▪ I. compose, v.
(kəmˈpəʊz)
[a. F. compose-r (12th c. in Littré), f. com- together + poser to place, put down:—Romanic posare = late L. pausāre to cease, lie down, lay down, etc.: see pose, repose. Through form-association with inflexions of L. pōnĕre, posui, pa. pple. positum, postum, It. posto, OF. post, pos, and contact of sense, this -poser came to be treated as a synonym of OF. -pondre, and finally took its place in the compounds, so that composer to compose is now used instead of compondre to compone, compound, and naturally associated with compositor, composition, compost, etc., with which it has no connexion in origin.]
I. To put together, make up.
† 1. trans. To make by putting together parts or elements: to make up, form, frame, fashion, construct, produce. Obs. exc. in the special senses below.
| 1481 Caxton Myrr. i. xiii. 39 He [God] is the very Astronomyer..as he hym self that composed astronomye. 1485 ― Chas. Gt. 12 He dyd compose & do edyfye a cyte. 1599 Thynne Animadv. (1865) 35 England had..the arte to compose suche kynde of delicate Cloothe of golde, as Europe had not the lyke. 1606 Shakes. Tr. & Cr. v. ii. 170 His Helme: Were it a Caske compos'd by Vulcan's skill, My Sword should bite it. 1691 T. H[ale] Acc. New Invent. 127 The Art of..composing a Ship, not out of one but several thousand pieces of Wood and Iron. 1788 Reid Aristotle's Log. i. §1. 2 He [Aristotle] was the first we know, says Strabo, who composed a library. |
† b. To fashion, frame (the human body, etc.); esp. in comp. as well-composed, well put together, well-built. Obs.
| 1490 Caxton Eneydos ii. 15 His sone yolus..was soo fayr and so welle composed. 1601 Shakes. All's Well i. ii. 21 Franke Nature rather curious then in hast Hath well compos'd thee. 1633 Bp. Hall Hard Texts, Cant. vii. 4 Thy nose..is perfectly composed, and featured. 1646 Sir T. Browne Pseud. Ep. iv. vi. 195 Callipygæ and women largely composed behinde. 1667 Milton P.L. ii. 111. 1676 D'Urfey Mad. Fickle iii. iii, So handsome, so well compos'd a man. |
† 2. To compound or mix (with). Obs.
| 1475 Caxton Jason 52 Beuurages and drynkes sumptuous composed with spices. |
3. Predicated of the elements; To constitute, make up; to be the constituents or material of.
This construction seems to have come in as 1 became obsolete.
| 1665 R. Boyle Occas. Refl. iv. xii. (1675) 240 Now that the sun has..elevated this Water in the form of Vapours..we see it Composes a Cloud. 1667 Milton P.L. i. 483 Nor did Israel scape Th' infection when their borrow'd Gold compos'd The Calf in Oreb. 1692 Dryden St. Evremont's Ess. 126 Insinuations, complaisance, and all those curious measures which compose the Art of winning hearts. 1732 Pope Ess. Man i. i. 24 See worlds on worlds compose one universe. 1743 Fielding J. Wild i. v, The same endowments have often composed the statesman and the Prig. 1799 Scotl. Described (ed. 2) 15 Granite, schistus, sand⁓stone..usually compose the strata of its rocks. 1875 Bryce Holy Rom. Emp. viii. (ed. 5) 122 The five or six great tribes or tribe-leagues which composed the German nation. |
4. pass. To be made up, formed, compounded of (a material, or constituent elements); to be constituted; to consist of.
Originally, and still in form, the passive of 1, the agent being left unexpressed. But now, practically, the passive of 3: the persons who compose a crowd are those of whom the crowd is composed.
| 1541 R. Copland Guydon's Quest. Cyrurg., The bladder..is composed of pannycles. 1599 Shakes. Much Ado v. i. 257 He is compos'd and fram'd of treacherie. 1642 R. Carpenter Experience ii. xi. 208 Every man is composed of a man and a beast. a 1713 Sprat (J.), Zeal ought to be composed of the highest degrees of all pious affections. a 1774 Goldsm. Surv. Exp. Philos. (1776) I. 18 Every part of nature is composed from similar materials. 1790 Burke Fr. Rev. Wks. V. 91 If an assembly is viciously or feebly composed in a very great part of it. 1856 Sir B. Brodie Psychol. Inq. I. iv. 111 The spinal chord is composed of the same materials as the brain. 1857 Buckle Civiliz. I. xii. 657 A government composed of princes and bishops. 1875 Jevons Money (1878) 44 The first British currency was composed of tin. |
5. spec. To construct (in words); to make or produce in literary form, to write as author.
