English
dissolve
Etymology

Recorded since c. 1374 (displacing Old English toliesan) as Middle English dissolven, from Latin dissolvo but with the sense from Anglo-Norman dissoldre (variant of Old French dissoudre), itself from dis- + solvere.

Pronunciation
  • (RP) IPA: /dɪˈzɒlv/
  • (America) IPA: /dɪˈzɑlv/
Verb

dissolve (dissolves, present participle dissolving; simple past and past participle dissolved)

  1. (transitive) To terminate a union of multiple members actively, as by disbanding.
    Antonyms: establish, found
    The ruling party or coalition sometimes dissolves parliament early when the polls are favorable, hoping to reconvene with a larger majority.
  2. (transitive) To destroy, make disappear.
  3. (transitive) To liquify, melt into a fluid.
    Synonyms: melt, formelt
    • 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]:
      as if the world were all dissolved to tears
  4. (intransitive) To be melted, changed into a fluid.
  5. (physical chemistry) (transitive) To disintegrate chemically into a solution by immersion into a liquid or other material.
  6. (physical chemistry) (intransitive) To be disintegrated by such immersion.
  7. (transitive) To disperse, drive apart a group of persons.
    • 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]:
      Nothing can dissolve us.
  8. (transitive) To break the continuity of; to disconnect; to loosen; to undo; to separate.
    • 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 ↗:
      Down fell the duke, his joints dissolved asunder.
    • 1776, The Declaration of Independence:
      For one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another.
  9. (law, transitive) To annul; to rescind; to discharge or release.
    to dissolve an injunction
  10. (cinematography, intransitive) To shift from one shot to another by having the former fade out as the latter fades in.
    Synonyms: fade out
  11. (intransitive) To resolve itself as by dissolution.
  12. (obsolete) To solve; to clear up; to resolve.
    • 1842, Alfred Tennyson, “A Dream of Fair Women”, in Poems. […], volume (please specify |volume=I or II), London: Edward Moxon, […], →OCLC ↗:
      dissolved the mystery
    • 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC ↗, Daniel 5:16 ↗:
      Make interpretations and dissolve doubts.
  13. To relax by pleasure; to make powerless.
    • 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 ↗:
      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.
Translations Translations Translations Translations Translations Noun

dissolve (plural dissolves)

  1. (cinematography) a form of film punctuation in which there is a gradual transition from one scene to the next
    Synonyms: fade out
Translations

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