dissolve
Language: English
Part of speech: verb
Pronunciation: ipa: /dɪˈzɒlv/
ipa: /dɪˈzɑlv/
ipa: /dɪˈzɔlv/
rhymes: -ɒlv
Forms: form: dissolves
form: dissolving
form: dissolved
form: dissolved
Etymology: Recorded since c. 1374 (displacing Old English toliesan) as Middle English dissolven, from Latin dissolvere (“to loosen up, break apart”) but with the sense from Anglo-Norman dissoldre (variant of Old French dissoudre), itself from dis- (“apart”) + solvere (“to loose, loosen”). By surface analysis, dis- + solve.
Senses: examples: text: The ruling party or coalition sometimes dissolves parliament early when the polls are favorable, hoping to reconvene with a larger majority.
antonyms: establish
found
glosses: To terminate a union of multiple members actively, as by disbanding.
glosses: To destroy, make disappear.
examples: text: as if the world were all dissolved to tears
ref: 1595 December 9 (first known performance), William Shakespeare, “The Life and Death of King Richard the Second”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene ii]:
synonyms: melt
formelt
glosses: To liquify, melt into a fluid.
glosses: To be melted, changed into a fluid.
examples: text: There was a legend that Cleopatra was accustomed to dissolve pearls in vinegar and drink the fluid in order to promote her amorousness.
ref: 1961, Harry E. Wedeck, Dictionary of Aphrodisiacs, New York: The Citadel Press, page 65:
topics: chemistry
natural-sciences
physical-sciences
glosses: (transitive) To disintegrate chemically into a solution by immersion into a liquid or other material.
topics: chemistry
natural-sciences
physical-sciences
glosses: (intransitive) To be disintegrated by such immersion.
examples: text: Nothing can dissolve us.
ref: c. 1597 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Merry Wiues of Windsor”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene v]:
glosses: To disperse, drive apart a group of persons.
examples: text: Down fell the duke, his joints dissolved asunder.
ref: 1600, [Torquato Tasso], “(please specify |book=1 to 20)”, in Edward Fairefax [i.e., Edward Fairfax], transl., Godfrey of Bulloigne, or The Recouerie of Ierusalem. […], London: […] Ar[nold] Hatfield, for I[saac] Iaggard and M[atthew] Lownes, →OCLC:
text: For one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another.
ref: 1776, The Declaration of Independence:
glosses: To break the continuity of; to disconnect; to loosen; to undo; to separate.
examples: text: to dissolve an injunction
text: Jon Snow is the legitimate heir to the Targaryen line, by the old rules, of the old government, which was dissolved and reshaped by King Robert.
ref: 2017 August 13, Brandon Nowalk, “Oldtown offers one last game-changing secret as Game Of Thrones goes behind enemy lines (newbies)”, in The Onion AV Club:
topics: law
glosses: To annul; to rescind; to discharge or release.
topics: broadcasting
cinematography
film
media
television
synonyms: fade out
glosses: To shift from one shot to another by having the former fade out as the latter fades in.
glosses: To resolve itself as by dissolution.
examples: text: dissolved the mystery
ref: 1842, Alfred Tennyson, “A Dream of Fair Women”, in Poems. […], volume (please specify |volume=I or II), London: Edward Moxon, […], →OCLC:
text: Make interpretations and dissolve doubts.
ref: 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Daniel 5:16:
glosses: To solve; to clear up; to resolve.
examples: text: Seraph and Cherub, careleſs of their charge, / And wanton, in full eaſe now live at large: / Unguarded leave the paſſes of the Sky; / And all diſſolv'd in Hallelujahs lye.
ref: 1674 (date written), John Dryden, “The Authors Apology for Heroique Poetry; and Poetique Licence”, in The State of Innocence, and Fall of Man: An Opera. […], London: […] T[homas] N[ewcomb] for Henry Herringman, […], published 1677, →OCLC, page 29:
glosses: To relax by pleasure; to make powerless.
topics: media
publishing
typography
glosses: To separate a ligature into its component letters.
Derived terms: codissolve
dissolvability
dissolvable
dissolvement
dissolver
dissolvible
dissolvingly
dissolving view
nondissolving
redissolve
undissolving
Related terms: melt