The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Develop \De*vel"op\ (d[-e]*v[e^]l"[o^]p), v. t. [imp. & p. p.
   Developed; p. pr. & vb. n. Developing.] [F. d['e]veloper;
   d['e]- (L. dis-) + OF. voluper, voleper, to envelop, perh.
   from L. volup agreeably, delightfully, and hence orig., to
   make agreeable or comfortable by enveloping, to keep snug
   (cf. Voluptuous); or. perh. fr. a derivative of volvere,
   volutum, to roll (cf. Devolve). Cf. Envelop.] [Written
   also develope.]
   1. To free from that which infolds or envelops; to unfold; to
      lay open by degrees or in detail; to make visible or
      known; to disclose; to produce or give forth; as, to
      develop theories; a motor that develops 100 horse power.
      [1913 Webster]

            These serve to develop its tenets.    --Milner.
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            The 20th was spent in strengthening our position and
            developing the line of the enemy.     --The Century.
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   2. To unfold gradually, as a flower from a bud; hence, to
      bring through a succession of states or stages, each of
      which is preparatory to the next; to form or expand by a
      process of growth; to cause to change gradually from an
      embryo, or a lower state, to a higher state or form of
      being; as, sunshine and rain develop the bud into a
      flower; to develop the mind.
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            The sound developed itself into a real compound.
                                                  --J. Peile.
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            All insects . . . acquire the jointed legs before
            the wings are fully developed.        --Owen.
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   3. To advance; to further; to prefect; to make to increase;
      to promote the growth of.
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            We must develop our own resources to the utmost.
                                                  --Jowett
                                                  (Thucyd).
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   4. (Math.) To change the form of, as of an algebraic
      expression, by executing certain indicated operations
      without changing the value.
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   5. (Photog.) To cause to become visible, as an invisible or
      latent image upon plate, by submitting it to chemical
      agents; to bring to view.
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   To develop a curved surface on a plane (Geom.), to produce
      on the plane an equivalent surface, as if by rolling the
      curved surface so that all parts shall successively touch
      the plane.

   Syn: To uncover; unfold; evolve; promote; project; lay open;
        disclose; exhibit; unravel; disentangle.
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Develop \De*vel"op\, v. i.
   1. To go through a process of natural evolution or growth, by
      successive changes from a less perfect to a more perfect
      or more highly organized state; to advance from a simpler
      form of existence to one more complex either in structure
      or function; as, a blossom develops from a bud; the seed
      develops into a plant; the embryo develops into a
      well-formed animal; the mind develops year by year.
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            Nor poets enough to understand
            That life develops from within.       --Mrs.
                                                  Browning.
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   2. To become apparent gradually; as, a picture on sensitive
      paper develops on the application of heat; the plans of
      the conspirators develop.
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WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

develop
    v 1: make something new, such as a product or a mental or
         artistic creation; "Her company developed a new kind of
         building material that withstands all kinds of weather";
         "They developed a new technique"
    2: work out; "We have developed a new theory of evolution" [syn:
       evolve, germinate, develop]
    3: gain through experience; "I acquired a strong aversion to
       television"; "Children must develop a sense of right and
       wrong"; "Dave developed leadership qualities in his new
       position"; "develop a passion for painting" [syn: develop,
       acquire, evolve]
    4: come to have or undergo a change of (physical features and
       attributes); "He grew a beard"; "The patient developed
       abdominal pains"; "I got funny spots all over my body";
       "Well-developed breasts" [syn: grow, develop, produce,
       get, acquire]
    5: come into existence; take on form or shape; "A new religious
       movement originated in that country"; "a love that sprang up
       from friendship"; "the idea for the book grew out of a short
       story"; "An interesting phenomenon uprose" [syn: originate,
       arise, rise, develop, uprise, spring up, grow]
    6: change the use of and make available or usable; "develop
       land"; "The country developed its natural resources"; "The
       remote areas of the country were gradually built up" [syn:
       build up, develop]
    7: elaborate, as of theories and hypotheses; "Could you develop
       the ideas in your thesis" [syn: explicate, formulate,
       develop]
    8: create by training and teaching; "The old master is training
       world-class violinists"; "we develop the leaders for the
       future" [syn: train, develop, prepare, educate]
    9: be gradually disclosed or unfolded; become manifest; "The
       plot developed slowly";
    10: grow, progress, unfold, or evolve through a process of
        evolution, natural growth, differentiation, or a conducive
        environment; "A flower developed on the branch"; "The
        country developed into a mighty superpower"; "The embryo
        develops into a fetus"; "This situation has developed over a
        long time"
    11: become technologically advanced; "Many countries in Asia are
        now developing at a very fast pace"; "Viet Nam is
        modernizing rapidly" [syn: modernize, modernise,
        develop]
    12: cause to grow and differentiate in ways conforming to its
        natural development; "The perfect climate here develops the
        grain"; "He developed a new kind of apple" [syn: develop,
        make grow]
    13: generate gradually; "We must develop more potential
        customers"; "develop a market for the new mobile phone"
    14: grow emotionally or mature; "The child developed beautifully
        in her new kindergarten"; "When he spent a summer at camp,
        the boy grew noticeably and no longer showed some of his old
        adolescent behavior" [syn: develop, grow]
    15: make visible by means of chemical solutions; "Please develop
        this roll of film for me"
    16: superimpose a three-dimensional surface on a plane without
        stretching, in geometry
    17: move one's pieces into strategically more advantageous
        positions; "Spassky developed quickly"
    18: move into a strategically more advantageous position;
        "develop the rook"
    19: elaborate by the unfolding of a musical idea and by the
        working out of the rhythmic and harmonic changes in the
        theme; "develop the melody and change the key"
    20: happen; "Report the news as it develops"; "These political
        movements recrudesce from time to time" [syn: break,
        recrudesce, develop]
    21: expand in the form of a series; "Develop the function in the
        following form"