Formerly often = compile; now chiefly restricted to poetry, essays, or the like, in which original literary workmanship is the predominant feature. Write is commonly used of any treatise of which narrative, description, or discussion is the main purpose; but it is a lighter substitute for compose, even in reference to finished works of literary art.
| 1483 Caxton Cato 3 A short and prouffitable doctryne..the which is taken and composed upon the said book of Cathon. 1489 ― Faytes of A. i. i. 3 Whiche he had composed and made in a boke. 1599 Thynne Animadv. (1865) 69 The Letter of Cupide, and the ballade..whiche Chaucer never composed. 1651 Hobbes Leviath. iii. xxxvi. 225 Poets..that composed Hymnes and other sorts of Poems. 1667 Primatt (title), The City and County Purchaser and Builder. Composed by S. P. Gent. 1722 Sewell Hist. Quakers (1795) I. p. iv, I was induced to compose an history. 1814 Wordsw. Pref. Excursion, A determination to compose a philosophical poem. 1832 Southey Penins. War III. 556 The printed authorities from which the present history has been composed. 1876 J. H. Newman Hist. Sk. I. 262 In the last year of his life he [Cicero] composed at least eight of his philosophical works. |
b. absol.
| 1601 B. Jonson Poetaster iii. i, Yonder's Horace..I think he be composing as he goes in the street. 1766 Johnson in Boswell Feb., When composing, I have generally had them [verses] in my mind, perhaps fifty at a time, walking up and down in my room: and then I have written them down. 18.. Crabbe (O.), Follow your calling, think the Muses foes Nor lean upon the pestle and compose. 1818 Parr Wks. (1828) VIII. 646 It is always easier to criticize than to compose. 1869 J. E. T. Rogers Pref. A. Smith's W.N. 25 It is said that he composed with difficulty, and always with the services of an amanuensis. |
6. Music. To invent and put into proper form.
| 1597 Morley Introd. Mus. 182 Being inioyned to make a song, [he] wil do it so simplie as one would thinke a scholler of one yeares practise might easily compose a better. 1706 Farquhar Recr. Officer Epil. This piece of music..was composed by a famous Italian master. 1795 Mason Ch. Mus. ii. 93 note, King Henry composed a Motett beginning Quam Pulchra es. 1882 Shorthouse J. Inglesant xxii, He composed pieces for a single voice with accompaniment for Violins. |
b. To set to music; to write music to.
| [1661–2 Pepys Diary 11 Feb., At night begun to compose songs, and begin with ‘Gaze not on swans’.] 1691 Dryden Albion & Alb. Pref., The English..are not..so musical as the French, yet they have been pleas'd already with the Tempest [an opera], and some Pieces that follow'd, which were neither much better written, nor so well compos'd as this. 1841 Baroness Bunsen in Hare Life (1879) II. i. 22 In the wish to find something Italian to compose. 1878 A. Roffe Handbk. Shaks. Mus. 27 These four lines of Hamlet have been composed by Mr. M. P. King in the form of the unaccompanied glee for three voices. |
c. absol.
| 1694 W. Holder Harmony (1731) 60 Not intending to treat of Composing. 1849 Marryat Valerie xi, He is very talented, very musical, composes well. 1863 Ouseley in Guardian 18 Nov. 1082/2 Now it became for the first time possible to compose in the true sense of that term. No longer was music simply an enhancing adjunct to words. |
7. Print. To put together (types) so as to form words and blocks of words; to set up (type); to set up (an article, a page) in type; also absol.
| 1637 Decree of Star Chamb. §24 If any person..that is not allowed Printer..shall worke at any such Presse, or Set, or Compose any Letters to bee wrought by any such Presse. 1708 Hearne Collect. 11 Apr. II. 102 They had 15 shillings per sheet for composing Pliny's Epistles. 1721 R. Procl. 11 June in Lond. Gaz. No. 5963/1 An Assistant to..Nathaniel Mist in composing for the Press. 1791 Boswell Johnson an. 1784, The compositor was Mr. Manning..who had composed about one half of his ‘Dictionary’. 1882 Blades Caxton 108 The author procured..a fount of their Caxton types in pure lead, and composed a page of Caxton's ‘Chess Book’. |
8. To put together (parts or elements) so as to make up a whole; spec. in artistic use, To arrange artistically the elements of a landscape or painting.
