melt

Everyday

1. To melt is to change from a solid into a liquid because of heat: ice melts into water. tree →
2. To melt can mean to soften or disappear slowly: «The crowd melted away». tree →
3. To melt someone's heart is to make them feel loving and kind. tree →

In the lessons

In science, melting is a change of state: a solid gets warm enough to become a liquid; the temperature where this happens is its melting point (ice melts at 0 °C). Melting can be reversed by cooling (freezing). In cooking, butter and chocolate melt. In stories, «her heart melted» means she became kind. Phrases: «melt away», «melt in your mouth», «melting pot».

Examples

• The snowman melted in the sun. tree →
• Ice melts at zero degrees Celsius. tree →
• Melt the butter in a pan. tree →
• My ice cream is melting — eat it fast! tree →
• Chocolate melts in your hand. tree →
• The puppy's big eyes melted her heart. tree →
• Melting ice at the poles makes sea levels rise. tree →
• Wax melts when the candle burns. tree →
• Crediting them with a nobler feeling Wendy melted. tree →

Note

Melting is not the same as dissolving: sugar dissolves in water (mixes in), ice melts (turns liquid from heat). The opposite of melt is freeze or set. «Molten» is used for very hot melted rock or metal: molten lava.

In Jewish tradition

Melting is a picture for fear and losing courage, as when enemy peoples melt away. It is also used for the manna melting in the sun.

Interpretation. Soldiers who were afraid were sent home so that their fear would not spread to others. The melting manna taught that each day's food had to be gathered early.

Examples

• And they gathered it morning by morning, every man according to his eating; and as the sun waxed hot, it melted. (Torah EXO.16.21, JPS 1917) tree →
• Then were the chiefs of Edom affrighted; the mighty men of Moab, trembling taketh hold upon them; all the inhabitants of Canaan are melted away. (Torah EXO.15.15, JPS 1917) tree →
• And the officers shall speak further unto the people, and they shall say: 'What man is there that is fearful and faint-hearted? let him go and return unto his house, lest his brethren's heart melt as his heart.' (Torah DEU.20.8, JPS 1917) tree →
• Therefore shall all hands be slack, and every heart of man shall melt. (Prophets ISA.13.7, JPS 1917) tree →
• Nations were in tumult, kingdoms were moved; He uttered His voice, the earth melted. (Writings PSA.46.7, JPS 1917) tree →
• They mounted up to the heaven, they went down to the deeps; their soul melted away because of trouble; (Writings PSA.107.26, JPS 1917) tree →

Note

Melting is not the same as dissolving: sugar dissolves in water (mixes in), ice melts (turns liquid from heat). The opposite of melt is freeze or set. «Molten» is used for very hot melted rock or metal: molten lava.