dissolve 
government; to dissolve Parliament; to dissolve 
an alliance ; to dissolve the bonds of friendship. 
Them that ye can not refuse, . . . ,/...,./,<. and hrrukr 
them Into other ferte hysiichinciuws as itahall be taught 
hrmifter. rlf.nli/ii, Arte of Eng. I'm-nif, p. IIM;. 
Who would nut wish to be 
/>jw//>'(/ from eurth, uml with Astnea flee 
From this liliml dungeon to that sun-bright throne? 
(Juarla, Emblems, I. 15. 
In the 11:11111 of (!od anil the Church they .//\.,../,v their 
fellowship with him. Miltmi, Church-Government, ii. ;i. 
He (the prime minister) may indeed, under gome cir- 
cumstances, dissolve I'arliameut; but if the new House of 
Commons disapproves of his policy, then he must resign. 
K. -1. /'/-' tn<in, Anier. Lects., p. 193. 
4. To explain; resolve; solve. [Obsolete or 
archaic.] 
Them canst . . . dissolve doubts. Dan. v. 16. 
I will now for this day return to my question, and dis- 
solve it, whether God's people may be governed by a gov- 
ernor that bearcth the name of a king, or no '! 
Latimer, 5th Sermon lief. Edw. VI., 1649. 
Thou hadst not between death and birth 
Dissolved the riddle of the earth. 
Tennyson, Two Voices. 
6. To destroy the power of ; deprive of force ; 
annul ; abrogate : as, to dissolve a charm or spell ; 
to dissolve an injunction. 
The running stream disaoloed the spell, 
And his own elvish shape he took. 
Scott, L. of L. M., 111. 13. 
6. To consume ; cause to vanish or perish ; end 
by dissolution ; destroy, as by fire. [Obsolete 
as used of death.] 
Seeing then that all these things shall be dissoloetl, what 
manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation 
and godliness V 2 Pet. 111. 11. 
His death came from a sudden catarrh which caused a 
squinancy by the inflammation of the interiour muscles, 
and a shortness of breath followed which dissolved him In 
the space of twelve hours. 
Bp. Hacket, Abp. Williams, II. 227. 
We may ... be said to live . . . when we have in a 
great measure conquered our dread of death, . . . and 
are even prepared, and willing to bo dissolved, and to be 
with Christ. Bp. Atterbury, Sermons, I. xt 
Dissolved Wood*, blood that does not readily coagulate 
on cooling. = Syn. 1. Thaw, Fuse, etc. See melt. 
II. intrans. 1. To become fluid ; be disinte- 
grated and absorbed by a fluid ; be converted 
from a solid to a fluid state : as, sugar dissolves 
in water. 
A distinction is made between chemical and physical so- 
lution ; in the former case the substance is first altered 
chemically by the solvent, and the new body thus formed 
goes into solution ; in the latter, the substance dissolves 
without alteration of its chemical nature. Ferguson. 
2. To be disintegrated by or as if by heat or 
force ; melt or crumble ; waste away. 
The great globe itself, 
Yea, all which It inherit, shall dissolve. 
Shale., Tempest, v. 1. 
3. To become relaxed ; lose force or strength ; 
melt or sink away from weakness or languor. 
The charm dissolves apace. Shak., Tempest, v. 1. 
If there be more, more woeful, hold it In ; 
For I am almost ready to dissolve, 
Hearing of this. Shak., Lear, v. 3. 
Till all dissolving in the trance we lay, 
And in tumultuous raptures died away. 
Pope, Sappho to Phaoii. 
4. To separate ; break up: as, the council dis- 
solved; Parliament dissolved. 
She, ending, waved her hands ; thereat the crowd, 
Muttering, dissolved. Tennyson, Princess, iv. 
6. To break up or pass away by degrees ; dis- 
appear gradually ; fade from sight or apprehen- 
sion: as, dissolving views (see view); his pros- 
pects were rapidly dissolving. 
dissolvent (di-zpl'vent), a. and n. [= F. dis- 
solvant = Sp. disolvente = Pg. It. dissolvente, <. 
L. dissoh'en(t-)s,prjr. of dissolvere, dissolve : see 
dissolve."] I. a. Having power to dissolve ; sol- 
vent. 
II. . 1. A solveut. 
Unless a part of the metal is fairly melted in the cruci- 
ble, with proper dissoleriitx. 
Adam Smith, Wealth of Nations, i. 4. 
2. That which disintegrates, breaks up, or 
loosens. 
The secret treaty of December acted as an immediate 
distnlivnt to the truce. Motley. 
