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Develop vs Compose - What's the difference?

develop | compose |

In transitive terms the difference between develop and compose

is that develop is to acquire something usually over a period of time while compose is to make up the whole; to constitute.

As verbs the difference between develop and compose

is that develop is to change with a specific direction, progress while compose is to make something by merging parts.

develop

English

(Development)

Alternative forms

* develope (obsolete)

Verb

  • To change with a specific direction, progress.
  • (ambitransitive) To progress through a sequence of stages.
  • * Owen
  • All insects acquire the jointed legs before the wings are fully developed .
  • To advance; to further; to promote the growth of.
  • * Jowett (Thucyd)
  • We must develop our own resources to the utmost.
  • To create.
  • * {{quote-magazine, year=2013, month=July-August, author= Catherine Clabby
  • , magazine=(American Scientist), title= Focus on Everything , passage=Not long ago, it was difficult to produce photographs of tiny creatures with every part in focus.
  • To bring out images latent in photographic film.
  • To acquire something usually over a period of time.
  • (chess) To place one's pieces actively.
  • (snooker, pool) To cause a ball to become more open and available to be played on later. Usually by moving it away from the cushion, or by opening a pack.
  • (math) To change the form of (an algebraic expression, etc.) by executing certain indicated operations without changing the value.
  • Usage notes

    * Objects: plan, software, program, product, story, idea.

    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