Lewis & Short

compendĭum, ii, n. [compendo], orig. belonging to the lang. of econ., that which is weighed together, kept together, saved (cf. Varr. L. L. 5, § 183 Müll.; Paul. ex Fest. p. 72, 10 Müll.); a saving or gain, profit acquired by saving (opp. dispendium; class. in prose and poetry).

  1. I. Prop.: ego hodie compendi feci binos panes in dies, have saved two loaves, Plaut. Pers. 4, 3, 2; cf. id. Truc. 2, 4, 26: aliquem mercibus suppeditandis cum quaestu compendioque dimittere, Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 3, § 6; 2, 3, 46, § 109: turpe compendium effugere, id. Fl. 3, 7: se negat facturum compendii sui causā quod non liceat, id. Off. 3, 15, 63: homines ad turpe compendium commovere, Auct. Her. 4, 40, 52: servire privato compendio suo, Caes. B. C. 3, 32; id. B. G. 7, 43; Liv. 8, 36, 10; Plin. 21, 12, 41, § 70; Suet. Tib. 48: compendia repetere ignotis terris, Tib. 1, 3, 39 al.: ligni, Plin. 23, 7, 64, § 127; cf. operae, id. 17, 23, 35, § 214; 18, 20, 49, § 181: viae, id. 5, 5, 5, § 38.
    1. B. Esp.,
      1. 1. Shortness of way, a short way ( = compendiaria), Quint. 4, 2, 46; Tac. A. 12, 28; Flor. 3, 3, 7; Just. 2, 10 fin.; cf. montis, a short cut across the mountain, Ov. M. 3, 234: maris, Tac. A. 2, 55: fugae, Sil. 12, 533; cf. Plin. Pan. 95, 5; Gell. praef. § 12.
      2. 2. In the phrases,
        1. a. Facere compendium, to make a profit, gain.
          1. (α) In gen.: compendium edepol haud aetati optabile Fecisti, quom istanc nactu’s impudentiam, Plaut. Bacch. 1, 2, 51.
          2. (β) More freq. to make a saving, i. e. be sparing of a thing: compendium ego te facere pultandi volo, to save your knocking, i. e. to cease therefrom, id. Ps. 2, 2, 11: errationis, id. Rud. 1, 2, 90: praeconis, id. Stich. 1, 3, 38.
        2. b. Aliquid ponere ad compendium. to save, spare something, i. e. not to say it, Plaut. Cas. 3, 1, 3; 3, 1, 5; cf.: coaddito ad compendium, id. ib. v. 4.
  2. II. A sparing, saving in any thing done, i. e. a shortening, abbreviating: quam potes, tam verba confer maxume ad compendium, i. e. be concise, brief, Plaut. Mil. 3, 1, 184.
    So of discourse, etc. (ante-class.): facere or fieri compendi, to shorten, abridge (the discourse), or to be shortened, abridged: lamentas fletus facere conpendi licet, Pac. ap. Non. p. 132, 29 (Trag. Rel. v. 175 Rib.): compendi verba multa jam faciam tibi, will be very brief with you, Plaut. Bacch. 2, 2, 7; id. Most. 1, 1, 57; id. Ps. 4, 7, 42: verbis velitationem fieri compendi volo, in few words, briefly, id. As. 2, 2, 41; cf.: sed jam fieri dictis compendium volo, id. Capt. 5, 2, 12: in ipsis statim elementis etiam brevia docendi monstrare compendia, Quint. 1, 1, 24; cf. id. 1, 1, 30; and: compendio morari, i. e. only a short time, id. 1, 4, 22.