complexion.html - adjective (Health and Fitness) Of a therapy or health treatment: intended to complement orthodox medical practices; alternative, naturopathic. Also of a practitioner: not belonging to the traditional medical establishment . Etymology: A specialized application of complementary in its normal sense, 'forming a complement', the idea being that the alternative therapies do not compete with traditional medicine, but form a natural complement to it. This is the successor to the earlier and more dismissive 'fringe medicine', which saw these techniques as being on--or even beyond--the fringe of conventional medicine. History and Usage: The term complementary medicine was coined by Stephen Fulder and Robin Munro in a report on the use of these techniques in the UK, published in 1982: After extensive consideration of titles such as 'alternative medicine', 'fringe medicine' or 'natural therapeutics' we have decided to use the term ' complementary medicine' to describe systems...which stand apart from but are in some ways complementary to conventional scientific medicine. Since then it has become very common, reflecting the change in public attitudes to these techniques during the decade (from 'fringe' or even 'quack' medicine to an accepted approach). Apart from complementary medicine, the adjective is used in complementary therapist, complementary practitioner, etc. The Research Council for Complementary Medicine (RCCM) was set up to find research methods acceptable to both complementary and conventional practitioners. Practical Health Spring 1990, pull-out section, p.
5 The plight of Mrs S wishing to fight cancer with complementary medicine before surgery...but rejected for this reason by five doctors is sad indeed. She could no doubt be helped by more than one complementary therapy. Kindred Spirit Summer 1990, p. 38

complexion.html - archaic var. of COMPLETE.

complexion.html - n. & v.
--n.

1 a something that completes. b one of a pair, or one of two things that go together.
2 (often full complement) the full number needed to man a ship, fill a conveyance, etc.
3 Gram. a word or phrase added to a verb to complete the predicate of a sentence.
4 Biochem. a group of proteins in the blood capable of lysing bacteria etc.
5 Math. any element not belonging to a specified set or class.
6 Geom. the amount by which an angle is less than 90

(cf. SUPPLEMENT).

--v.

tr.
1 complete.
2 form a complement to (the scarf complements her dress).

complemental adj. [ME f. L complementum (as COMPLETE)]

complexion.html - n.
(pl. -ies)
1 a complementary relationship or situation.
2 Physics the concept that a single model may not be adequate to explain atomic systems in different experimental conditions.

complexion.html - adj.
1 completing; forming a complement.
2 (of two or more things) complementing each other.

complementary angle either of two angles making up 90

. complementary colour a colour that combined with a given colour makes white or black.

complementarily adv. complementariness n.

complexion.html - adj. & v.
--adj.

1 having all its parts; entire (the set is complete).
2 finished (my task is complete).
3 of the maximum extent or degree (a complete surprise; a complete stranger).
4 (also compleat after Walton's Compleat Angler) joc. accomplished (the complete horseman).

--v.

tr.
1 finish.
2 a make whole or perfect. b make up the amount of (completes the quota).
3 fill in the answers to (a questionnaire etc.).
4 (usu. absol.) Law conclude a sale of property.

complete with having (as an important accessory) (comes complete with instructions).

completely adv. completeness n. completion n. [ME f. OF complet or L completus past part. of complere fill up]