<p><strong>Verb</strong></p><ul><li>(used with object) to bring out the capabilities or possibilities of; bring to a more advanced or effective state: to develop natural resources; to develop one's musical talent.</li><li>to cause to grow or expand: to develop one's muscles.</li><li>to elaborate or expand in detail: to develop a theory.</li><li>to bring into being or activity; generate; evolve.</li><li>Drafting: to transfer the details of (a more or less two-dimensional design, pattern, or the like) from one surface, especially one that is prismatic or cylindrical, onto another, usually planar, in such a way that the distances between points remain the same.</li><li>Biology: to cause to go through the process of natural evolution from a previous and lower stage.</li><li>to cause to progress from an embryonic to an adult form.</li><li>Mathematics: to express in an extended form, as in a series.</li><li>Music: to unfold, by various technical means, the inherent possibilities of (a theme).</li><li>Photography: to render visible (the latent image on an exposed film or the like).</li><li>to treat (an exposed film or the like) with chemicals so as to render the latent image visible.</li><li>Chess: to bring (a piece) into effective play, especially during the initial phase of a game when pieces are moved from their original position on the board: He developed his rook by castling.</li><li>Mining: to prepare (a new mine) for working by digging access openings and building necessary structures.</li></ul><p><strong>Verb</strong></p><ul><li>(used without object) to grow into a more mature or advanced state; advance; expand: She is developing into a good reporter.</li><li>to come gradually into existence or operation; be evolved.</li><li>to be disclosed; become evident or manifest: The plot of the novel developed slowly.</li><li>to undergo developing, as a photographic film.</li><li>Biology: to progress from an embryonic to an adult form.</li><li>to progress from earlier to later stages of ontogeny or phylogeny.</li><li>to reach sexual maturity.</li></ul>