Adjacent Words

Composition definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

COMPOSITION, n. s as z.
1. In a general sense, the act of composing, or that which is composed; the act of forming a whole or integral, by placing together and uniting different things, parts or ingredients; or the whole body, mass or compound, thus formed. Thus we speak of the composition of medicines, by mixing divers ingredients, and call the whole mixture a composition. A composition of sand and clay is used for luting chimical vessels.
Vast pillars of stone, cased over with a composition that looks like marble.
Heat and vivacity, in age, is an excellent composition for business.
2. In literature, the act of inventing or combining ideas, clothing them with words, arranging them in order, and in general, committing them to paper, or otherwise writing them. Hence,
3. A written or printed work; a writing, pamphlet or book.
4. In music, the act or art of forming tunes; or a tune, song, anthem, air, or other musical piece.
5. The state of being placed together; union; conjunction; combination.
Contemplate things first in their simple natures, and then view them in composition.
6. The disposition or arrangement of figures connected in a picture.
By composition is meant the distribution and orderly placing of things, both in general and particular.
7. Adjustment; orderly disposition. Ben Jonson speaks of the composition of gesture, look, pronunciation and motion, in a preacher.
8. Mutual agreement to terms or conditions for the settlement of a difference or controversy.
Thus we are agreed;
I crave our composition may be written.
9. Mutual agreement for the discharge of a debt, on terms or by means different from those required by the original contract, or by law, as by the payment of a different sum, or by making other compensation. Hence, the sum so paid, or compensation given, in lieu of that stipulated or required.
A read composition is when an agreement is made between the owner of lands and the parson or vicar, with the consent of the ordinary and the patron, that such lands shall for the future be discharged rom the payment of tithes, by reason of some land or other real recompense given to the parson, in lieu and satisfaction thereof.
A bankrupt is cleared by a commission of bankruptcy, or by composition with his creditors.
10. Consistency; congruity.
11. The act of uniting simple ideas in a complex idea or conception; opposed to analysis.
12. The joining of two words in a compound, as in book-case; or the act of forming a word with a prefix or affix, which varies its signification; as return, from turn; preconcert, from concert; endless from end.
13. The synthetical method of reasoning; synthesis; a method of reasoning from known or admitted truths or principles, as from axioms, postulates or propositions previously demonstrated, and from these deducing a clear knowledge of the thing to be proved; or the act of collecting scattered parts of knowledge, and combining them into a system, so that the understanding is enabled distinctly to follow truth through its different stages of gradation. This method of reasoning is opposed to analysis or resolution. It begins with first principles, and by a train of reasoning from them, deduces the propositions or truths sought. Composition or synthesis proceeds by collecting or combining; analysis or resolution, by separating or unfolding.
14. In printing, the act of setting types or characters in the composing-stick, to form lines, and of arranging the lines in a galley, to make a column or page, and from this to make a form.
15. In chimistry, the combination of different substances, or substances of different natures, by affinity; from which results a compound substance, differing in properties from either of the component parts. Thus water is a composition of hydrogen and oxygen, which are invisible gases.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: the spatial property resulting from the arrangement of parts in relation to each other and to the whole; "harmonious composition is essential in a serious work of art" [syn: composition, composing]
2: the way in which someone or something is composed [syn: constitution, composition, physical composition, makeup, make-up]
3: a mixture of ingredients
4: a musical work that has been created; "the composition is written in four movements" [syn: musical composition, opus, composition, piece, piece of music]
5: musical creation [syn: composing, composition]
6: the act of creating written works; "writing was a form of therapy for him"; "it was a matter of disputed authorship" [syn: writing, authorship, composition, penning]
7: art and technique of printing with movable type [syn: typography, composition]
8: an essay (especially one written as an assignment); "he got an A on his composition" [syn: composition, paper, report, theme]
9: something that is created by arranging several things to form a unified whole; "he envied the composition of their faculty"

Merriam Webster's

noun Etymology: Middle English composicioun, from Anglo-French composicion, from Latin composition-, compositio, from componere Date: 14th century 1. a. the act or process of composing; specifically arrangement into specific proportion or relation and especially into artistic form b. (1) the arrangement of type for printing <hand composition> (2) the production of type or typographic characters (as in photocomposition) arranged for printing 2. a. the manner in which something is composed b. general makeup <the changing ethnic composition of the city — Leonard Buder> c. the qualitative and quantitative makeup of a chemical compound 3. mutual settlement or agreement 4. a product of mixing or combining various elements or ingredients 5. an intellectual creation: as a. a piece of writing; especially a school exercise in the form of a brief essay b. a written piece of music especially of considerable size and complexity 6. the quality or state of being compound 7. the operation of forming a composite function; also composite function • compositional adjective • compositionally adverb

