UK:*UK and possibly other pronunciationsUK and possibly other pronunciations/dɪˈzɒlv/US:USA pronunciation: IPA and respellingUSA pronunciation: IPA/dɪˈzɑlv/ ,USA pronunciation: respelling(di zolv′)
Chemistryto (cause to) become a mixture or solution of: [no object]The sugar will dissolve in your coffee.[~ + object]Dissolve the sugar in the coffee by stirring it.
to (cause to) become undone; (cause to) come to an end: [~ + object]They dissolved their marriage.[no object]He helplessly watched his marriage dissolve.
to break up (an assembly); dismiss:[~ + object]The king dissolved parliament.
to lose intensity or strength:[no object]Most of these problems won't simply dissolve.
dissolve into, [~ + into + object] to break down emotionally; collapse:dissolved into a fit of laughter.
Chemistryto make a solution of, as by mixing with a liquid; pass into solution:to dissolve salt in water.
Chemistryto melt; liquefy:to dissolve sugar into syrup.
to undo (a tie or bond); break up (a connection, union, etc.).
to break up (an assembly or organization); dismiss; disperse.
Governmentto order the termination of (a parliament or other legislative body).
to bring to an end; terminate; destroy:to dissolve one's hopes.
to separate into parts or elements; disintegrate.
to destroy the binding power or influence of:to dissolve a spell.
Lawto deprive of force; abrogate; annul:to dissolve a marriage.
v.i.
Chemistryto become dissolved, as in a solvent.
Chemistryto become melted or liquefied.
to disintegrate, break up, or disperse.
to lose force, intensity, or strength.
to disappear gradually; fade away.
to break down emotionally; lose one's composure:The poor child dissolved in tears.
Show Business[Motion Pictures, Television.]to fade out one shot or scene while simultaneously fading in the next, overlapping the two during the process.
n.
Cinema, Show BusinessAlso called lap dissolve, cross-dissolve.[Motion Pictures, Television.]a transition from one scene to the next made by dissolving.
Latin dissolvere, equivalent. to dis-dis-1 + solvere to solve
Middle English 1350–1400
dis•solv′a•bil′i•ty, dis•solv′a•ble•ness, n. dis•solv′a•ble, adj. dis•solv′er, n. dis•solv′ing•ly, adv.
1.See corresponding entry in Unabridged See melt.
3.See corresponding entry in Unabridged sever, loosen.
to dismiss (a meeting, parliament, etc) or (of a meeting, etc) to be dismissed
to collapse or cause to collapse emotionally: to dissolve into tears
to lose or cause to lose distinctness or clarity
(transitive)to terminate legally, as a marriage, etc
(intransitive)to fade out one scene and replace with another to make two scenes merge imperceptibly (fast dissolve) or slowly overlap (slow dissolve) over a period of about three or four seconds
a scene filmed or televised by dissolving
Etymology: 14th Century: from Latin dissolvere to make loose, from dis-1 + solvere to releasedisˈsolvable
'dissolve' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):