- Molten
- Melt Melt, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Melted} (obs.) p. p. {Molten};
p. pr. & vb. n. {Melting}.] [AS. meltan; akin to Gr.
me`ldein, E. malt, and prob. to E. smelt, v. [root]108. Cf.
{Smelt}, v., {Malt}, {Milt} the spleen.]
1. To reduce from a solid to a liquid state, as by heat; to
liquefy; as, to melt wax, tallow, or lead; to melt ice or
snow.
[1913 Webster]
2. Hence: To soften, as by a warming or kindly influence; to relax; to render gentle or susceptible to mild influences; sometimes, in a bad sense, to take away the firmness of; to weaken. [1913 Webster]
Thou would'st have . . . melted down thy youth. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
For pity melts the mind to love. --Dryden. [1913 Webster]
Syn: To liquefy; fuse; thaw; mollify; soften. [1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.