dissolve
Americanverb (used with object)
-
to make a solution of, as by mixing with a liquid; pass into solution.
to dissolve salt in water.
-
to melt; liquefy.
to dissolve sugar into syrup.
-
to undo (a tie or bond); break up (a connection, union, etc.).
-
to break up (an assembly or organization); dismiss; disperse.
-
Government. to order the termination of (a parliament or other legislative body).
- Synonyms:
- adjourn
-
to bring to an end; terminate; destroy.
to dissolve one's hopes.
-
to separate into parts or elements; disintegrate.
-
to destroy the binding power or influence of.
to dissolve a spell.
-
Law. to deprive of force; abrogate; annul.
to dissolve a marriage.
verb (used without object)
-
to become dissolved, as in a solvent.
-
to become melted or liquefied.
-
to disintegrate, break up, or disperse.
-
to lose force, intensity, or strength.
-
to disappear gradually; fade away.
-
to break down emotionally; lose one's composure.
The poor child dissolved in tears.
-
Movies, Television. to fade out one shot or scene while simultaneously fading in the next, overlapping the two during the process.
noun
verb
-
to go or cause to go into solution
salt dissolves in water
water dissolves sugar
-
to become or cause to become liquid; melt
-
to disintegrate or disperse
-
to come or bring to an end
-
to dismiss (a meeting, parliament, etc) or (of a meeting, etc) to be dismissed
-
to collapse or cause to collapse emotionally
to dissolve into tears
-
to lose or cause to lose distinctness or clarity
-
(tr) to terminate legally, as a marriage, etc
-
(intr) films television to fade out one scene and replace with another to make two scenes merge imperceptibly ( fast dissolve ) or slowly overlap ( slow dissolve ) over a period of about three or four seconds
noun
Related Words
See melt 1.
Other Word Forms
- dissolvability noun
- dissolvable adjective
- dissolvableness noun
- dissolver noun
- dissolvingly adverb
- nondissolving adjective
- predissolve verb (used with object)
- redissolve verb
- self-dissolved adjective
- undissolvable adjective
- undissolved adjective
- undissolving adjective
Etymology
Origin of dissolve
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Latin dissolvere “to unloose”; equivalent to dis- 1 + solve
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
When he and his wife signed their home into a trust, they believed they were securing their son's financial future but say they have instead lost £12,000, including legal fees, to have it dissolved.
From BBC
The assumption that integration happens automatically—and that cultural conflicts dissolve upon contact with liberal norms—has proved overly optimistic.
Thailand has dissolved parliament after nearly a week of fresh clashes along its border with Cambodia, with a general election to be called within 45 to 60 days.
From BBC
For the new study, the researchers shifted their focus and asked a different question: How much do these ammonia oxidizers actually contribute to the overall dissolved inorganic carbon fixation in the dark ocean?
From Science Daily
The strong fibres do not dissolve in water or evaporate, and are resistant to degradation from chemicals, heat and fire.
From BBC
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
