v. Also 6–9 liquify. [a. F. liquéfier, ad. L. liquefacĕre to make liquid, f. liquēre to be fluid: see -FY.]
1. trans. To reduce into a liquid condition. With obj. a solid substance; also in Physics, air, gases. † Formerly, to dissolve (in a liquid).
1547. Boorde, Brev. Health, 75. I do lyquifye it in the oyle of Roses.
1599. A. M., trans. Gabelhouer’s Bk. Physicke, 10/2. Liquefye the Suger in Melisse water.
1661. Lovell, Hist. Anim. & Min., Introd. Some of them may be Liquefied by liquour, as earths, salt,… &c., some by fire, as metallick fluores.
1756–7. trans. Keysler’s Trav. (1760), III. 63. The substance in the phial … looks like balsam of Peru, which may be very easy liquefied.
1824–9. Landor, Imag. Conv., Wks. 1846, II. 245. Sweat ran from them liquefying the blood that had … hardened on their hands and feet.
1863. Tyndall, Heat, ii. § 21 (1870), 26. Simply to liquefy a mass of ice an enormous amount of heat is necessary.
1881. Lubbock, Addr. Brit. Assoc., in Nature, No. 618. 411. Oxygen and nitrogen have been liquefied.
2. fig. To ‘melt’ with spiritual ardor. (Cf. F. liquéfier.) Also intr. for passive.
1483. Caxton, Gold. Leg., 313/2. From that houre the sowle of hym lyquefyed and the passion of Jhesu cryst was merueylously infyxed in his herte.
1502. Atkinson, trans. De Imitatione, III. vi. 201. That I may lerne … what is to man to be lyquyfyed and molten in loue.
3. intr. To become liquid; † rarely to dissolve (in water).
1583. Stubbes, Anat. Abus., II. (1882), 29. Othersome will cast wette salt into it [wool], which in time will liquifie.
1626. Bacon, Sylva, § 840. The Disposition not to Liquefie proceedeth from the Easie Emission of the Spirits, whereby the Grosser Parts contract.
1705. Addison, Italy (1733), 119. Blood … which liquefy’d at the Approach of the Saint’s Head, tho’ … it was hard congeal’d before.
1750. trans. Leonardus’s Mirr. Stones, 18. Some stones … do not liquify, and also sink in water.
1812. Sir H. Davy, Chem. Philos., Wks. 1840, IV. 71. Crystalline muriate of lime and snow, both cooled to 0° Fahrenheit … act upon each other and liquefy.
1860. Tyndall, Glac., II. xi. 289. The ice liquefying rapidly.
4. trans. To give (a consonant) a ‘liquid’ or semivocalic pronunciation.
1714. Fortescue-Aland, Notes Fortescue’s Abs. & Lim. Mon., 27. This letter g is also liquified in the middle, as in the word sail from the Saxon saegl.
1842. M. Russell, Polynesia, i. (1849), 39. They [the consonants] are liquefied to a soft and almost vowel sound.
5. jocular. To moisten or ‘soak’ with liquor or ‘drink.’ Also absol.
1826. Scott, Jrnl., 5 March. Something of toddy and cigar in that last quotation, I think. Yet I only smoked two, and liquified with one glass of spirits and water.
1827. Hone, Every-day Bk., II. 12. When thoroughly liquefied, his loquacity is deluging.
Hence Liquefied, Liquefying ppl. adjs.
1599. A. M., trans. Gabelhouer’s Bk. Physicke, 243/1. Which foresayed … paper balle, she must winde in liquefyede waxe.
1732. Hist. Litteraria, III. 252. Iron melted into a liquified Matter.
1825. J. Nicholson, Operat. Mechanic, 741. Liquefied amber … separated from the oily portions which alter its consistence.
1860. Tyndall, Glac., I. xi. 83. After we had divided the liquefied snow … amongst us we had nothing to drink.
1898. P. Manson, Trop. Diseases, xxiii. 365. Some irritating liquefying body derived from the decomposition processes going on on the surface of the dysenteric ulcer.
