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# comply

«comply» in Mova's school dictionary: **to do what a rule, law, order or request says** — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples.

### part of speech

verb (comply, complies, complied, complying)

### meaning for a pupil

1) To comply is to do what a rule, law, order or request says. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/comply/#m1)

2) (formal) To comply with something means to obey it or meet its standard. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/comply/#m2)

### sense in the lessons

It is a formal word used in rules, signs, school letters, safety notices and official exams: «comply with the rules». In stories it tells the reader that someone obeyed, often unwillingly. Safety: buildings and toys must comply with safety standards. Phrases: comply with, refuse to comply, fail to comply.

### examples

- All visitors must comply with the safety rules. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/comply/#x1)
- The driver complied and pulled over. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/comply/#x2)
- The toy was taken off the shelves because it did not comply with safety standards. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/comply/#x3)
- If you do not comply, you will lose your break time. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/comply/#x4)
- She complied with her mum's request and tidied her room. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/comply/#x5)
- The school complies with the new law on healthy lunches. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/comply/#x6)
- The prisoners refused to comply with the guard's orders. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/comply/#x7)
- The poor Prince had been getting quite thin with anxiety and annoyance, and was only too delighted to comply with her request. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/comply/#x8)

### note

Almost always followed by «with»: comply with the rules (not «comply the rules»). Forms: complies, complied, complying (y → i before -es and -ed). Noun: compliance. Formal; in everyday talk people say «obey» or «do what you're told».

### Trees and pragmatics

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