Lat. In the civil law. Compensation, or set-off. A proceeding resembling a set-off in the common law, being a claim on the part of the defendant to have an amount due to him from the plaintiff deducted from his demand. Dig. 16, 2; Inst 4, 6, 30, 39 ; 3 Bl. Comm. 305. Compensatio eriminis. (Set-off of crime or guilt.) In practice. The plea of recrimination in a suit for a divorce; that is, that the complainant is guilty of the same kind of offense with which the respondent is charged.