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. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The state of being put together or composed; conjunction; combination; adjustment. [ 1913 Webster ]

View them in composition with other things. I. Watts. [ 1913 Webster ]

The elementary composition of bodies. Whewell. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A mass or body formed by combining two or more substances; as, a chemical composition. [ 1913 Webster ]

A composition that looks . . . like marble. Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. Consistency; accord; congruity. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

There is no composition in these news
That gives them credit. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. Mutual agreement to terms or conditions for the settlement of a difference or controversy; also, the terms or conditions of settlement; agreement. [ 1913 Webster ]

Thus we are agreed:
I crave our composition may be written. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

Compositions for not taking the order of knighthood. Hallam. [ 1913 Webster ]

Cleared by composition with their creditors. Blackstone. [ 1913 Webster ]

8. Synthesis as opposed to analysis. [ 1913 Webster ]

The investigation of difficult things by the method of analysis ought ever to precede the method of composition. Sir I. Newton. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Pref. de- (in sense 3 intensive) + composition: cf. F. décomposition. Cf. Decomposition. ] 1. The act or process of resolving the constituent parts of a compound body or substance into its elementary parts; separation into constituent part; analysis; the decay or dissolution consequent on the removal or alteration of some of the ingredients of a compound; disintegration; as, the decomposition of wood, rocks, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The state of being reduced into original elements. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Repeated composition; a combination of compounds. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Decomposition of forces. Same as Resolution of forces, under Resolution. --
Decomposition of light, the division of light into the prismatic colors. [ 1913 Webster ]

adj. causing organic decay. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. Inconsistency; discordance. [ Obs. ] Donne. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. F. recomposition. ] The act of recomposing. [ 1913 Webster ]