The combining of distinct parts or elements to form a whole.
The manner in which such parts are combined or related.
General makeup: the changing composition of the electorate.
The result or product of composing; a mixture or compound.
The art or act of composing a musical or literary work.
A work of music, literature, or art, or its structure or organization.
Arrangement of artistic parts so as to form a unified whole.
The art or act of composing a musical or literary work.
A work of music, literature, or art, or its structure or organization.
A short essay, especially one written as an academic exercise.
Law A settlement whereby the creditors of a debtor about to enter bankruptcy agree, in return for some financial consideration, usually proffered immediately, to the discharge of their respective claims on receipt of payment which is in a lesser amount than that actually owed on the claim.
Linguistics The formation of compounds from separate words.
Printing Typesetting.
[Middle English composicioun, from Old French composition, from Latin compositiō, compositiōn-, from compositus, past participle of compōnere, to put together; see component.]
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"
2.
the way in which someone or something is composed [syn: constitution]
3.
a mixture of ingredients
4.
a musical work that has been created; "the composition is written in four movements" [syn: musical composition]
Main Entry: com·po·si·tion Function: noun : an agreement between an insolvent debtor and several creditors whereby partial payment of the debts
discharges in full the original obligations —compare ACCORD, COMPROMISE
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.
Force\, n. [F. force, LL. forcia, fortia, fr. L. fortis strong. See Fort, n.]1. Strength or energy of body or mind; active power; vigor; might; often, an unusual degree of strength or energy; capacity of exercising an influence or producing an effect; especially, power to persuade, or convince, or impose obligation; pertinency; validity; special signification; as, the force of an appeal, an argument, a contract, or a term. He was, in the full force of the words, a good man. --Macaulay. 2. Power exerted against will or consent; compulsory power; violence; coercion. Which now they hold by force, and not by right. --Shak. 3. Strength or power for war; hence, a body of land or naval combatants, with their appurtenances, ready for action; -- an armament; troops; warlike array; -- often in the plural; hence, a body of men prepared for action in other ways; as, the laboring force of a plantation. Is Lucius general of the forces? --Shak. 4. (Law) (a) Strength or power exercised without law, or contrary to law, upon persons or things; violence. (b) Validity; efficacy. --Burrill. 5. (Physics) Any action between two bodies which changes, or tends to change, their relative condition as to rest or motion; or, more generally, which changes, or tends to change, any physical relation between them, whether mechanical, thermal, chemical, electrical, magnetic, or of any other kind; as, the force of gravity; cohesive force; centrifugal force. Animal force (Physiol.), muscular force or energy. Catabiotic force [Gr. ? down (intens.) + ? life.] (Biol.), the influence exerted by living structures on adjoining cells, by which the latter are developed in harmony with the primary structures. Centrifugal force, Centripetal force, Coercive force, etc. See under Centrifugal, Centripetal, etc. Composition of forces, Correlation of forces, etc. See under Composition, Correlation, etc. Force and arms [trans. of L. vi et armis] (Law), an expression in old indictments, signifying violence. In force, or Of force, of unimpaired efficacy; valid; of full virtue; not suspended or reversed. "A testament is of force after men are dead." --Heb. ix. 17. Metabolic force (Physiol.), the influence which causes and controls the metabolism of the body. No force, no matter of urgency or consequence; no account; hence, to do no force, to make no account of; not to heed. [Obs.] --Chaucer. Of force, of necessity; unavoidably; imperatively. "Good reasons must, of force, give place to better." --Shak. Plastic force (Physiol.), the force which presumably acts in the growth and repair of the tissues. Vital force (Physiol.), that force or power which is inherent in organization; that form of energy which is the cause of the vital phenomena of the body, as distinguished from the physical forces generally known. Syn: Strength; vigor; might; energy; stress; vehemence; violence; compulsion; coaction; constraint; coercion. Usage: Force, Strength. Strength looks rather to power as an inward capability or energy. Thus we speak of the strength of timber, bodily strength, mental strength, strength of emotion, etc. Force, on the other hand, looks more to the outward; as, the force of gravitation, force of circumstances, force of habit, etc. We do, indeed, speak of strength of will and force of will; but even here the former may lean toward the internal tenacity of purpose, and the latter toward the outward expression of it in action. But, though the two words do in a few cases touch thus closely on each other, there is, on the whole, a marked distinction in our use of force and strength. "Force is the name given, in mechanical science, to whatever produces, or can produce, motion." --Nichol. Thy tears are of no force to mollify This flinty man. --Heywood. More huge in strength than wise in works he was. --Spenser. Adam and first matron Eve Had ended now their orisons, and found Strength added from above, new hope to spring Out of despair. --Milton.
Com"po\, n.; pl. -pos. Short for Composition; -- used, esp. in England, colloq. in various trade applications; as : (a) A mortar made of sand and cement. (b) A carver's mixture of resin, whiting, and glue, used instead of plaster of Paris for ornamenting walls and cornices. (c) A composition for billiard balls. (d) A preparation of which printer's rollers are made. (e) A preparation used in currying leather. (f) Composition paid by a debtor.
Re*sult"ant\, a. [L. resultans, p. pr. : cf. F. r['e]sultant.] Resulting or issuing from a combination; existing or following as a result or consequence. Resultant force or motion (Mech.), a force which is the result of two or more forces acting conjointly, or a motion which is the result of two or more motions combined. See Composition of forces, under Composition.
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