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.

Verb

(prepar)

To make ready for a specific future purpose; to set up; to assemble.

* Bible, Psalms cvii. 36

that they may prepare a city for habitation

* Dryden

our souls, not yet prepared for upper light

To make ready for eating or drinking; to cook.

To make oneself ready; to get ready, make preparation.

* {{quote-book, year=1963, author=(Margery Allingham), title=(The China Governess)

, chapter=19 citation , passage=As soon as Julia returned with a constable, Timothy, who was on the point of exhaustion, prepared to give over to him gratefully. The newcomer turned out to be a powerful youngster, fully trained and eager to help, and he stripped off his tunic at once.}}

To produce or make by combining elements; to synthesize, compound.