develop

[ dih-vel-uh p ]

/ dɪˈvɛl əp /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR develop ON THESAURUS.COM

verb (used with object)

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.

verb (used without object)

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.

Nearby words

devastated, devastating, devastation, devein, devel., develop, developable surface, developed, developer, developing, developing agent

Origin of develop

1585–95; < Middle French développer, Old French desveloper, equivalent to des- dis-¹ + voloper to wrap up; see envelop

Related forms

de·vel·op·a·ble, adjectivede·vel·op·a·bil·i·ty, nounhalf-de·vel·oped, adjectivehy·per·de·vel·oped, adjective

mis·de·vel·op, verbnon·de·vel·op·a·ble, adjectivepre·de·vel·op, verbun·de·vel·op·a·ble, adjectivewell-de·vel·oped, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for develop

Though conversational and often witty, his meandering phrases become increasingly unpredictable as they develop.
The Lost Novel of Nobel-Winner José Saramago|Charles Shafaieh|January 5, 2015|DAILY BEAST
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|DAILY BEAST
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|DAILY BEAST
There 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|DAILY BEAST

They were also places for local artists to develop new works.
The Monuments Men of Occupy Hong Kong|Brendon Hong|December 4, 2014|DAILY BEAST
This enabled Trade Unions to develop with a large measure of freedom.
The Outline of History: Being a Plain History of Life and Mankind|Herbert George Wells
Asparagus is said to strengthen and develop the artistic faculties.
Food Remedies|Florence Daniel
But beneficial habits may, under the fostering care of selection, develop into instincts.
The Whence and the Whither of Man|John Mason Tyler
On the other hand there is this to be said for it, that it is seldom found, like drunkenness, to develop into a habit.
Punch, or the London Charivari, Vol. 150, March 22, 1916|Various
His wife was supporting the family by keeping boarders, and he began to develop a morbid jealousy of her.
Appletons' Popular Science Monthly, Vol. 56, March 1900|Various

British Dictionary definitions for develop

develop

/ (dɪˈvɛləp) /

verb

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 generatedhe 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

Derived Formsdevelopable, adjective

Word Origin for develop

C19: from Old French desveloper to unwrap, from des- dis- 1 + veloper to wrap; see envelop

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

Word Origin and History for develop

develop

1650s, "unroll, unfold," from French développer, replacing English disvelop (1590s, from Middle French desveloper), both from Old French desveloper "unwrap, unfurl, unveil; reveal the meaning of, explain," from des- "undo" + veloper "wrap up," of uncertain origin, possibly Celtic or Germanic. Modern figurative use is 18c. The photographic sense is from 1845; the real estate sense is from 1890.

Medicine definitions for develop

develop

[ dĭ-vĕl′əp ]

v.

To progress from earlier to later stages of a life cycle.

To progress from earlier to later or from simpler to more complex stages of evolution.

To aid in the growth of; strengthen.

To grow by degrees into a more advanced or mature state.

To become affected with a disease; contract.

develop

verb (used with object)

verb (used without object)

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Origin of develop

Examples from the Web for develop

British Dictionary definitions for develop

develop

verb

Word Origin for develop

Word Origin and History for develop

develop

Medicine definitions for develop

develop

v.