compose

Word family

Related topics: Music

com·pose /kəmˈpəʊz $ -ˈpoʊz/ verb

a) be composed of somethingCONSIST OF/BE MADE OF to be formed from a number of substances, parts, or people 由某物组成 SYN consist of

Water is composed of hydrogen and oxygen.

水由氢和氧组成。

The legal system is composed of people, and people make mistakes.

法律体制由人组成，而人是会犯错误的。

Do not say that something ‘is composed by’ or ‘is composed with’ things or people. Say that it is composed of things or people.

不要说 something ‘is composed by’ 或 ‘is composed with’ things or people. 而要说 it is composed of things or people.

b) [transitiveT not in progressive]BE formal to combine together to form something 构成 SYN make up

More than 17.6 million firms compose the business sector of our economy.

1,760多万家公司构成了我们经济中的商业部分。

2 [intransitiveI, transitiveT]APMWRITE to write a piece of music 作（曲） → composer, composition

Barrington has composed the music for a new production of ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’.

巴林顿为新版的《仲夏夜之梦》谱了曲。

3 compose a letter/poem/speech etc WRITEto write a letter, poem etc, thinking very carefully about it as you write it 写信/诗/讲稿等

Compose a letter to your local paper stating your views on an issue of your choice.

给当地的报纸写信，就你所关心的话题发表你的意见。

Examples from the Corpus

compose a letter/poem/speech etc• The trainee is expected to compose a letter and a memo from short notes provided.• Presumably Mira is composing a poem, counting the syllables as she walks.• She began to compose a letter in her head, then rejected the idea.• His movements were slow, his gaze abstracted, as if he were composing a poem in his head.• Then he turned over the piece of paper and composed a letter to his wife, Olga.• Me and my sore back composed a letter to Martina.

a) compose yourself to try hard to become calm after feeling very angry, upset, or excited 〔生气、烦躁或激动后〕极力使自己平静下来

Lynn took several deep breaths to compose herself.

林恩深深吸了几口气，使自己平静下来。

b) compose your face/features/thoughtsCALM to make yourself look or feel calm 让自己显得[感觉]镇定 → composure

When asked a question, give yourself a second to compose your thoughts.

当被问到问题时，首先让自己冷静片刻。

5 [transitiveT]ARRANGE A GROUP OF THINGS OR PEOPLE to arrange the parts of a painting, photograph, or scene in a way that achieves a particular result 〔为达到特殊效果而〕为〔绘画、照片或场景〕构图

I like the way he composes his photographs.

我喜欢他照片的构图。

Examples from the Corpus

compose• Tom tried to compose a letter, but he couldn't concentrate.• The menu includes more than 60 small dishes from which you can compose a meal.• Olsen knows how to compose a visually interesting scene, but the script lets him down.• The music was composed and performed by Keith Jarrett.• These love poems are believed to have been composed by a poet at the court of King Henry II.• a song composed by Schubert• Dario composes for a living.• Microsoft Mail allows users to read, compose, forward or reply to electronic mail messages.• Mozart composed his first symphony when he was still a child.• The region was bitter cold in winter and was composed largely of woodland tracts veined heavily with water.• Schumann was better at composing music than playing it.• I needed a quiet place to compose my thoughts.• He proposed a smaller army to be composed of better-trained and better-equipped soldiers.• A young moon shining on the cascading waters made them appear to be composed of drifting snow.• Language is richly composed of many references which set up a commonality of theme between different parts of text or speech.• The second section is the Review of Literature, and is composed of three major subheadings.• Glass composed the music for Cocteau's movie.• The children will now play some pieces that they composed themselves.

Origin compose

(1300-1400) Old French composer, from Latin componere; → COMPOUND2

com·pose verb

Chinese

Syllable

Corpus