuse with «complement» (with an e), which means something that goes well with something else or completes it; and in maths, complementary angles add up to 90°. Trick: a compliment says «I like» — both have i. Flattery is false or exaggerated praise used to get something.

### In the corpora

- [Fair play, real compliments and respect for people who are different from you make others want to be with you.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/103-screens-fairness-and-differences/2/)
- [A good compliment is specific and true.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/103-screens-fairness-and-differences/12/)
- [A good compliment is specific and true.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/216-privacy-screens-sleep-and-fairness/14/)
- [A compliment is a small gift of words.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/226-compliments-and-respecting-differences/0/)
- [When someone compliments you, say «Thank you» instead of disagreeing.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/226-compliments-and-respecting-differences/8/)

### Trees and pragmatics

[Every meaning and example of «compliment» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/compliment/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.