Definify.com

Webster 1913 Edition

Composition

Comˊpo-si′tion

,
Noun.
[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.
Shakespeare
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.
Shakespeare
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.

Webster 1828 Edition

Composition

COMPOSITION

,
Noun.
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.

Definition 2024

composition

composition

English

Noun

composition ‎(plural compositions)

  1. The proportion of different parts to make a whole. [from 14th c.]
  2. The general makeup of something. [from 14th c.]
  3. (obsolete) An agreement or treaty used to settle differences; later especially, an agreement to stop hostilities; a truce. [14th-19th c.]
    • 1603, John Florio, translating Michel de Montaigne, Essayes, London: Edward Blount, OCLC 946730821, I.40:
      It will stoope and yeeld upon better compositions to him that shall make head against it.
    • 1630, John Smith, True travels, in Kupperman 1988, p.50:
      with an incredible courage they advanced to the push of the Pike with the defendants, that with the like courage repulsed […], that the Turks retired and fled into the Castle, from whence by a flag of truce they desired composition.
  4. (obsolete) An agreement to pay money in order to clear a liability or obligation; a settling. [16th-19th c.]
    • 1745, Edward Young, Night-Thoughts, II:
      Insidious death! should his strong hand arrest, / No composition sets the prisoner free.
  5. (law) an agreement or compromise by which a creditor or group of creditors accepts partial payment from a debtor.
  6. A mixture or compound; the result of composing. [from 16th c.]
  7. An essay. [from 16th c.]
  8. (linguistics) The formation of compound words from separate words. [from 16th c.]
  9. A work of music, literature or art. [from 17th c.]
    • 1818, Jane Austen, A letter dated 8 September 1818:
      […] and how good Mrs. West could have written such books and collected so many hard words, with all her family cares, is still more a matter of astonishment. Composition seems to me impossible with a head full of joints of mutton and doses of rhubarb.
  10. (printing) Typesetting. [from 19th c.]
  11. (mathematics) Applying a function to the result of another.
  12. (obsolete) Consistency; accord; congruity.
    • Shakespeare
      There is no composition in these news / That gives them credit.
  13. Synthesis as opposed to analysis.
    • Sir Isaac Newton
      The investigation of difficult things by the method of analysis ought ever to precede the method of composition.
  14. (painting) The arrangement and flow of elements in a picture.
  15. (object-oriented programming) Way to combine simple objects or data types into more complex ones.

Synonyms

  • See also Wikisaurus:musical composition

Related terms

Translations

French

Etymology

From Old French composicion, from Latin compositiō.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /kɔ̃.po.zi.sjɔ̃/

Noun

composition f ‎(plural compositions)

  1. composition, makeup
  2. essay
  3. composition, work of art
  4. (linguistics) composition, formation of compound words
  5. (printing) composition, typesetting
  6. (sports) lineup
  7. (object-oriented programming) composition

Synonyms

Related terms

References

Middle French

Noun

composition f (plural compositions)

  1. agreement; accord; pact

Etymology

From Old French composicion, from Latin compositiō.

Pronunciation

  • (UK) IPA(key): /ˌkɒmpəˈzɪʃən/

Similar Results