melt meaning: definition, etymology and quotations

melt

verb

/mɛlt/

Etymology From Middle English melten, from a merger of Old English meltan (intransitive) and mieltan (transitive), both meaning “to melt, digest,” from Proto-West Germanic *meltan and *maltijan, from Proto-Germanic *meltaną and *maltijaną, both from Proto-Indo-European *(s)meld- (“melt”). Cognate with Icelandic melta (“to digest”).

Ergative To change (or to be changed) from a solid state to a liquid state, usually by a gradual heat.

I melted butter to make a cake.
When the weather is warm, the snowman will disappear; he will melt.

Figuratively To dissolve, disperse, vanish.

His troubles melted away.
I gave him a couple of Advil and, after a few minutes, urged him back onto the track. Over the next few laps his pained expression slowly melted, although he still shuffled with a slight limp.2008 October, Davy Rothbart, “How I caught up with dad”, in Men's Health, volume 23, number 8, →ISSN, page 110:

Ambitransitive, Figuratively 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.

Thou would'st have […] melted down thy youth.c. 1605–1608 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Life of Tymon of Athens”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene iii]:
For pity melts the mind to love.1687, John Dryden, A Song for Cecilia's Day:

2 more examples

The traveller hears me now and then, ⁠And sometimes harshly will he speak: ⁠‘This fellow would make weakness weak, And melt the waxen hearts of men.’1850, [Alfred, Lord Tennyson], “Canto XXI”, in In Memoriam, London: Edward Moxon, […], →OCLC, page 35:
He was very dubious at first, but I believe the fellow is genuine in his attachment to the house. His final scruple melted when he learned that I should not require him to sit up with me.1923, Ernest Bramah [pseudonym; Ernest Brammah Smith], “(please specify the page)”, in The Eyes of Max Carrados, London: Grant Richards, →OCLC:

To be discouraged.

Figuratively To be emotionally softened or touched.

She melted when she saw the romantic message in the Valentine's Day card.
My heart melted when I first heard the song.

Colloquial To be very hot and sweat profusely.

I need shade! I'm melting!

Synonyms: to found, to thaw
Derived terms: 33 terms
brain-melting, butter wouldn't melt in someone's mouth, chain-melted state, deadmelt, face-melting, formelt, high-melting, low-melting, meld, meltability, meltable, meltage, melt away, meltaway, melt down, melter, melting moment, melting-pot, melting pot, melt in the mouth, melt into, meltoff, melt out, meltproof, melt someone's butter, melt up, meltwater, melty, overmelt, premelt, remelt, unmelt, zone melting
Related terms: smelt

melt

noun

9 senses

1Molten material, the product of melting.
2The transition of matter from a solid state to a liquid state.
3The springtime snow runoff in mountain regions.
4A melt sandwich.
5Rock showing evidence of having been remelted after it…
6A wax-based substance for use in an oil burner as an…
7A soft, soppy, or overly emotional person.
8A centre-left or liberal person, when in opposition to a…
9Alternative spelling of milt (“the semen of a male fish…

Molten material, the product of melting.

The crust (a mere 1% of the Earth's volume) is made of lighter melt products from the mantle.2012, Chinle Miller, In Mesozoic Lands: The Mesozoic Geology of Arches and Canyonlands National Parks, Kindle edition:
Users can see how a glacier at the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania retreated between December 1986 and 2020, as well as glacial melt in Sermersooq, Greenland, between December 2000 and 2020.2022 April 22, Toyin Owoseje, “Google marks Earth Day with doodle showing stark impacts of the climate crisis”, in CNN, archived from the original on 17 May 2022:

The transition of matter from a solid state to a liquid state.

The springtime snow runoff in mountain regions.

A melt sandwich.

I recently asked a group of people whether they had eaten tuna melts as a kid. Everyone remembered a version of this dish.2002, Tod Dimmick, Complete idiot's guide to 20-minute meals:

Geography, Geology, Natural sciences Rock showing evidence of having been remelted after it originally solidified.

Numerous samples of breccia and impact melts were recovered by drilling into the floor of the crater.

A wax-based substance for use in an oil burner as an alternative to mixing oils and water.

UK, Derogatory, Slang A soft, soppy, or overly emotional person.

You are from Blackburn you fucking melt...have a bastard word with yourself.2003 June 10, Roo, “See the Quality !!!”, in alt.sports.soccer.everton (Usenet):
Kiss it ya melt!2004 September 20, Diablos Rojos, “North South divide??”, in uk.sport.football.clubs.liverpool (Usenet):

2 more examples

LOL! you fucking melt. Get a job.2006 May 30, Dave G, “England vs Hungary...”, in alt.sports.soccer.everton (Usenet):
Over the course of this chapter on 'Love Island Essentials' we'll be charting exactly who went with who, showing you around the villa, and equipping you with the vocabulary you'll need to avoid looking like a melt and get grafting like a true Islander.2017, Love Island On Paper: The Official Love Island Guide to Grafting, Cracking On and Mugging Off, →ISBN, page 12:

Government, Politics UK, Derogatory, Slang A centre-left or liberal person, when in opposition to a leftist; (especially) a critic of Jeremy Corbyn within the Labour Party.

Anyone who said different was a Tory, a melt or – worse – a Blairite. Centrists (mostly Labour voters) were the devil incarnate.2019 December 17, Suzanne Moore, “Let Labour’s fightback begin with a woman as leader”, in The Guardian, archived from the original on 31 Mar 2020:
They developed their own lexicon, with Corbyn critics referred to as 'melts' or 'slugs' while their man was lauded as 'the absolute boy'.[2019 October 17, Asa Bennett, Romanifesto: Modern Lessons from Classical Politics, Biteback Publishing, →ISBN:

Alternative Alternative spelling of milt (“the semen of a male fish, used as food”).

A mass of herring melts, tinged with the streams of claret, had fallen into his hair, and this, added to his temporary stupor, had led to the Doctor's mistake.1825, Lochandhu: A Tale of the Eighteenth Century, page 28:

Derived terms: deadmelt, hotmelt, hot melt adhesive, hot melt glue, icemelt, impact melt, melt pond, melt-sick, patty melt, snowmelt, snow melt, spring melt, summer melt, tuna melt, undermelt

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