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| de·vel·op [ di vélləp ] (past and past participle de·vel·oped, present participle de·vel·op·ing, 3rd person present singular de·vel·ops) |
verb |
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| Definition: |
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1. transitive and intransitive verb change and grow: to change and become larger, stronger, or more impressive, successful, or advanced, or cause somebody or something to change in this way
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2. intransitive verb arise and increase: to arise and then increase or progress to a more complex state
  Tension was developing between the two nations.
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3. transitive verb adopt or acquire something: to acquire a feature, habit, or illness that then becomes more marked or extreme
The baby is developing a cold.
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4. transitive verb enlarge on something: to add details to a basic plan or idea
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5. transitive verb become clear: to become apparent and thus resolve a question or clarify a situation
It developed that we didn't need reservations.
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6. transitive and intransitive verb present or be revealed in stages: to present the sequential events or successive stages of a story or argument, or have such events or stages revealed
The theory is developed at length in her new book.
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7. transitive verb use resources for human purposes: to use or make available land, minerals, or other natural resources for human purposes such as housing
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8. transitive verb build structures: to plan and construct buildings, roads, or other technological structures
develop a global communications system
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9. transitive verb turn film into negatives or prints: to treat photographic film with chemicals in order to produce a negative or print
(
often passive
)
Send the rolls off to be developed.
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10. intransitive verb achieve sexual maturity: to become sexually mature
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11. transitive verb chess bring piece into play: to bring a chess piece into play
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12. transitive verb music vary musical theme: to add to a musical theme by using variation or ornamentation, especially by breaking it down into motifs and using other musical techniques
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| [Mid-17th century. < French développer "unwrap" < Old French voloper "wrap"] |
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| de·vel·op·a·ble adjective |
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