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Author vs Compose - What's the difference?

author | compose |

As verbs the difference between author and compose

is that author is to create a work as its author while compose is to make something by merging parts.

As a noun author

is the originator or creator of a work, especially of a literary composition.

author

English

Alternative forms

* (obsolete)

Noun

(en noun)
  • The originator or creator of a work, especially of a literary composition.
  • * (John Milton) (1608-1674)
    • Eternal King; thee, Author of all being.
  • * 1661 , , The Life of the most learned, reverend and pious Dr. H. Hammond
    • During the whole time of his abode in the university he generally spent thirteen hours of the day in study; by which assiduity besides an exact dispatch of the whole course of philosophy, he read over in a manner all classic authors that are extant
  • * (Samuel Johnson) (1709-1784)
    • The chief glory of every people arises from its authors .
  • # (the author) I, me.
  • Someone who writes books for a living.
  • The works of an author or authors.
  • * 1661 , , The Life of the most learned, reverend and pious Dr. H. Hammond
    • During the whole time of his abode in the university he generally spent thirteen hours of the day in study; by which assiduity besides an exact dispatch of the whole course of philosophy, he read over in a manner all classic authors that are extant

    Synonyms

    * (creator of a work) bookwright, creator, artist, subcreator, fabulator, writer

    Derived terms

    * authoress

    Related terms

    * authorization or authorisation * authority * authorship * auteur

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • (chiefly, US) To create a work as its .

    • Derived terms

    * authorable

    Statistics

    * ----

    compose

    English

    (Composition)

    Verb

    (compos)
  • To make something by merging parts.
    • The editor composed a historical journal from many individual letters.
    Try to compose your thoughts.
  • * Bishop Sprat
    • Zeal ought to be composed of the highest degrees of all pious affection.
  • To make up the whole; to constitute.
    • A church is composed of its members.
  • * I. Watts
    • A few useful things compose their intellectual possessions.
  • (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.
  • * Alexander Pope
    • Let me compose / Something in verse as well as prose.
  • * 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.
  • * Dryden
    • Compose thy mind; / Nor frauds are here contrived, nor force designed.
  • 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
  • To arrange in proper form; to reduce to order; to put in proper state or condition.
  • * Dryden
    • In a peaceful grave my corpse compose .
  • * Milton
    • How in safety best we may / Compose our present evils.
  • (printing, dated) To arrange (types) in a composing stick for printing; to typeset.

    • Derived terms

    * composer * composite * composing stick * composition * compositor * composure * decompose

    Related terms

    * compound