difference between praise and compliment

praise - (магтах, магтан урамшуулах)"to praise" someone is to express a higher level of a compliment. It gives someone a deeper feeling that they are worthwhile or loved than a compliment does. 

compliment  - (Магтан саймшрах)There is also a higher chance of compliment being hypocritical(хоёр нүүртэй, хуурамч) (e.g. when a man compliments woman on something in order to get a desired reaction). Praise is in most cases without hypocrisy.

Praise x Compliment [as verbs]

(What would be the difference between "to praise" and "to compliment" when the meaning intended is "to say something nice to someone when they do things in a way you approve of.'' ?

Context:

I praised him for his dedication and honesty. He's a great person and worker.

Vs

I complimented him for his dedication and honesty. He's a great person and worker.

Thank you in advance!)

• To my mind, "to praise" someone is to express a higher level of a compliment. It gives someone a deeper feeling that they are worthwhile or loved than a compliment does. There is also a higher chance of compliment being hypocritical (e.g. when a man compliments woman on something in order to get a desired reaction). Praise is in most cases without hypocrisy.
  
  I praised him for his dedication and honesty. He's a great person and worker.
  
  Vs
  
  I complimented him on his dedication and honesty. He's a great person and worker.
  
  From your two examples, No. 1 is better, in my opinion. Others may disagree and consider them pretty much interchangeable.

• If you see someone looking very smart, you would compliment them on their appearance.
  To praise them would be going over the top rather. In order to be praised, you should also deserve it, at least in the view of the person praising you.

• When you compliment someone you may be being merely courteous whereas to praise them is really extolling their virtue and/or achievment.
  
  Another difference is that when you compliment someone it is generally directed at the other person, whereas when you praise someone it could be said to a third party.
  
  Jack complimented Mary - we take it for granted that Jack was talking to Mary.
  
  Jack praised Mary - it could be that Jack was telling someone else about Mary.
  
  I don't mean this as a 'rule', just a comment on typical usage.

• This is how I see it...
  
  A compliment is more on an even playing field, "I like your shirt, it's cute".
  
  Praise is more like a compliment that makes you better than someone else... "You have such great patience".

compliment X praise

(At the office:

the boss - Well done! Keep up the good work and soon you will be promoted!

employee - Thank you Sir! I take it as a compliment.

Is it possible to say "praise" instead of "compliment"?)

• Yes, praise is okay but the employee is not likely going to say that the boss is praising him. Actually, it would sound fine if you matched praise and compliment. Example: "Thank you for the praise Sir. I take it as a compliment."

• Gosh! I didn't get it! So praise and compliment are not synonyms in this context?

• A compliment would be one level lower than praise if you can think of it that way. To receive a compliment from a boss would not seem that you have become the boss's pet. To receive praise from the boss is fine to the employee receiving it. However, if more is made of it, the other employees might start thinking that you have special status.

• I agree with this wholeheartedly. "I'll take that as a compliment" is often a response to a comment that could be taken as criticism.
  
  A: (In frustration): "You are the most miserly treasurer this homeowner's association has ever had."
  B: "Thank you! I'll take that as a compliment. Spending was out of control before I took over the position."