Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
compose
com‧pose /kəmˈpəʊz $ -ˈpoʊz/ verb
[Date: 1300-1400; Language: Old French; Origin: composer, from Latin componere; ⇨ compound2]
1.
a) be composed of something to be formed from a number of substances, parts, or people SYN consist of:
• Water is composed of hydrogen and oxygen.
• The legal system is composed of people, and people make mistakes.
► Do not say that something ‘is composed by’ or ‘is composed with’ things or people. Say that it is composed of things or people.
b) [transitive not in progressive] formal to combine together to form something SYN make up:
• More than 17.6 million firms compose the business sector of our economy.
2. [intransitive and transitive] to write a piece of music ⇨ composer, composition:
• Barrington has composed the music for a new production of ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’.
3. compose a letter/poem/speech etc to write a letter, poem etc, thinking very carefully about it as you write it:
• Compose a letter to your local paper stating your views on an issue of your choice.
4.
a) compose yourself to try hard to become calm after feeling very angry, upset, or excited:
• Lynn took several deep breaths to compose herself.
b) compose your face/features/thoughts to make yourself look or feel calm ⇨ composure:
• When asked a question, give yourself a second to compose your thoughts.
5. [transitive] to arrange the parts of a painting, photograph, or scene in a way that achieves a particular result:
• I like the way he composes his photographs.
Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary
compose
com·pose[composecomposescomposedcomposing] [kəmˈpəʊz] [kəmˈpoʊz]verb
1. transitive (not used in the progressive tenses) ~ sth (formal) to combine together to form a whole
Syn: make up
• Ten men compose the committee.
see also composed
2. transitive, intransitive ~ (sth) to write music
• Mozart composed his last opera shortly before he died.
3. transitive ~ a letter/speech/poem to write a letter, etc. usually with a lot of care and thought
• She composed a letter of protest.
4. transitive, no passive (formal) to manage to control your feelings or expression
• ~ yourself Emma frowned, making an effort to compose herself.
• ~ sth I was so confused that I could hardly compose my thoughts.
see also composure
Word Origin:
late Middle English (in the general sense ‘put together, construct’): from Old French composer, from Latin componere, from com- ‘together’ + ponere ‘put’, but influenced by Latin compositus ‘composed’ and Old French poser ‘to place’.
Example Bank:
• music specially composed for the occasion
Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary
compose
compose (ARRANGE TEXT) /kəmˈpəʊz/ US /-ˈpoʊz/
verb [T] SPECIALIZED
to arrange words, sentences, pages, etc. in preparation for printing
compose (CALM) /kəmˈpəʊz/ US /-ˈpoʊz/
verb
1 compose yourself to make yourself calm again after being angry or upset:
She finally stopped crying and composed herself.
2 compose your features/thoughts to try to make yourself look or feel calm after being angry or upset:
I tried to compose my features into a smile.
He took a minute or two to compose his thoughts before he replied.
composed /kəmˈpəʊzd/ US /-ˈpoʊzd/
adjective
calm and in control of your emotions:
She looked remarkably composed throughout the funeral.
composedly /kəmˈpəʊ.zɪd.li/ US /-ˈpoʊ-/
adverb
composure /kəmˈpəʊ.ʒəʳ/ US /-ˈpoʊ.ʒɚ/
noun [U]
calmness and control:
I didn't want to lose my composure in front of her.
compose (FORMED FROM) /kəmˈpəʊz/ US /-ˈpoʊz/
verb
1 be composed of sth to be formed from various things:
Air is composed mainly of nitrogen and oxygen.
The committee is composed of MPs, doctors, academics and members of the public.
The audience was composed largely of young people.
2 [T] to be the parts that something is made of:
At that time, women composed only 1.6% of the US forces.
composition /ˌkɒm.pəˈzɪʃ.ən/ US /ˌkɑːm-/
noun [U]
the parts, substances, etc. that something is made of:
the composition of the atmosphere
compose (PRODUCE ART) /kəmˈpəʊz/ US /-ˈpoʊz/
verb [I or T]
to produce music, poetry or formal writing:
Prokofiev started composing at the age of five.
The music was specially composed for the film.
a piece of music composed for the flute
He composed this poem for his wife.
FORMAL My lawyer is going to compose a letter of complaint.
composer /kəmˈpəʊ.zəʳ/ US /-ˈpoʊ.zɚ/
noun [C]
a person who writes music, especially classical music
composition /ˌkɒm.pəˈzɪʃ.ən/ US /ˌkɑːm-/
noun
1 [C] a piece of music that someone has written:
This concerto is one of her earlier/later compositions.
2 [U] the process or skill of writing music:
At music school I studied piano and composition.
3 [C] the way that people or things are arranged in a painting or photograph:
a group composition
4 [C or U] OLD-FASHIONED a short piece of writing about a particular subject, done by a student:
a 200-word composition
Collins Advanced Learner’s English Dictionary
compose
[kəmpo͟ʊz]
composes, composing, composed
1) VERB The things that something is composed of are its parts or members. The separate things that compose something are the parts or members that form it.
[be V-ed of n] The force would be composed of troops from NATO countries...
[V n] Protein molecules compose all the complex working parts of living cells...
[V-ed] They agreed to form a council composed of leaders of the rival factions.
Syn:
make up
2) VERB When someone composes a piece of music, they write it.
[V n] Vivaldi composed a large number of very fine concertos...
Cale also uses electronic keyboards to compose.
3) VERB If you compose something such as a letter, poem, or speech, you write it, often using a lot of concentration or skill. [FORMAL]
[V n] He started at once to compose a reply to Anna...
[V-ed] The document composed in Philadelphia transformed the confederation of sovereign states into a national government.
4) VERB If you compose a picture or image, you arrange it in an attractive and artistic way. [TECHNICAL]
[V n] Anthony dismounted with his camera and walked away from the walls to compose a shot...
[V-ed] The drawing is beautifully composed.
5) VERB If you compose yourself or if you compose your features, you succeed in becoming calm after you have been angry, excited, or upset.
[V pron-refl] She quickly composed herself as the car started off...
[V n] Then he composed his features, took Godwin's hand awkwardly and began to usher him from the office.