development

noun

1. 1

   act of improving by expanding or enlarging or refining

   he congratulated them on their development of a plan to meet the emergency

   they funded research and development

2. 2

   the act of making some area of land or water more profitable or productive or useful

   the development of Alaskan resources

   the exploitation of copper deposits

3. 3

   (music) the section of a composition or movement (especially in sonata form) where the major musical themes are developed and elaborated

4. 4

   a recent event that has some relevance for the present situation

   recent developments in Iraq

   what a revolting development!

5. 5

   a district that has been developed to serve some purpose

   such land is practical for small park developments

6. 6

   processing a photosensitive material in order to make an image visible

   the development and printing of his pictures took only two hours

7. 7

   a process in which something passes by degrees to a different stage (especially a more advanced or mature stage)

   the development of his ideas took many years

   the evolution of Greek civilization

8. 8

   (biology) the process of an individual organism growing organically; a purely biological unfolding of events involved in an organism changing gradually from a simple to a more complex level

   he proposed an indicator of osseous development in children

9. 9

   a state in which things are improving; the result of developing (as in the early part of a game of chess)

   after he saw the latest development he changed his mind and became a supporter

   in chess your should take care of your development before moving your queen