complement

The totality, the full amount or number which completes something.

Queequeg sought a passage to Christian lands. But the ship, having her full complement of seamen, spurned his suit; and not all the King his father's influence could prevail.

Some 11 members of Somerton council's complement of 15 stepped down on Tuesday.

The whole working force of a vessel.

An angle which, together with a given angle, makes a right angle.

Something which completes, something which combines with something else to make up a complete whole; loosely, something perceived to be a harmonious or desirable partner or addition.

History is the complement of poetry.

It would be too much to imagine that improving stations will alone create a much needed new image in the public eye; a smartly turned out station staff is a very necessary complement to a smart station.

A word or group of words that completes a grammatical construction in the predicate and that describes or is identified with the subject or object.

Why has our grammar broken down at this point? It is not difficult to see why. For, we have failed to make any provision for the fact that only some Verbs in English (i.e. Verbs like those italicized in (5) (a), traditionally called Transitive Verbs) subcategorize ( = ‘takeʼ) an immediately following NP Complement, whereas others (such as those italicised in (5) (b), traditionally referred to as Intransitive Verbs) do not.

To complete, to bring to perfection, to make whole.

We believe your addition will complement the team.

To provide what the partner lacks and lack what the partner provides, thus forming part of a whole.

The flavors of the pepper and garlic complement each other, giving a very rich taste in combination.

I believe our talents really complement each other.

To change a voltage, number, color, etc. to its complement.

Obsolete spelling or misspelling of compliment.

A man of complements