| 1655–60 Stanley Hist. Philos. (1701) Where matter was put into those Figures by God..at last he reduced it to order, each being conjoined to one another and composed in due Proportion. 1659 T. Willsford Archit. 27 Panes of glass (composed in Diamond cut). 1782 Gilpin Wye (1789) 59 Shrubs artfully composed may have their elegance and beauty. 1828 H. Steuart Planter's G. 298 With..taste and judgment, Bushes and stools of Copse-wood may be thus composed..naturally and beautifully. 1849 Ruskin Sev. Lamps iv. §26. 115 Symmetry without proportion is not composition. To compose is to arrange unequal things. |
b. intr. (for refl.) To enter into composition; to admit of artistic grouping.
| 1828 J. Elmes Metr. Improv. 45 The house..composes well with the adjoining mansions and small plantations. |
c. trans. To construct artistically. (Cf. 5, 6.)
| 1663 [see composing vbl. n. 1]. 1845 Stocqueler Handbk. Brit. India (1854) 149 The plan was not copied from any other edifice, but was composed expressly for the purpose mentioned. |
II. To arrange a dispute, conflict of claims, etc.
9. trans. To settle, adjust, arrange. a. discord or dissension, a dispute, difference, quarrel, war, disturbance, disorder, etc.
| 1563–87 Foxe A. & M. (1596) 242 The controversie ceased and composed betweene these two, Otho the Cardinall..beginneth his sermon. a 1600 Hooker Eccl. Pol. viii. vii. §6 To compose the strife between him and his competitor. 1728 Newton Chronol. Amended ii. 234 This war was at length composed by the intervention of Mercury. 1762 Hume Hist. Eng. I. ix. 198 The king, with some difficulty, composed this difference. 1856 Froude Hist. Eng. (1858) III. xiv. 206 For the present the tumult was composed. |
b. contending or rebellious persons, a disturbed district.
| 1594 [see composing vbl. n. 1]. 1612 T. Taylor Comm. Titus i. 6 What a stirre had Abraham to compose Sarah and Hagar to peace. 1655 Fuller Ch. Hist. ii. iv. §39 It is hard so to compose two Swarms of Bees in one Hive, but that they will fall out and fight. 1879 Froude Cæsar xix. 316 Labienus, with four legions, was sent to compose the country between Sens and Paris. |
10. To arrange (any matter) properly or successfully; to settle.
| 1568 Grafton Chron. II. 70 That matter was sone composed by the king of England. a 1619 Daniel Coll. Hist. Eng. (1626) 96 [He] then goes..and composes this businesse with the King of France. 1878 Tennyson Q. Mary i. v. 37 It then remains..to compose the event [Mary's marriage] In some such form as least may harm your Grace. |
b. absol. To come to a composition or settlement.
| 1606 Shakes. Ant. & Cl. ii. ii. 15 If we compose well heere, to Parthia. |
† 11. intr. ? To make composition, to compound (for anything). Obs.
| 1605 Verstegan Dec. Intell. vi. (1628) 179 Such as had the good fortune to keep or compose for their owne liuelyhoods. |
III. To adjust the body or mind to any attitude, esp. that of repose; to calm or quiet disturbance.
[The later development has here app. been influenced by association with the cognate repose, which retains much more of the original sense of pausāre; in senses 15–17, esp., to compose is to adjust to a state of repose.]
12. trans. To give some arrangement, attitude, or adjustment to; to ‘make up’ in a specified or understood way, or artificially. to compose oneself: to adopt an attitude, to dispose one's body, or features, in an appropriate manner.
| 1606 Holland Sueton. 146 Composing and dressing it [his face] at a looking-glasse..all manner of waies to seem more terrible. 1644 Bulwer Chirol. 180 The stroake inflicted with the Hand thus composed, hath from antiquity..the name of Condyl. 1673 Rules of Civility vii. 77 Composing ourselves with as much modesty as we may. 1673 S. C. Art Complaisance i. 7 They appear more affected then yourself, and never fail to compose their countenances according to yours. 1691 Ray Creation i. (1704) 90 How doth it [Water] exactly compose itself to a level or equal Superficies. 1859 Thackeray Virgin. xvii, She..would have taken care to study and compose a face so as to be ready to suit the plea. |
13. To address or dispose (esp. the mind, oneself) calmly and collectedly to or for an action or state, or to do something; ‘to adjust the mind to any business by freeing it from disturbance’ (J.).
