Composition \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.
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   2. The state of being put together or composed; conjunction;
      combination; adjustment.
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            View them in composition with other things. --I.
                                                  Watts.
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            The elementary composition of bodies. --Whewell.
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   3. A mass or body formed by combining two or more substances;
      as, a chemical composition.
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            A composition that looks . . . like marble.
                                                  --Addison.
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   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.
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   5. Consistency; accord; congruity. [Obs.]
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            There is no composition in these news
            That gives them credit.               --Shak.
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   6. Mutual agreement to terms or conditions for the settlement
      of a difference or controversy; also, the terms or
      conditions of settlement; agreement.
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            Thus we are agreed:
            I crave our composition may be written. --Shak.
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   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.
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            Compositions for not taking the order of knighthood.
                                                  --Hallam.
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            Cleared by composition with their creditors.
                                                  --Blackstone.
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   8. Synthesis as opposed to analysis.
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            The investigation of difficult things by the method
            of analysis ought ever to precede the method of
            composition.                          --Sir I.
                                                  Newton.
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   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.
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