[prob. ad. MDu. or MLG. smelten (smilten), whence also MSw. and Sw. smälta, Norw. smelta, Da. smelte, = OHG. and MHG. smelzen (G. schmelzen), a weak trans. verb corresponding to a strong intr. (of the type smeltan, smalt) found in the same languages. The stem appears to be a variation of that of MELT v.1] trans. To fuse or melt (ore, etc.) in order to extract the metal; to obtain or produce (metal) by this process.
1543. in Mem. Fountains Abbey (Surtees), 403. For smelting one pece leade.
1602–3. Shuttleworths’ Acc. (Chetham), 149. To Henry Orrell, bellfounder of Wyggan, for smeltinge the lead ashes, xxs.
1686. Plot, Staffordsh., 165. Which they Smelted at Ellaston not far off, where they had Mills, &c. for the purpose.
1729. Phil. Trans., XXXVI. 32. This Slag is afterwards smelted again with Cowke only.
1812. Brackenridge, Views of Louisiana (1814), 148. The floats have no tiff, and are the most easily smelted.
1849. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., iii. I. 317. It was not then the practice to employ coal for smelting the ore.
1873. E. Spon, Workshop Rec., Ser. I. 10/1. The best plan of smelting brass is to melt the copper in a black-lead crucible first.
absol. 1831. [see smelt-furnace below].
fig. 1850. Carlyle, Latter-d. Pamph., viii. (1872), 277. Who will smelt … these scandalous bewildering rubbish-mountains.
1874. H. R. Reynolds, John Bapt., iv. § 6. 272. God … will scorch and smelt the true metal in the furnace.
