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develop

[dih-vel-uh p]
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verb (used with object)
  1. 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.
  2. to cause to grow or expand: to develop one's muscles.
  3. to elaborate or expand in detail: to develop a theory.
  4. to bring into being or activity; generate; evolve.
  5. 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.
  6. Biology.
    1. to cause to go through the process of natural evolution from a previous and lower stage.
    2. to cause to progress from an embryonic to an adult form.
  7. Mathematics. to express in an extended form, as in a series.
  8. Music. to unfold, by various technical means, the inherent possibilities of (a theme).
  9. Photography.
    1. to render visible (the latent image on an exposed film or the like).
    2. to treat (an exposed film or the like) with chemicals so as to render the latent image visible.
  10. 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.
  11. Mining. to prepare (a new mine) for working by digging access openings and building necessary structures.
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verb (used without object)
  1. to grow into a more mature or advanced state; advance; expand: She is developing into a good reporter.
  2. to come gradually into existence or operation; be evolved.
  3. to be disclosed; become evident or manifest: The plot of the novel developed slowly.
  4. to undergo developing, as a photographic film.
  5. Biology.
    1. to progress from an embryonic to an adult form.
    2. to progress from earlier to later stages of ontogeny or phylogeny.
    3. to reach sexual maturity.
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Origin of develop

1585–95; < Middle French développer, Old French desveloper, equivalent to des- dis-1 + voloper to wrap up; see envelop
Related formsde·vel·op·a·ble, adjectivede·vel·op·a·bil·i·ty, nounhalf-de·vel·oped, adjectivehy·per·de·vel·oped, adjectivemis·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. 2018

Examples from the Web for develop

Contemporary Examples

Historical Examples

  • You shall now, if I have misapprehended you not, develop a new strongness of the character.

    The Spenders

    Harry Leon Wilson

  • A few may be allowed to remain and develop for use as beets.

    Woman's Institute Library of Cookery, Vol. 2

    Woman's Institute of Domestic Arts and Sciences

  • It is to develop that position, and be—hum—worthy of that position.

    Little Dorrit

    Charles Dickens

  • And really they have taken me so long to develop, that here we are at home.

    Little Dorrit

    Charles Dickens

  • Without her influence no process of recording events can develop into a history.

    A Dish Of Orts

    George MacDonald

British Dictionary definitions for develop

develop

verb
  1. to come or bring to a later or more advanced or expanded stage; grow or cause to grow gradually
  2. (tr) to elaborate or work out in detail
  3. to disclose or unfold (thoughts, a plot, etc) gradually or (of thoughts, etc) to be gradually disclosed or unfolded
  4. to come or bring into existence; generate or be generatedhe developed a new faith in God
  5. (intr often foll by from) to follow as a result (of); ensue (from)a row developed following the chairman's remarks
  6. (tr) to contract (a disease or illness)
  7. (tr) to improve the value or change the use of (land), as by building
  8. (tr) to exploit or make available the natural resources of (a country or region)
  9. (tr) photog
    1. 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
    2. to process (photographic material) in order to produce negatives and prints
  10. biology to progress or cause to progress from simple to complex stages in the growth of an individual or the evolution of a species
  11. (tr) to elaborate upon (a musical theme) by varying the melody, key, etc
  12. (tr) maths to expand (a function or expression) in the form of a series
  13. (tr) geometry to project or roll out (a surface) onto a plane without stretching or shrinking any element
  14. chess to bring (a piece) into play from its initial position on the back rank
  15. (tr) obsolete to disclose or reveal
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Derived Formsdevelopable, adjective

Word Origin

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

v.

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.

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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
develop in Medicine

develop

(dĭ-vĕl′əp)
v.
  1. To progress from earlier to later stages of a life cycle.
  2. To progress from earlier to later or from simpler to more complex stages of evolution.
  3. To aid in the growth of; strengthen.
  4. To grow by degrees into a more advanced or mature state.
  5. To become affected with a disease; contract.
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The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.