develop
to bring out the capabilities or possibilities of; bring to a more advanced or effective state: to develop natural resources; to develop one's musical talent.
to cause to grow or expand: to develop one's muscles.
to elaborate or expand in detail: to develop a theory.
to bring into being or activity; generate; evolve.
Drafting. to transfer the details of (a more or less two-dimensional design, pattern, or the like) from one surface, especially one that is prismatic or cylindrical, onto another, usually planar, in such a way that the distances between points remain the same.
Biology.
to cause to go through the process of natural evolution from a previous and lower stage.
to cause to progress from an embryonic to an adult form.
Mathematics. to express in an extended form, as in a series.
Music. to unfold, by various technical means, the inherent possibilities of (a theme).
Photography.
to render visible (the latent image on an exposed film or the like).
to treat (an exposed film or the like) with chemicals so as to render the latent image visible.
Chess. to bring (a piece) into effective play, especially during the initial phase of a game when pieces are moved from their original position on the board: He developed his rook by castling.
Mining. to prepare (a new mine) for working by digging access openings and building necessary structures.
to grow into a more mature or advanced state; advance; expand: She is developing into a good reporter.
to come gradually into existence or operation; be evolved.
to be disclosed; become evident or manifest: The plot of the novel developed slowly.
to undergo developing, as a photographic film.
Biology.
to progress from an embryonic to an adult form.
to progress from earlier to later stages of ontogeny or phylogeny.
to reach sexual maturity.
Origin of develop
1Other words from develop
- de·vel·op·a·ble, adjective
- de·vel·op·a·bil·i·ty, noun
- half-de·vel·oped, adjective
- hy·per·de·vel·oped, adjective
- mis·de·vel·op, verb
- non·de·vel·op·a·ble, adjective
- pre·de·vel·op, verb
- un·de·vel·op·a·ble, adjective
- well-de·vel·oped, adjective
Words Nearby develop
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use develop in a sentence
People learn to play, the game attracts new talent, and people start developing strategies.
This scientist thought he’d found the source of all sexual energy | PopSci Staff | September 17, 2020 | Popular-ScienceThe Democratic presidential nominee said he is “more hopeful than ever in the power of science” to develop a vaccine.
Trump contradicts CDC director on vaccine; Biden says Americans shouldn’t trust Trump | Colby Itkowitz, Felicia Sonmez, John Wagner | September 16, 2020 | Washington PostIt’s going to be — it’s going to be herd-developed, and that’s going to happen.
The problem with Trump’s ‘herd mentality’ line isn’t the verbal flub. It’s the mass death. | Philip Bump | September 16, 2020 | Washington PostPaulson also worked closely with the costume team to develop a signature look for Mildred Ratched.
‘Ratched’ brings back iconic cinematic villain | Brian T. Carney | September 16, 2020 | Washington BladeAll of the world’s major developed currencies have gained against the dollar as have precious metals such as gold, silver and platinum.
Ray Dalio issues stark warning about U.S. dollar’s future as global reserve currency | Claire Zillman, reporter | September 16, 2020 | Fortune
Though conversational and often witty, his meandering phrases become increasingly unpredictable as they develop.
Therefore, we should—you guessed it—develop the Canadian tar sands and build the Keystone pipeline.
How Canadian Oilmen Pinkwash the Keystone Pipeline | Jay Michaelson | December 28, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTEncompass develop, Design Construct, LLC A Kentucky-based architect, design and construction service.
I'm not sure whether we'd ever develop two different versions simultaneously.
Exclusive: Sony Emails Reveal Channing Tatum and Chris Pratt’s Plans For ‘Ghostbusters’ Film | William Boot | December 15, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTThere are some potential solutions, but all of them mean spending more money to develop new missiles.
Pentagon Worries That Russia Can Now Outshoot U.S. Stealth Jets | Dave Majumdar | December 4, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTWe must have motif first, then technique to adapt and adjust expression and to develop facility in the active agents.
Expressive Voice Culture | Jessie Eldridge SouthwickA culture which was complete one thousand years before Adam must have needed many thousands of years to develop.
God and my Neighbour | Robert BlatchfordIn one case, however, I have succeeded in getting drawings of a little girl who was carefully left to develop her own ideas.
Children's Ways | James SullyIt is much easier to strike quickly than slowly, but practice in the slow movement will develop both muscular and nervous power.
Music-Study in Germany | Amy FayOutside the body the rhabditiform embryos develop into a free-living, sexually differentiated generation.
A Manual of Clinical Diagnosis | James Campbell Todd
British Dictionary definitions for develop
/ (dɪˈvɛləp) /
to come or bring to a later or more advanced or expanded stage; grow or cause to grow gradually
(tr) to elaborate or work out in detail
to disclose or unfold (thoughts, a plot, etc) gradually or (of thoughts, etc) to be gradually disclosed or unfolded
to come or bring into existence; generate or be generated: he developed a new faith in God
(intr often foll by from) to follow as a result (of); ensue (from): a row developed following the chairman's remarks
(tr) to contract (a disease or illness)
(tr) to improve the value or change the use of (land), as by building
(tr) to exploit or make available the natural resources of (a country or region)
(tr) photog
to treat (film, plate, or paper previously exposed to light, or the latent image in such material) with chemical solutions in order to produce a visible image
to process (photographic material) in order to produce negatives and prints
biology to progress or cause to progress from simple to complex stages in the growth of an individual or the evolution of a species
(tr) to elaborate upon (a musical theme) by varying the melody, key, etc
(tr) maths to expand (a function or expression) in the form of a series
(tr) geometry to project or roll out (a surface) onto a plane without stretching or shrinking any element
chess to bring (a piece) into play from its initial position on the back rank
(tr) obsolete to disclose or reveal
Origin of develop
1Derived forms of develop
- developable, adjective
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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