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.