| 1614 Bp. Hall Contempl. O.T. viii. 1108 That he may the more easily compose himselfe to resist [Satan's onsets]. 1650 Howell Masaniello i. 107 To sound the Shop Keepers, and compose them to see their slavery. 1667 Milton P.L. xii. 596 Her also I..have calm'd.. and all her spirits compos'd To meek submission. 1716–8 Lady M. W. Montague Lett. I. xvi. 53 Tired with fear and fatigue, it was not possible for me to compose myself to write. 1794 Southey Wat Tyler iii. i, I would fain compose my thoughts for action. |
† b. intr. (for refl.). Obs.
| 1663 J. Spencer Prodigies (1665) 331 They tend to detain people always in a gazing and expecting posture, so that they compose not to the work and duty of the day. |
c. In compose oneself to sleep there is a blending with following senses.
| 1709 Steel & Addison Tatler No. 160 ¶2 It was impossible for me to compose my self to sleep after two such unexpected Alarms. 1877 A. Brassey Voy. Sunbeam xxi, The children..composed themselves in the deck-house to sleep for the remainder of the night. |
† 14. To put in the proper state (for any purpose); to dispose, to order. Obs.
| 1614 Speed Theatre Gt. Brit. Pref., How the Lord composed my minde for the worke. a 1674 Clarendon Hist. viii. (J.), The whole army seemed well composed to obtain that by their swords, which they could not by their pen. |
15. To set in proper order, or in a position of rest; to arrange, adjust; e.g. to set (the body) in the posture of sleep or repose. to compose one's countenance: to adjust the features so that they express no emotion. (Cf. composed 4.)
| 1700 Dryden Pal. & Arcite iii. 434 At length in sleep their bodies they compose. 1756 Burke Subl. & B. iv. xix, The whole body is composed, and the hands fall idly to the sides. 1784 Cowper Task ii. 446 First we stroke An eyebrow, next compose a straggling lock. 1813 Scott Rokeby i. ii, Ere sleep [his] senses tied, Oft had he changed his weary side, Composed his limbs. 1859 Thackeray Virgin. ix. He tried to compose his countenance as well as he could: it was impossible that he should explain to his hostess..why he was angry. |
b. To lay out (a dead body).
| a 1677 Barrow 2nd Serm. Rom. xii. 18. 1697 Dryden æn. vi. 498 And in a peaceful grave my corps compose. 1717 Pope Elegy Unfort. Lady 52 By foreign hands thy decent limbs compos'd. 1814 Southey Roderick ii, No Christian hands Were here who should compose his decent corpse. |
† c. fig. To make seemly and orderly (in manners, behaviour, etc.). Obs.
| 1626 Donne Serm. on Ps. lxv. 5 By Composing our manners and rectifying our Life and Conversation. 1655–60 Stanley Hist. Philos. (1701) 186 One..who took more care to frame an Oration, than to compose his Life. |
16. To make calm or quiet (a physical disturbance, noise, etc.).
| 1615 G. Sandys Trav. 207 The windes fauourable, and the seas composed. a 1721 Prior The Dove 93 To compose this midnight noise. a 1728 Woodward (J.), Had power to still and compose it [the water], as well as to disturb it. |
17. To calm, pacify, tranquillize (the thoughts, spirits, emotions). Freq. refl. and pass.
| 1607 Dekker Whore Babylon Wks. 1873 II. 265 Contract thy spirits togither, be compos'd. 1688 Shadwell Sqr. Alsatia v, If you are not quiet, you shall never see her more..I'll strive to compose myself. 1719 De Foe Crusoe i. xviii, He said..kind things to me, to compose and bring me to myself. 1784 Cowper Task iii. 305 Reflections such as..Compose the passions, and exalt the mind. 1837 Dickens Pickw. xxxiv, I heard him ask her to compose herself, for what a situation it was if anybody should come. 1873 Mrs. Oliphant Innocent II. i. 20 For Heaven's sake, Amanda, compose yourself—Do you want to make a scene? |
b. To tranquillize through the senses or nerves.
| 1744 Berkeley Siris §86, I have known tar-water procure sleep and compose the spirits in cruel vigils. 1860–1 F. Nightingale Nursing 34 A good nurse can apply hot bottles to the feet..hour by hour, without disturbing, but rather composing the patient. |
▪ II. † ˈcompose, n. Obs.
= composition, compost. Cf. compass n.2
| 1581 A. Anderson Serm. Paules Crosse 103 Remoue the hindering matter from the roote of the Fig tree, and lay compose to moisten, supple, and comforte the life therof..Lay to the roote..that dung or compose. 1603 Harsnet Pop. Impost. 45 And this..is the mysterie of your sweet Compose, to fume a Devill out at a mans nose like the smoake of Tobacco. |