Also 7 liquidat. [f. late L. liquidāt-, ppl. stem of liquidāre, f. liquidus LIQUID. Cf. F. liquider, Sp. liquidar, It. liquidare (in sense 4).]
† 1. trans. To make clear or plain (something obscure or confused); to render unambiguous; to settle (differences, disputes). Obs.
a. 1670. Hacket, Abp. Williams, I. (1692), 19. There he discours’d with that depth of Learning, yet liquidating that depth with such facility of opening it.
1732. Hist. Litteraria, III. 382. He liquidates many Points.
1765. H. Walpole, Vertue’s Anecd. Paint., I. ii. 43. A senseless jumble, soon liquidated by a more egregious act of folly. Ibid. (1765), Otranto, iii. (1798), 49. Ere we liquidate our differences by the sword.
1779–81. Johnson, L. P., Addison, Wks. III. 58. There were these words, ‘Britons, arise!’… Addison was frighted, lest he should be thought a promoter of insurrection, and the line was liquidated to ‘Britons, attend.’
1780. Bentham, Princ. Legisl., iii. § 10. In what other respects our ideas of them [pains and pleasures] may be liquidated will be considered in another place.
b. To clear away, resolve (objections). rare.
1620. Sir R. Naunton, in Fortesc. Papers, 114. He may liquidat all scruples when he shall come to the Spanish Court.
1865. F. H. Laing, in Ess. Relig. & Lit., Ser. I. (1865), 202. The same principle of a long preparation liquidates many other objections of the same character.
† 2. To determine and apportion by agreement or by litigation; to reduce to order, set out clearly (accounts). Obs.
c. 1575. Balfour’s Practicks (1754), 41. Ane Baron, in his awin court, may liquidate the prices of his fermis, auchtand to him be his tenentis.
1622. Mabbe, trans. Aleman’s Guzman d’Alf., I. 22. [He] could cleare you any account, could liquidate and divide it to an haire.
1739. Cibber, Apol. (1756), II. 45. This pension was to be liquidated into an equal share with us.
1755. Connect. Col. Rec. (1856), X. 366. A committee with full power … to examine, liquidate, adjust, settle, and give needful orders for the payment of the several accounts.
1758. J. Blake, Plan Mar. Syst., 41. The commander … will be able to liquidate the amount of his nett wages.
1795. Wythe, Decis. Virginia, 14. An account of goods not delivered or accepted as a payment nor liquidated between the parties ought not to be accepted as a payment in paper.
1798. Bay, Amer. Law Rep. (1809), I. 114. Agreed to pay the debt on its being liquidated.
fig. 1759. Chesterf., Lett. to Son, 27 Feb. (1892), III. 1248. If our epistolary accounts were fairly liquidated, I believe you would be brought in considerably debtor.
3. To clear off, pay (a debt). Also absol. in U.S. slang.
1755. Johnson, Liquidate, to clear away; to lessen debts.
1785. Ld. Malmesbury, Diaries & Corr., II. 122. The King desired the Prince of Wales to send in an Exact Statement of his debts, giving him to understand he would liquidate them.
1786. R. King, in Life & Corr. (1894), I. 6. As the debt arose during the circulation of paper, it may probably be more easily liquidated by the scale than in any other way.
1823. Lingard, Hist. Eng., VI. 110. Charles … had not wherewith to liquidate the arrears of his victorious army in Italy.
1834. Ht. Martineau, Moral, IV. 135. No effort should be spared to liquidate the National Debt.
1835. Haliburton, Clockm., Ser. I. xviii. When I liquidate for my dinner, I like to get about the best that’s goin.
1849. Grote, Hist. Greece, II. lxxi. (1862), VI. 333. The pay which he had offered was never liquidated.
1868. Rogers, Pol. Econ., iv. (1876), 6. In the vast majority of instances no money is used to liquidate debts on either side.
4. Law and Comm. a. trans. To ascertain and set out clearly the liabilities of (a company or firm) and to arrange the apportioning of the assets; to ‘wind up.’ b. intr. To go into liquidation.
1870. Standard, 16 Nov., 2/7. A proposal to liquidate by arrangement was resolved upon by the creditors.
1883. Manch. Exam., 27 Nov., 4/7. It has been decided to liquidate the Exchange Bank.
1884. Law Times, 13 Dec., 119/1. The debtor liquidated and a trustee was appointed.
5. trans. To liquefy, melt. rare.
1656. Blount, Glossogr., Liquidate, to make moist, to clear.
1862. Jrnl. Soc. Arts, X. 324/2. The heat of the ship’s hold being sufficient to partially liquidate its [sc. rubber] substance.
b. fig. To dissipate, waste.
1702. De Foe, Reform. Manners, Misc. 91. These [sc. drunkards] liquidate their Wealth, and covet to be poor.
6. To make (a sound) less harsh or grating.
In some mod. Dicts.
Hence Liquidated ppl. a., Liquidating vbl. sb. and ppl. a.
1727. Bailey, vol. II., Liquidated, made moist or clear; also spoken of Bills made current or payable; pay’d off, cleared.
1749. Connect. Col. Rec. (1876), IX. 453. That he press forward the liquidating, settling and obtaining final payment for the accounts.
1798. Bay, Amer. Law Rep. (1809), I. 16. Liquidated accounts.
1848. Arnould, Mar. Insur., I. iv. (1866), I. 181. Debts in the legal sense, that is, liquidated and ascertained amounts.
1891. Daily News, 15 Jan., 2/2. A substantial surplus will remain for division among the partners of the liquidated firm. Ibid. (1895), 8 May, 8/7. Wheat … declined under the combined control of lower cables, further rains in the West, and active liquidating. Ibid. (1899), 2 Feb., 4/7. Liquidating or abortive companies.
