Etymology

Recorded since c. 1374 (displacing Old English toliesan) as Middle EnglishCategory:English terms inherited from Middle English#DISSOLVECategory:English terms derived from Middle English#DISSOLVE dissolven, from LatinCategory:English terms derived from Latin#DISSOLVE dissolvere (“to loosen up, break apart”) but with the sense from Anglo-NormanCategory:English terms derived from Anglo-Norman#DISSOLVE dissoldre (variant of Old French dissoudre), itself from dis- (“apart”) + solvere (“to loose, loosen”). By surface analysis, dis- +‎ solveCategory:English terms prefixed with dis-#SOLVE.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /dɪˈzɒlv/Category:English 2-syllable words#DISSOLVECategory:English terms with IPA pronunciation#DISSOLVE

  • Audio (Southern England):

    (file)

    Category:English terms with audio pronunciation#DISSOLVE
• (General American) IPA^(key): /dɪˈzɑlv/, /dɪˈzɔlv/Category:English 2-syllable words#DISSOLVECategory:English 2-syllable words#DISSOLVECategory:English terms with IPA pronunciation#DISSOLVE
• Hyphenation: dis‧solve
• Rhymes: -ɒlvCategory:Rhymes:English/ɒlv#DISSOLVECategory:Rhymes:English/ɒlv/2 syllables#DISSOLVE

Verb

dissolve (third-person singular simple present dissolves, present participle dissolving, simple past and past participle dissolved)Category:English lemmas#DISSOLVECategory:English verbs#DISSOLVECategory:English entries with incorrect language header#DISSOLVECategory:Pages with entries#DISSOLVECategory:Pages with 5 entries#DISSOLVE

1. (transitiveCategory:English transitive verbs#DISSOLVE) 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.Category:English terms with usage examples#DISSOLVE

2. (transitiveCategory:English transitive verbs#DISSOLVE) To destroy, make disappear.
3. (transitiveCategory:English transitive verbs#DISSOLVE) 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

     Category:English terms with quotations#DISSOLVE

4. (intransitiveCategory:English intransitive verbs#DISSOLVE) To be melted, changed into a fluid.
5. (physical chemistryCategory:en:Physical chemistry#DISSOLVE, transitiveCategory:English transitive verbs#DISSOLVE) To disintegrate chemically into a solution by immersion into a liquid or other material.
   • 1961, Harry E. Wedeck, Dictionary of Aphrodisiacs, New York: The Citadel Press, page 65:

     There was a legend that Cleopatra was accustomed to dissolve pearls in vinegar and drink the fluid in order to promote her amorousness.

     Category:English terms with quotations#DISSOLVE

6. (physical chemistryCategory:en:Physical chemistry#DISSOLVE, intransitiveCategory:English intransitive verbs#DISSOLVE) To be disintegrated by such immersion.
7. (transitiveCategory:English transitive verbs#DISSOLVE) 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.

     Category:English terms with quotations#DISSOLVE

8. (transitiveCategory:English transitive verbs#DISSOLVE) 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.

     Category:English terms with quotations#DISSOLVE

   • 1776, The Declaration of Independence:

     For one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another.

     Category:English terms with quotations#DISSOLVE

     Category:Quotation templates to be cleaned
9. (lawCategory:en:Law#DISSOLVE, transitiveCategory:English transitive verbs#DISSOLVE) To annul; to rescind; to discharge or release.

   to dissolve an injunctionCategory:English terms with usage examples#DISSOLVE

   • 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:

     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.

     Category:English terms with quotations#DISSOLVE

10. (cinematographyCategory:en:Cinematography#DISSOLVE, intransitiveCategory:English intransitive verbs#DISSOLVE) To shift from one shot to another by having the former fade out as the latter fades in.

    Synonym: fade out

11. (intransitiveCategory:English intransitive verbs#DISSOLVE) To resolve itself as by dissolution.
12. (obsoleteCategory:English terms with obsolete senses#DISSOLVE) 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

      Category:English terms with quotations#DISSOLVE

    • 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Daniel 5:16:

      Make interpretations and dissolve doubts.

      Category:English terms with quotations#DISSOLVE

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.

      Category:English terms with quotations#DISSOLVE

14. (typographyCategory:en:Typography#DISSOLVE) To separate a ligature into its component letters.

Noun

dissolve (plural dissolves)Category:English lemmas#DISSOLVECategory:English nouns#DISSOLVECategory:English countable nouns#DISSOLVECategory:English entries with incorrect language header#DISSOLVECategory:Pages with entries#DISSOLVECategory:Pages with 5 entries#DISSOLVE

1. (cinematographyCategory:en:Cinematography#DISSOLVE) a form of film punctuation in which there is a gradual transition from one scene to the next

   Synonym: fade out

   • 1986 April 19, Michael Bronski, “Two Views on Desert Hearts: Sexy? or simply Slow?”, in Gay Community News, page 9:

     While most of the film is done in medium and long shots (connected with dissolves and wipes which lend a lovely period effect)

     Category:English terms with quotations#DISSOLVE

Anagrams

• voidless

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /disˈsɔl.ve/Category:Italian 3-syllable words#DISSOLVECategory:Italian terms with IPA pronunciation#DISSOLVE
• Rhymes: -ɔlveCategory:Rhymes:Italian/ɔlve#DISSOLVECategory:Rhymes:Italian/ɔlve/3 syllables#DISSOLVE
• Hyphenation: dis‧sòl‧ve

Verb

dissolveCategory:Italian non-lemma forms#DISSOLVECategory:Italian verb forms#DISSOLVECategory:Italian entries with incorrect language header#DISSOLVECategory:Pages with entries#DISSOLVECategory:Pages with 5 entries#DISSOLVE

1. third-person singular present indicative of dissolvere

Anagrams

• disvolse

Verb

dissolveCategory:Latin non-lemma forms#DISSOLVECategory:Latin verb forms#DISSOLVECategory:Latin entries with incorrect language header#DISSOLVECategory:Pages with entries#DISSOLVECategory:Pages with 5 entries#DISSOLVE

1. second-person singular present active imperative of dissolvō

Verb

dissolveCategory:Middle English alternative forms#DISSOLVECategory:Middle English entries with incorrect language header#DISSOLVECategory:Pages with entries#DISSOLVECategory:Pages with 5 entries#DISSOLVE

1. alternative form of dissolven

Verb

dissolveCategory:Portuguese non-lemma forms#DISSOLVECategory:Portuguese verb forms#DISSOLVECategory:Portuguese entries with incorrect language header#DISSOLVECategory:Pages with entries#DISSOLVECategory:Pages with 5 entries#DISSOLVE

1. inflection of dissolver:
   1. third-person singular present indicative
   2. second-person singular imperative