COMPOSURE

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does composure mean? 

• COMPOSURE (noun)
  The noun COMPOSURE has 1 sense:

1. steadiness of mind under stress

  Familiarity information: COMPOSURE used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• COMPOSURE (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Steadiness of mind under stress

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Synonyms:

calm; calmness; composure; equanimity

Context example:

he accepted their problems with composure and she with equanimity

Hypernyms ("composure" is a kind of...):

disposition; temperament (your usual mood)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "composure"):

aplomb; assuredness; cool; poise; sang-froid (great coolness and composure under strain)

placidity; quiet; repose; serenity; tranquility; tranquillity (a disposition free from stress or emotion)

Antonym:

discomposure (a temperament that is perturbed and lacking in composure)

Derivation:

compose (calm (someone, especially oneself); make quiet)

 Context examples 

“—thousand, do you mean?” inquired my aunt, with uncommon composure, “or pounds?”

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

It was some days before she saw Jane Fairfax, to judge of her honest regret in this woeful change; but when they did meet, her composure was odious.

(Emma, by Jane Austen)

You are never like me, dear Elinor, or I should wonder at your composure now.

(Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen)

The man pulled himself together, and faced us with an effort at self-composure.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

The young fellow seemed to have recovered his composure, for he answered steadily enough, “I don’t know, sir. I saw him go for’ard a little while ago.”

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

But I have a veil—it is down: I may make shift yet to behave with decent composure.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

“Then she had better come to us,” said Lady Bertram, with the utmost composure.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)

Eleanor's countenance was dejected, yet sedate; and its composure spoke her inured to all the gloomy objects to which they were advancing.

(Northanger Abbey, by Jane Austen)

The same image of Mr Elliot speaking for himself brought Anne to composure again.

(Persuasion, by Jane Austen)

Whether he had felt more of pain or of pleasure in seeing her she could not tell, but he certainly had not seen her with composure.

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)