dissolventadj.n.
/dɪˈzɒlvənt/ A. adj.figurative.1840 J. S. Mill Enfranch. Women in Diss. & Disc. (1859) II. 436 The companionship of women..often exercises a dissolvent influence on high faculties and aspirations in men.a1876 M. Collins in Pen Sketches I. 212 Neither was constructive like Shakespeare, nor dissolvent, like Heine.
Having the power to dissolve, disintegrate, liquefy, etc.; solvent. ? Obsolete.
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > liquid > making or becoming liquid > [adjective] > having effect or property of liquefying
dissolutivec1400
dissolvative1577
melting1611
dissolving1620
dissolvent1665
liquefactive1877
dissolutory1925
liquefacient-
1665 R. Hooke Micrographia 104 Salt-peter..abounds more with those Dissolvent particles, and therefore..a small quantity of it will dissolve a great.
1701 J. Ray Wisdom of God (ed. 3) i. 29 Being mingled with some dissolvent Juices.
1779 Philos. Trans. 1778 68 119 (note) On the dissolvent Power of Quicksilver.
B. n. One who or that which dissolves.
1. spec. A substance having the power to dissolve or disintegrate other substances; a solvent, a menstruum; †formerly, in Medicine, a substance having the power of ‘dissolving’ morbid concretions, etc. (see dissolve v. 8). (Also 1600s–1700s dissolvant as in French)
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > liquid > making or becoming liquid > action or process of dissolving > [noun] > solvent
menstruea1550
menstruum1559
dissolvent1646
dissolver1651
solvent1671
resolvent1678
solutive1712
diluter1718
diluent1775
1646 Sir T. Browne Pseudodoxia Epidemica ii. iii. 68 If the menstruum or dissolvent be evaporated to a consistence. View more context for this quotation
1658 R. White tr. K. Digby Late Disc. Cure Wounds (1660) 87 There is no dissolvant in the world that can well calcine..gold, but quicksilver.
1691 J. Ray Wisdom of God 73 Fire..the only Catholick Dissolvent.
1718 J. Quincy Pharmacopœia Officinalis 234 Several..have flatter'd themselves, with obtaining..a universal Dissolvent.
1821 W. M. Craig Lect. Drawing vii. 399 The alkali..being by nature a dissolvent of the ground.
2. gen. and figurative.
ΘΚΠ
the world > existence and causation > creation > destruction > [noun] > one who or that which destroys
baneOE
losera1340
leeserc1380
stroyerc1380
destroyer1382
ravenerc1390
castera1400
confounder1401
wastera1425
stroyc1440
undoerc1440
unmakerc1450
confounderess1509
hydraa1513
stroy-good1540
abolisher1548
thunderbolt1559
disannullera1572
stroy-all1573
ruiner1581
down-puller1583
murdererc1585
spendingc1595
blaster1598
assassin1609
ruinater1609
dissolver1611
minerc1614
destructioner1621
fordoer1631
sinker1632
destructive1640
deletery1642
assassinatea1658
ruinator1658
destroyeress1662
destructora1691
dissolvent1835
solvent1841
wrecker1882
destructant1889
1835 F. Mahoney in Fraser's Mag. XI. 454 Wine is the great dissolvent of distrust.
1865 M. Arnold Ess. Crit. v. 155 Dissolvents of the old European system of dominant ideas and facts we must all be.
1874 J. L. Motley Life John of Barneveld II. xv. 186 The only dissolvent of this Union was the intention to perpetuate slavery.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1896; most recently modified version published online December 2020).
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adj.n.1646