composition of proportion

Composition \Com`po*si"tion\, n. [F. composition, fr. L.
   compositio. See {Composite}.]
   1. The act or art of composing, or forming a whole or
      integral, by placing together and uniting different
      things, parts, or ingredients. In specific uses:
      (a) The invention or combination of the parts of any
          literary work or discourse, or of a work of art; as,
          the composition of a poem or a piece of music. "The
          constant habit of elaborate composition." --Macaulay.
      (b) (Fine Arts) The art or practice of so combining the
          different parts of a work of art as to produce a
          harmonious whole; also, a work of art considered as
          such. See 4, below.
      (c) The act of writing for practice in a language, as
          English, Latin, German, etc.
      (d) (Print.) The setting up of type and arranging it for
          printing.
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   2. The state of being put together or composed; conjunction;
      combination; adjustment.
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            View them in composition with other things. --I.
                                                  Watts.
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            The elementary composition of bodies. --Whewell.
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   3. A mass or body formed by combining two or more substances;
      as, a chemical composition.
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            A composition that looks . . . like marble.
                                                  --Addison.
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   4. A literary, musical, or artistic production, especially
      one showing study and care in arrangement; -- often used
      of an elementary essay or translation done as an
      educational exercise.
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   5. Consistency; accord; congruity. [Obs.]
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            There is no composition in these news
            That gives them credit.               --Shak.
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   6. Mutual agreement to terms or conditions for the settlement
      of a difference or controversy; also, the terms or
      conditions of settlement; agreement.
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            Thus we are agreed:
            I crave our composition may be written. --Shak.
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   7. (Law) The adjustment of a debt, or avoidance of an
      obligation, by some form of compensation agreed on between
      the parties; also, the sum or amount of compensation
      agreed upon in the adjustment.
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            Compositions for not taking the order of knighthood.
                                                  --Hallam.
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            Cleared by composition with their creditors.
                                                  --Blackstone.
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   8. Synthesis as opposed to analysis.
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            The investigation of difficult things by the method
            of analysis ought ever to precede the method of
            composition.                          --Sir I.
                                                  Newton.
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   {Composition cloth}, a kind of cloth covered with a
      preparation making it waterproof.

   {Composition deed}, an agreement for composition between a
      debtor and several creditors.

   {Composition plane} (Crystallog.), the plane by which the two
      individuals of a twin crystal are united in their reserved
      positions.

   {Composition of forces} (Mech.), the finding of a single
      force (called the resultant) which shall be equal in
      effect to two or more given forces (called the components)
      when acting in given directions. --Herbert.

   {Composition metal}, an alloy resembling brass, which is
      sometimes used instead of copper for sheathing vessels; --
      also called {Muntz metal} and {yellow metal}.

   {Composition of proportion} (Math.), an arrangement of four
      proportionals so that the sum of the first and second is
      to the second as the sum of the third and fourth to the
      fourth.
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