verb (used with object)

1. 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."


2. to cause to grow or expand:
"to develop one's muscles."


3. to elaborate or expand in detail:
"to develop a theory."


4. to bring into being or activity; generate; evolve.


5. 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.


6. Biology. a.to cause to go through the process of natural evolution from a previous and lower stage.
b.to cause to progress from an embryonic to an adult form.


7. Mathematics. to express in an extended form, as in a series.

Expand

verb (used without object)


12. to grow into a more mature or advanced state; advance; expand:
"She is developing into a good reporter."


13. to come gradually into existence or operation; be evolved.


14. to be disclosed; become evident or manifest:
"The plot of the novel developed slowly."


15. to undergo developing, as a photographic film.


16. Biology.
a.to progress from an embryonic to an adult form.
b.to progress from earlier to later stages of ontogeny or phylogeny.
c.to reach sexual maturity.