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. 1 a the act of putting together; formation or construction. b something so composed; a mixture. c the constitution of such a mixture; the nature of its ingredients (the composition is two parts oil to one part vinegar). 2 a a literary or musical work. b the act or art of producing such a work. c an essay, esp. written by a schoolchild. d an artistic arrangement (of parts of a picture, subjects for a photograph, etc.). 3 mental constitution; character (jealousy is not in his composition). 4 (often attrib.) a compound artificial substance, esp. one serving the purpose of a natural one. 5 Printing the setting-up of type. 6 Gram. the formation of words into a compound word. 7 Law a a compromise, esp. a legal agreement to pay a sum in lieu of a larger sum, or other obligation (made a composition with his creditors). b a sum paid in this way. 8 Math. the combination of functions in a series. Derivatives: compositional adj. compositionally adv. Etymology: ME f. OF, f. L compositio -onis (as COMPOSITE)

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Composition Com`po*si"tion, n. [F. composition, fr. L. compositio. See Composite.] 1. The act or art of composing, or forming a whole or integral, by placing together and uniting different things, parts, or ingredients. In specific uses: (a) The invention or combination of the parts of any literary work or discourse, or of a work of art; as, the composition of a poem or a piece of music. ``The constant habit of elaborate composition.'' --Macaulay. (b) (Fine Arts) The art or practice of so combining the different parts of a work of art as to produce a harmonious whole; also, a work of art considered as such. See 4, below. (c) The act of writing for practice in a language, as English, Latin, German, etc. (d) (Print.) The setting up of type and arranging it for printing. 2. The state of being put together or composed; conjunction; combination; adjustment. View them in composition with other things. --I. Watts. The elementary composition of bodies. --Whewell. 3. A mass or body formed by combining two or more substances; as, a chemical composition. A composition that looks . . . like marble. --Addison. 4. A literary, musical, or artistic production, especially one showing study and care in arrangement; -- often used of an elementary essay or translation done as an educational exercise. 5. Consistency; accord; congruity. [Obs.] There is no composition in these news That gives them credit. --Shak. 6. Mutual agreement to terms or conditions for the settlement of a difference or controversy; also, the terms or conditions of settlement; agreement. Thus we are agreed: I crave our composition may be written. --Shak. 7. (Law) The adjustment of a debt, or avoidance of an obligation, by some form of compensation agreed on between the parties; also, the sum or amount of compensation agreed upon in the adjustment. Compositions for not taking the order of knighthood. --Hallam. Cleared by composition with their creditors. --Blackstone. 8. Synthesis as opposed to analysis. The investigation of difficult things by the method of analysis ought ever to precede the method of composition. --Sir I. Newton. Composition cloth, a kind of cloth covered with a preparation making it waterproof. Composition deed, an agreement for composition between a debtor and several creditors. Composition plane (Crystallog.), the plane by which the two individuals of a twin crystal are united in their reserved positions. Composition of forces (Mech.), the finding of a single force (called the resultant) which shall be equal in effect to two or more given forces (called the components) when acting in given directions. --Herbert. Composition metal, an alloy resembling brass, which is sometimes used instead of copper for sheathing vessels; -- also called Muntz metal and yellow metal. Composition of proportion (Math.), an arrangement of four proportionals so that the sum of the first and second is to the second as the sum of the third and fourth to the fourth.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(compositions) 1. When you talk about the composition of something, you are referring to the way in which its various parts are put together and arranged. Television has transformed the size and social composition of the audience at great sporting occasions... Forests vary greatly in composition from one part of the country to another. = make-up N-UNCOUNT: usu with supp, oft N of n 2. The compositions of a composer, painter, or other artist are the works of art that they have produced. Mozart's compositions are undoubtedly amongst the world's greatest. N-COUNT 3. A composition is a piece of written work that children write at school. = essay N-COUNT 4. Composition is the technique or skill involved in creating a work of art. He taught the piano, organ and composition...

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

n. 1. Constitution, formation, making. 2. Compound, mixture. 3. Union, conjunction, combination, arrangement (of parts). 4. Writing, literary work, invention (esp. in music, painting, or sculpture). 5. Compromise, agreement, arrangement.

Moby Thesaurus

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