develop

de•vel•op

[[t]dɪˈvɛl əp[/t]] v. t.

1) to bring out the possibilities of; bring to a more advanced, effective, or usable state:

to develop one's talents; to develop natural resources[/ex]

2) to cause to grow or expand:

to develop one's biceps[/ex]

3) to bring into being or activity; produce:

to develop new techniques[/ex]

4) to generate or acquire, as by natural growth or internal processes:

to develop broad shoulders; to develop an allergy[/ex]

5) to elaborate or expand in detail:

to develop a theory[/ex]

6) to build on or otherwise change the use of (a piece of land), esp. so as to make more profitable

7) bui to cause to mature or evolve

8) pht to treat (an exposed film) with chemicals so as to render the latent image visible

9) mad to elaborate or transform the melodic, harmonic, and rhythmic characteristics of (musical themes or motifs)

10) math. math. to express in an extended form, as in a series

11) chs to bring (a chess piece) into effective play

12) to grow into a more mature state; advance; expand

13) to come gradually into existence or operation

14) dvl

a) to progress from an embryonic to an adult form

b) dvl to progress from earlier to later stages of ontogeny or phylogeny

c) to reach sexual maturity

15) to be disclosed:

The plot develops slowly[/ex]

16) pht to undergo developing, as a photographic film

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Etymology: 1585–95; < MF développer, OF desveloper=des- dis- I+voloper to wrap up de•vel′op•a•ble, adj.