Meaning

9 senses

  1. (transitive)To make something by merging parts.

    The editor composed a historical journal from many individual letters.

    December 22 1678, Thomas Sprat, A Sermon Preached before the King at White-Hall Zeal ought to be composed of the highest degrees of all pious affection.

    zusammenstellen, zusammensetzen, komponieren

    составля́тьsostavljátʹ, соста́витьsostávitʹ, собира́тьsobirátʹ

    склада́тиskladáty, скла́стиsklásty, компонува́тиkomponuváty

    make up plans or basic details for

  2. (transitive)To make up the whole; to constitute.

    A church is composed of its members.

    составля́тьsostavljátʹ, соста́витьsostávitʹ, состоя́тьsostojátʹ

    calm (someone, especially oneself); make quiet

  3. (nonstandard, transitive)To comprise.

    enthalten, umfasst, einschliessen

  4. (intransitive, transitive)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.

    abfassen, verfassen, komponieren

    сочиня́тьsočinjátʹ, сочини́тьsočinítʹ, писа́тьpisátʹ

    склада́тиskladáty, скла́стиsklásty, компонува́тиkomponuváty

    produce a literary work

  5. (reflexive, sometimes)To calm; to free from agitation.

    Try to compose your thoughts.

    The defendant couldn't compose herself and was found in contempt.

    sich fassen, sich beruhigen

    собира́тьсяsobirátʹsja, собра́тьсяsobrátʹsja

  6. To arrange the elements of a photograph or other picture.

    zusammenstellen, bilden

  7. To settle (an argument, dispute etc.); to come to a settlement.

  8. To arrange in proper form; to reduce to order; to put in proper state or condition.

  9. (dated)To arrange (types) in a composing stick for printing; to typeset.

Examples

205 sentences

  1. Tom composed the music for that movie.

    CC BY 2.0 FR · Tatoeba · CK · B1Open on TatoebaReport a problem

  2. The committee was composed entirely of young teachers.

    ruКомитет полностью состоял из молодых учителей. — sharptoothed

    deDas Komitee setzte sich vollständig aus jungen Lehrern zusammen. — Yorwba

    CC BY 2.0 FR · Tatoeba · CK · B1Open on TatoebaReport a problem

  3. Tom composed that piece several years ago.

    ruТом сочинил эту вещь несколько лет тому назад. — sharptoothed

    CC BY 2.0 FR · Tatoeba · sharptoothed · B1Open on TatoebaReport a problem

  4. Who composed this music?

    ruКто написал эту музыку? — marafon

    CC BY 2.0 FR · Tatoeba · CK · B1Open on TatoebaReport a problem

  5. Tom tried to stay composed.

    CC BY 2.0 FR · Tatoeba · CK · B1Open on TatoebaReport a problem

Translations

9 languages
Українська
By meaning 1
to make something by merging parts:
Русский
By meaning 4
to make something by merging parts:
to make up the whole; to constitute:
to construct by mental labor; to think up:
to calm oneself down:
Deutsch
By meaning 5
to make something by merging parts:
to comprise:
to construct by mental labor; to think up:
to calm oneself down:
to arrange the elements of a picture:

Origin

From Middle English composen, from Old French composer (“to compose, compound, adjust, set

From Middle English composen, from Old French composer (“to compose, compound, adjust, settle”), from com- + poser, as an adaptation of Latin componere (“to put together, compose”), from com- (“together”) + ponere (“to put, place”).

Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source

Forms

composes, composing, composed, composed
Base formcompose · to compose
3rd person singularcomposes
Present participlecomposing
Past simplecomposed
Past participlecomposed

regular · Lesson

Present simpleLesson

I, you, we, theycompose
he, she, itcomposes

Past simpleLesson

all personscomposed

Present perfectLesson

I, you, we, theyhave composed
he, she, ithas composed

Future simple (will)Lesson

all personswill compose

Synonyms

14 synonyms
make up the whole:constituteB1
formB1compoundB1compriseC1representA2inditemake upupmake
Close in meaning

Word family

22 related words
RelatedcompositionB1componentcomposercomposingcompositorcomposure
Derivedcocomposecomposabilitycomposablecomposing framecomposing rulecomposing stickcompositecomposographdecomposediscomposemiscomposephotocomposepostcomposeprecomposerecomposethrough-composed

Lessons for this word

3 lessons

See also

neighbours in the dictionary
complimentaryC1complyC1componentB2composerA2composite
compose — meaning, examples, forms, synonyms | Krumeto