compose
See also: composé
Contents
EnglishEdit
EtymologyEdit
Borrowed from Old French composer (“to compose, compound, adjust, settle”), from com- + poser, as an adaptation of Latin componere (“to put together, compose”), from com- (“together”) + ponere (“to put, place”)
PronunciationEdit
- (General American) enPR: kəm-pōzʹ, IPA(key): /kəmˈpoʊz/
- (Received Pronunciation) enPR: kəm-pōzʹ, IPA(key): /kəmˈpəʊz/
Audio (US) (file) - Rhymes: -əʊz
VerbEdit
compose (third-person singular simple present composes, present participle composing, simple past and past participle composed)
- (transitive) To make something by merging parts. [from later 15th c.]
- The editor composed a historical journal from many individual letters.
- Try to compose your thoughts.
- (Can we date this quote?) Bishop Sprat
- Zeal ought to be composed of the highest degrees of all pious affection.
- (transitive) To make up the whole; to constitute.
- A church is composed of its members.
- (transitive, nonstandard) To comprise.
- (transitive or intransitive) To construct by mental labor; to think up; particularly, to produce or create a literary or musical work.
- The orator composed his speech over the week prior.
- Nine numbered symphonies, including the Fifth, were composed by Beethoven.
- It's difficult to compose without absolute silence.
- (Can we date this quote?) Alexander Pope
- Let me compose / Something in verse as well as prose.
- (Can we date this quote?) B. R. Haydon
- the genius that composed such works as the "Standard" and "Last Supper"
- (sometimes reflexive) To calm; to free from agitation.
- The defendant couldn't compose herself and was found in contempt.
- To arrange the elements of a photograph or other picture.
- To settle (an argument, dispute etc.); to come to a settlement.
- 2010, Christopher Hitchens, Hitch-22, Atlantic 2011, p. 280:
- By trying his best to compose matters with the mullahs, he had sincerely shown that he did not seek a violent collision […]
- 2010, Christopher Hitchens, Hitch-22, Atlantic 2011, p. 280:
- To arrange in proper form; to reduce to order; to put in proper state or condition.
- (Can we date this quote?) Dryden
- In a peaceful grave my corpse compose.
- (Can we date this quote?) John Milton
- How in safety best we may / Compose our present evils.
- (Can we date this quote?) Dryden
- (printing, dated) To arrange (types) in a composing stick for printing; to typeset.
SynonymsEdit
- (make up the whole): constitute, form; see also Thesaurus:compose
Derived termsEdit
Derived terms
Related termsEdit
TranslationsEdit
to make something by merging parts
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to make up the whole; to constitute
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to comprise
to construct by mental labor; to think up
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to calm oneself down
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to arrange the elements of a picture
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- The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout#Translations.
Translations to be checked
FrenchEdit
VerbEdit
compose
- first-person singular present indicative of composer
- third-person singular present indicative of composer
- first-person singular present subjunctive of composer
- third-person singular present subjunctive of composer
- second-person singular imperative of composer