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to dissolve

to dissolve

63 2.4
To mix into a liquid so it becomes part of it
  • verb
  • /dɪˈzɑlv/
: disolverse
  • Why does salt dissolve in water but oil doesn't?
  • dissolve in water
  • stir until dissolved
  • dissolved oxygen

Why doesn't the oil just dissolve into solvent?

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Examples

  • The shells of the eggs had dissolved, but the moist environment had preserved their membranes.

    Academic text (2008)
  • And then after a couple of days, it's completely dissolved.

  • I want you to let it dissolve, okay?

  • I need to dissolve this.

  • So it's going to help to dissolve the plaque there.

  • The instant coffee really needs the milk to dissolve itself, right?

  • If you have another attack, dissolve 1 of these under your tongue, and swallow the saliva.

  • Our product dissolves completely in ordinary gasoline, making it absolutely undetectable.

  • Stir the masa into 5 cups of water until it "dissolves" into a smooth mixture.

    Academic text (1994)
  • When heated, sugar will dissolve in water, creating a sweet solution.

Synonyms

to resolve
vsto dissolve
  • Specialized
2 7.4

To make a solid mix into a liquid so it seems to disappear

can mean mixing or simply becoming mixed without an outside cause
to solubilize
vsto dissolve
  • Specialized
1 7.9

To make a substance dissolve in a liquid, often by adding a chemical

is the general process of mixing with a liquid rather than using chemicals

Antonyms

54 4.4

To change from a liquid or gas into a hard state as it cools

8 6.6

To become thick and semi-solid like jelly when it cools

How Rehydrated

to rehydrate
11 3.9
to dissolve
63 2.4
to wet
27 1.0
to moisten
15 3.0

Surface Forms

dissolve infinitive
dissolved past
dissolved past participle
dissolving present participle
dissolves third person singular

Morphology

dissolve = solve (opaque) = dis + solve

Knowing the verb 'solve' (find an answer) does not lead a typical learner to infer the 'mix into liquid' meaning; the sense is historically 'loosen' and is not recoverable from modern 'solve'.

Etymology

Dissolve comes from the parts dis- 'apart' and solve 'loosen', the same root as solve and solution. So when something dissolves in water its tiny parts are 'loosened apart' and spread into the liquid.