From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Melt \Melt\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Melted (obs.) p. p. Molten;
p. pr. & vb. n. Melting.] [AS. meltan; akin to Gr.
me`ldein, E. malt, and prob. to E. smelt, v. [root]108. Cf.
Smelt, v., Malt, Milt the spleen.]
1. To reduce from a solid to a liquid state, as by heat; to
liquefy; as, to melt wax, tallow, or lead; to melt ice or
snow.
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2. Hence: To soften, as by a warming or kindly influence; to
relax; to render gentle or susceptible to mild influences;
sometimes, in a bad sense, to take away the firmness of;
to weaken.
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Thou would'st have . . . melted down thy youth.
--Shak.
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For pity melts the mind to love. --Dryden.
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Syn: To liquefy; fuse; thaw; mollify; soften.
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