dissolve
verb/dɪˈzɒlv/
/dɪˈzɑːlv/
Verb Forms
| present simple I / you / we / they dissolve | /dɪˈzɒlv/ /dɪˈzɑːlv/ |
| he / she / it dissolves | /dɪˈzɒlvz/ /dɪˈzɑːlvz/ |
| past simple dissolved | /dɪˈzɒlvd/ /dɪˈzɑːlvd/ |
| past participle dissolved | /dɪˈzɒlvd/ /dɪˈzɑːlvd/ |
| -ing form dissolving | /dɪˈzɒlvɪŋ/ /dɪˈzɑːlvɪŋ/ |
- [intransitive] dissolve (in something) (of a solid) to mix with a liquid and become part of it
- Salt dissolves in water.
- Heat gently until the sugar dissolves.
- The aspirin hasn't dissolved completely yet.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb- completely
- gradually
- slowly
- …
- in
- [transitive] dissolve something (in something) to make a solid become part of a liquid
- Dissolve the tablet in water.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb- completely
- gradually
- slowly
- …
- in
- [transitive] dissolve something to officially end a marriage, business agreement or parliament
- Their marriage was dissolved in 2019.
- The election was announced and parliament was dissolved.
Extra ExamplesTopics Discussion and agreementc2, Family and relationshipsc2- The civilian government was effectively dissolved.
- Their marriage was formally dissolved last year.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb- formally
- officially
- effectively
- …
- [intransitive, transitive] to disappear; to make something disappear
- When the ambulance had gone, the crowd dissolved.
- The lights in the windows faded and the house dissolved into darkness again.
- dissolve something His calm response dissolved her anger.
- [intransitive] dissolve into laughter, tears, etc. to suddenly start laughing, crying, etc.
- When the teacher looked up, the children dissolved into giggles.
- Every time she heard his name, she dissolved into tears.
- [transitive, intransitive] to remove or destroy something, especially by a chemical process; to be destroyed in this way
- dissolve something (away) a new detergent that dissolves stains
- dissolve (away) All the original calcium had dissolved away.
- The limestone has simply dissolved away.
Word Originlate Middle English (also in the sense ‘break down into component parts’): from Latin dissolvere, from dis- ‘apart’ + solvere ‘loosen or solve’.
Check pronunciation:
dissolve