Emily Dickinson Lexicon

COM-POSE', v.t. [s as z. Fr. composer; Arm. composi; from the participle of the L. compono, compositus; con and pono, positus, to set, put or lay, Fr. poser, and in a different dialect. Eng. to put; Sp. componer; It. comporre. 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 Great 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. – Spratt.
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. – Watts.
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. – Dryden.
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. – W.
8. To dispose; to put in a proper state for any purpose. The army seemed well composed to obtain that by their swords which they could not by their pen. – Clarendon.
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 staff in such a manner as when sung to produce harmony.