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compass n. An instrument for indicating a horizontal reference direction relative to the earth. Compasses used for navigation are equipped with a graduated compass card for direct indication of any horizontal direction. A magnetic compass depends for its directive force upon the attraction of the magnetism of the earth for a magnet free to turn in any horizontal direction. A compass having one or more gyroscopes as the directive element, and tending to indicate true north is called a gyrocompass. a. A direction relative to the magnetic compass, as opposed to a true or relative direction

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