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melt Definition

melt (melt)

transitive verb, intransitive verb

  1. to change from a solid to a liquid state, generally by heat
  2. to dissolve; disintegrate
  3. to disappear or cause to disappear gradually: often with away
  4. to merge gradually; blend the sea melting into the sky
  5. to soften; make or become gentle and tender a story to melt our hearts

Etymology: ME melten < OE vi. meltan, vt. mieltan < IE *meld-, soft < base *mel-, to grind > mill

noun

  1. a melting or being melted
  2. something melted
  3. the quantity melted at one operation or during one period
  4. a dish, esp. a grilled sandwich, containing or covered with a layer of melted cheese a tuna melt

melt Related Forms
melt·able adjective melter noun melt·ingly adverb
melt Idioms

melt down

to melt (previously formed metal) so that it can be cast or molded again

melt in your mouth

  1. to require little or no chewing: said of tender foods
  2. to taste especially delicious
melt Synonyms

melt

v.

  1. To liquefy

    dissolve, liquefy, thaw, deliquesce, render, fuse, blend, merge, soften, flow, run, disintegrate, waste away; see also dissolve 1.

    Antonyms freeze*, harden, solidify.

  2. To relent

    forgive, show mercy, become lenient; see yield 1.

  3. To decrease

    vanish, pass away, go; see decrease 1.

melt implies the bringing of a substance from its solid to its liquid state, usually by heat to melt butter; dissolve refers specifically to the reduction of a solid to a liquid by placing it in another liquid so that its particles are evenly distributed among those of the solvent to dissolve sugar in water; liquefy is the general term meaning to change to a liquid state and may be applied to gases as well as solids; thaw implies the reducing of a frozen substance to its normal state, usually to a liquid or a semiliquid, by raising its temperature the ice has thawed

melt Usage Examples

Object

  • butter: Melt the butter over a low heat in the frying pan.
  • pot: Circle III is a melting pot of acoustic music.
  • glacier: Has Jesus's amazing grace melted the glacier in your heart?
  • chocolate: For an added twist you could dip the fruit ones into melted chocolate!
  • margarine: Lay the first sheet of filo pastry on a clean tea towel and brush with melted margarine.
  • wax: Poured Wax Doll One made by pouring melted wax into a mold.

Preposition: at

  • temperature: Residues The residues consist of the original mineral matter, most of which does not melt at the combustion temperatures used.

Preposition: into

  • tear: All were melted into gracious tears at the sacrament.

Modifies a noun

  • glue: Sheets of paper String PVC hot melt glue Glue stick.

Followed by an intransitive particle

  • down: We were all melted down by the fire of the word.
  • away: When the fish melt away, introduce a handful of maggots and the same amount of hemp on to the clear patch.

Adjective complement

  • 25g: To make the cheese sauce, melt 25g ( 1 oz ) of butter in a saucepan and stir in the flour.

Preposition: in

  • mouth: This process ensures the final product has our famous ' melt in the mouth ' texture.
  • furnace: Broken glass is first collected in a skip, mixed with sand and limestone and melted in a furnace.
  • midst: It is melted in the midst of my bowels.
  • heat: The lead bromide is melted in a heat resistant vessel.
  • sun: Luckily I was able to find a Collared Plover quickly without melting in the hot sun.

Preposition: of

  • cap: Melting of ice caps - the sea level would rise.

Preposition: like

  • wax: Mountains melt like wax before the Lord, the heavens proclaims his RIGHTEOUSNESS, and all people shall see him in his Glory!
  • snow: Even the scorn on Le Rue's lip began to melt away like the snow!
melt Quotes

As virtuous men pass mildly away, And whisper to their souls, to go, Whilst some of their sad friends do say, The breath goes now, and some say, no: 280 So let us melt, and make no noise, No tear-floods, nor sigh-tempests move; 'Twere profanation of our joys To tell the laity of our love.

—Donne,John

Browse dictionary entries near melt

  1. Melrose
  2. Melpomene
  3. Melos
  4. melon
  5. melolonthid
  6. meloid
  7. melody
  8. melodramatics
  9. melodramatic
  10. melodrama
  1. meltage
  2. meltdown
  3. melted
  4. melting
  5. melting point
  6. melting pot
  7. melton
  8. meltwater
  9. Melville
  10. Melville Peninsula