complete

Pronunciation: /kəmˈpliːt/

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Definition of complete

adjective

1having all the necessary or appropriate parts:a complete list of courses offered by the university no woman’s wardrobe is complete without this pretty top
entire; full:I only managed one complete term at school the complete works of Shakespeare
(complete with) having (something) as an additional part or feature:the house comes complete with gas central heating and double glazing
[predic.] having run its full course; finished:the restoration of the chapel is complete

2 [attributive] (often used for emphasis) to the greatest extent or degree; total:a complete ban on smoking their marriage came as a complete surprise to me
(also compleat) chiefly humorous skilled at every aspect of a particular activity; consummate:his range of skills made him the complete footballer
[the spelling compleat is a revival of the 17th century use as in Walton's The Compleat Angler]

verb

[with object]

1finish making or doing:he completed his PhD in 1993
[no object] British conclude the sale of a property: you may find yourself in a position where you have to wait for your purchaser to complete, whereas your new home is ready
American Football (of a quarterback) successfully throw (a forward pass) to a receiver: he was still throwing the ball hard enough to complete 48 of 76 passes

2provide with the item or items necessary to make (something) full or entire:complete your collection of Britain’s brightest gardening magazine quarry tiles and faded rugs complete the look
write the required information on (a form or questionnaire):please complete the attached forms

Derivatives

completeness

Origin:

late Middle English: from Old French complet or Latin completus, past participle of complere 'fill up, finish, fulfil', from com- (expressing intensive force) + plere 'fill'

On the question of the use of adjectives like complete, equal, and unique with submodifiers such as very or more, see unique (usage).

complete in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of complete in the US English dictionary

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Other

complete

adjective

verb

Derivatives

completeness

Origin:

complete in other Oxford dictionaries

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