Both Uses of
compulsive
in
Running in the Family
- In India only the aristocracy gambled; in Ceylon the bankers and lime-burners and fishmongers and the leisured class would spend their afternoons, shoulder to shoulder, betting compulsively.†
p. 48.4 *compulsively = excessively due to an uncontrollable desire
- She stole flowers compulsively, even in the owner's presence.†
p. 122.5
Definitions:
-
(1)
(compulsive) describing something someone does, as done too much because of an uncontrollable desire -- such as excessive gambling or eating
-
(2)
(meaning too rare to warrant focus) meaning too rare to warrant focus:
Much more rarely, compulsive is used like compelling to indicate that something is so captivating that it is hard to turn attention away from it.