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# compute

verb (compute, computes, computed, computing); noun (computation)

«compute» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. (formal) To work out an answer or amount by calculating. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/compute/#m1)
2. (informal, often «it doesn't compute») To make sense. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/compute/#m2)
3. (formal, exam) A command word: «Compute the total expenditure» means calculate it. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/compute/#m3)
4. (casual) In everyday talk people say «work out», «add up», «do the maths» (UK, Australia: «maths»; US: «math»), «crunch the numbers». [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/compute/#m4)
5. (casual, joking) «Does not compute» in a robot voice means this makes no sense. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/compute/#m5)

### In the lessons

A formal word for «calculate», used in maths questions: «compute the sum», «compute the area». It is the root of «computer». «It does not compute» is a joke way to say something makes no sense. In the exam voice: «Compute the total expenditure incurred», «Compute the mean». In casual talk: «do the maths», «add it up», «crunch the numbers». Phrases: compute the total, compute the average, compute the area.

### Examples

- Compute the area of a rectangle 6 m long and 4 m wide. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/compute/#x1)
- The computer can compute huge sums in a second. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/compute/#x2)
- Compute 25 times 4 in your head. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/compute/#x3)
- She computed how much money she had left. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/compute/#x4)
- Compute the average of 3, 5 and 7. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/compute/#x5)
- He says he is tired but he ran all day? That doesn't compute. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/compute/#x6)
- Compute the total expenditure incurred in the purchase of 4 pens at 30 cents per pen. (formal exam) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/compute/#x7)
- do the maths, 3 of us, 12 sweets, that's 4 each (casual) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/compute/#x8)
- Crunch the numbers and tell me if we can afford it. (casual) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/compute/#x9)
- You got 30 for 6 × 4? Doesn't compute, mate, it's 24. (rough, joking) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/compute/#x10)

### Note

Regular verb: computed. Nouns: computation, computer. In a maths problem «compute» means calculate; it does not tell you which operation to use. Same family of exam words: calculate, determine, evaluate, ascertain. «Expenditure incurred» (formal) = money spent. «Doesn't compute» means it makes no sense, not a sum.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «compute» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/compute/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«compute» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/compute.html) on Mova free.