verb
1. come to have or undergo a change of (physical features and attributes)
e.g. He grew a beard
The patient developed abdominal pains
I got funny spots all over my body
Well-developed breasts
Synonym: growproducegetacquire
2. change the use of and make available or usable
e.g. develop land
The country developed its natural resources
The remote areas of the country were gradually built up
Synonym: build up
3. expand in the form of a series
e.g. Develop the function in the following form
4. grow, progress, unfold, or evolve through a process of evolution, natural growth, differentiation, or a conducive environment
e.g. A flower developed on the branch
The country developed into a mighty superpower
The embryo develops into a fetus
This situation has developed over a long time
5. cause to grow and differentiate in ways conforming to its natural development
e.g. The perfect climate here develops the grain
He developed a new kind of apple
Synonym: make grow
6. happen
e.g. Report the news as it develops
These political movements recrudesce from time to time
Synonym: breakrecrudesce
7. be gradually disclosed or unfolded
become manifest
e.g. The plot developed slowly
8. elaborate by the unfolding of a musical idea and by the working out of the rhythmic and harmonic changes in the theme
e.g. develop the melody and change the key
9. become technologically advanced
e.g. Many countries in Asia are now developing at a very fast pace
Viet Nam is modernizing rapidly
Synonym: modernizemodernise
10. grow emotionally or mature
e.g. The child developed beautifully in her new kindergarten
When he spent a summer at camp, the boy grew noticeably and no longer showed some of his old adolescent behavior
Synonym: grow
11. gain through experience
e.g. I acquired a strong aversion to television
Children must develop a sense of right and wrong
Dave developed leadership qualities in his new position
develop a passion for painting
Synonym: acquireevolve
12. create by training and teaching
e.g. The old master is training world-class violinists
we develop the leaders for the future
Synonym: trainprepareeducate
13. elaborate, as of theories and hypotheses
e.g. Could you develop the ideas in your thesis
Synonym: explicateformulate
14. move into a strategically more advantageous position
e.g. develop the rook
15. move one's pieces into strategically more advantageous positions
e.g. Spassky developed quickly
16. superimpose a three-dimensional surface on a plane without stretching, in geometry
17. generate gradually
e.g. We must develop more potential customers
develop a market for the new mobile phone
18. work out
e.g. We have developed a new theory of evolution
Synonym: evolvegerminate
19. make something new, such as a product or a mental or artistic creation
e.g. Her company developed a new kind of building material that withstands all kinds of weather
They developed a new technique
20. make visible by means of chemical solutions
e.g. Please develop this roll of film for me
21. come into existence
take on form or shape
e.g. A new religious movement originated in that country
a love that sprang up from friendship
the idea for the book grew out of a short story
An interesting phenomenon uprose
Synonym: originateariseriseuprisespring upgrow