COMPOSE, verb transitive s as z. Literally, to place or set together. Hence,

1. To form a compound, or one entire body or thing, by uniting two or more things, parts, or individuals; as, to compose an army of raw soldiers; the parliament of G. Britain is composed of two houses, lords and commons; the senate of the United States is composed of two senators from each state.

Zeal ought to be composed of the highest degrees of all pious affections.

2. To invent and put together words and sentences; to make, as a discourse or writing; to write, as an author; as, to compose a sermon, or a book.

3. To constitute, or form, as parts of a whole; as, letters compose syllables, syllables compose words, words compose sentences.

A few useful things, confounded with many trifles, fill their memories, and compose their intellectual possessions.

4. To calm; to quiet; to appease; to tranquilize; that is, to set or lay; as, to compose passions, fears, disorders, or whatever is agitated or excited.

5. To settle; to adjust; as, to compose differences.

6. To place in proper form, or in a quiet state.

In a peaceful grave my corpse compose

7. To settle into a quiet state.

The sea composes itself to a level surface. It requires about two days to compose it after a gale.

8. To dispose; to put in a proper state for any purpose.

The army seemed will composed to obtain that by their swords which they could not by their pen.

9. In printing, to set types or characters in a composing stick, from a copy, arranging the letters in the proper order.

10. In music, to form a tune or piece of music with notes, arranging them on the stave in such a manner as when sung to produce harmony.