/ dɪˈveləp; NAmE / verb
GROW BIGGER / STRONGER
1.
develop (sth) (from sth) (into sth) to gradually grow or become bigger, more advanced, stronger, etc.; to make sth do this :
[ v ]
The child is developing normally.
The place has rapidly developed from a small fishing community into a thriving tourist resort.
[ vn ]
She developed the company from nothing.
NEW IDEA / PRODUCT
2.
[ vn ] to think of or produce a new idea, product, etc. and make it successful :
The company develops and markets new software.
➡ note at make
DISEASE / PROBLEM
3.
to begin to have sth such as a disease or a problem; to start to affect sb/sth :
[ vn ]
Her son developed asthma when he was two.
The car developed engine trouble and we had to stop.
[also v ]
HAPPEN / CHANGE
4.
[ v ] to start to happen or change, especially in a bad way :
A crisis was rapidly developing in the Gulf.
We need more time to see how things develop before we take action.
BECOME BETTER
5.
to start to have a skill, ability, quality, etc. that becomes better and stronger; to become better and stronger :
[ vn ]
He's developed a real flair for management.
[ v ]
Their relationship has developed over a number of years.
BUILD HOUSES
6.
[ vn ] to build new houses, factories, etc. on an area of land, especially land that was not being used effectively before :
The site is being developed by a French company.
IDEA / STORY
7.
[ vn ] to make an idea, a story, etc. clearer by explaining it further
SYN elaborate on :
She develops the theme more fully in her later books.
PHOTOGRAPHS
8.
[ vn ] to treat film which has been used to take photographs with chemicals so that the pictures can be seen :
I had the film developed yesterday.
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WORD ORIGIN
mid 17th cent. (in the sense unfold, unfurl ): from French développer , based on Latin dis- un- + a second element of unknown origin found also in envelop .