Noun

(en noun)

The proportion of different parts to make a whole.

The general makeup of something.

(obsolete) An agreement or treaty used to settle differences; later especially, an agreement to stop hostilities; a truce.

* , I.40:

It will stoope and yeeld upon better compositions to him that shall make head against it.

* 1630 , John Smith, True travels , in Kupperman 1988, p.50:

with an incredible courage they advanced to the push of the Pike with the defendants, that with the like courage repulsed, that the Turks retired and fled into the Castle, from whence by a flag of truce they desired composition .

(obsolete) An agreement to pay money in order to clear a liability or obligation; a settling.

* 1745 , Edward Young, Night-Thoughts , II:

Insidious death! should his strong hand arrest, / No composition sets the prisoner free.

(legal) an agreement or compromise by which a creditor or group of creditors accepts partial payment from a debtor.

A mixture or compound; the result of composing.

An essay.

(linguistics) The formation of compound words from separate words.

A work of music, literature or art.

* 1818 , (Jane Austen), A letter dated 8 September 1818:

and how good Mrs. West could have written such books and collected so many hard words, with all her family cares, is still more a matter of astonishment. Composition seems to me impossible with a head full of joints of mutton and doses of rhubarb.

(printing) Typesetting.

(label) Applying a function to the result of another.

(obsolete) Consistency; accord; congruity.

* Shakespeare

There is no composition in these news / That gives them credit.

Synthesis as opposed to analysis.

* Sir Isaac Newton

The investigation of difficult things by the method of analysis ought ever to precede the method of composition .

Noun

Calmness of mind or matter, self-possession.

* Milton

We seek peace and composure .

* I. Watts

When the passions are all silent, the mind enjoys its most perfect composure .

*

“Did you want anything, ma’am?” I enquired, still preserving my external composure , in spite of her ghastly countenance and strange exaggerated manner.

* {{quote-news

, year=2011 , date=September 2 , author= , title=Wales 2-1 Montenegro , work=BBC citation , page= , passage=Montenegro's early composure was shaken by that set-back and a visibly buoyed Wales nearly added a second goal when Bale broke past two defenders and fired a long-range shot that Bozovic tipped over}}

* {{quote-book

, year=1798 , author=Giacomo Casanova , title=The memoirs of Jacques Casanova de Seingalt , chapter=92 citation , passage=He began to lose his composure , and made mistakes, his cards got mixed up, and his scoring was wild.}}

(obsolete) The act of composing, or that which is composed; a composition.

* Evelyn

Signor Pietro, who had an admirable way both of composure [in music] and teaching.

(obsolete) Orderly adjustment; disposition.

* Woodward

Various composures and combinations of these corpuscles.

(obsolete) frame; make; temperament

* Shakespeare

His composure must be rare indeed / Whom these things can not blemish.

(obsolete) A combination; a union; a bond.

(Shakespeare)

(Webster 1913)