3. In metl., a remedy supposed to be capable of 
dissolving concretions iu the body, such as cal- 
culi, tubercles, etc. ; a resolvent. 
I have nut >vt myself seen any severe ami satisfactory 
trial made to evince the elttcacy of insipid dissolnntt. 
Boyle, Works, II. 9s. 
dissolve! 1 (di-zol'ver), . One who or that 
which dissolves, or lias the power of dissolving, 
in any sense of that word. 
These men were the dissvlrers of Episeopacie. 
Milton, Prelatical Episcopacy. 
1689 
dissolvible (di-zol'vi-bl), a. [< dissolve + -Me.] 
dissonance (dis'6-nans), n. [= D. dissonans = 
(i. iliMiniiiii; Dun. Sw. <tissonans, < F. ilixxii- 
inini'v = Sp. disoitaitcia = Pg. dissonancia = It. 
dixxniHiii^it, disxiHitiuzia, < LL. itixsonaittui, dis- 
sonance, < L. disitiinan(t-)s, dissonant: see ilix- 
soitant. Cf. assonance, consonance, resonance.] 
1 . The quality or fact of being dissonant ; an in- 
harmonious mixture or combination of sounds; 
harshness of combined sounds ; discord. 
The wonted roar was up amidst the woods, 
And nll'd the ah* with barbarous dissonance. 
Milton, Comus, 1. -V.". 
Specifically 2. In music: (a) The combina- 
tion of tones that are so far unrelated to each 
other as to produce beats : distinguished from 
consonance. See beat 1 , n., 7. (b) The interval 
between two such tones. See discord. 3. Dis- 
cord in general; disagreement; incongruity; 
inconsistency. Milton. 
The praise of goodness from an unsound hollow heart 
must certainly make the grossest dissonance in the world. 
Shaftesbury, Letter concerning Enthusiasm, $ 5. 
dissonancyt (dis'o-nan-si), . Same as disso- 
nance. 
The ugliness of sin [and] the dissonancy of it unto rea- 
son. ./-''. Taylor, Contemplations, i. : 
dissonant (dis'o-nant), a. [< F. dissonant = 
Sp. disonante = Pg. It. dissonante, < L. disso- 
nan(t-)s, ppr. of dissonare, disagree in sound (cf. 
dissonus, disagreeing in sound), < dis-, apart, + 
sonus, a sound, sonare, sound: see sonant. Cf. 
assonant, consonant, resonant.] 1. Discordant 
in sound; harsh; jarring; inharmonious; un- 
pleasant to the ear: as, dissonant tones or in- 
tervals. 
You are yet too harsh, too dissonant ; 
There's no true music in your words, my lord. 
Beau, and Fl., Woman-Hater, lit 1. 
With loud and dissonant clangor 
Echoed the sound of their brazen drums. 
Longfellow, Evangeline, L 4. 
2. Discordant in general ; disagreeing; incon- 
gruous. 
For it must needs be that, how far a thing is dissonant 
and disagreeing from the guise and trade of the hearers, 
so far shall it be out of their belief. 
Sir T. More, Utopia (tr. by Robinson), ii. . 
Dissonant chord, any chord not a major or minor triad. 
See triad. Dissonant interval, the interval between 
two tones less closely related to each other than a minor 
third or sixth. See discord. 
dissonedt, [ME., appar. pp. of "dissonen, < 
F. dissoner = Pr. Pg. dissonar = Sp. disonar = 
It. dissonare, < L. dissonare, disagree in sound : 
see dissonant.] Dissonant. 
disspirit (dis-spir'it), t>. t. Same as dispirit. 
dissuade (di-swad'), v. ; pret. and pp. dissuaded, 
ppr. dissuading. [Formerly spelled dissuade; 
< OF. dissuader, F. dissuader = Sp. disuadir = 
Pg. dissuadir = It. dissuadere, < L. dissuadere, 
dissuade, < dis-, apart, away, + suadere, pp. 
suasus, persuade : see suasion, and cf . persuade.] 
1. trans. 1. To advise or exhort against some- 
thing; attempt to draw or divert from an action 
by the presentation of reasons or motives : as, 
he dissuaded his friend from nis rash purpose. 
Mr. Burchell, on the contrary, dissuaded her with great 
ardour ; and I stood neuter. Goldsmith, Vicar, xili. 
We would persuade our fellow to this or that ; another 
self within our eyes dissuades him. 
Emerson, New England Reformers. 
2. To change from a purpose by persuasion or 
argument. 
We submit to Ceesar, . . . promising 
To pay our wonted tribute, from the which 
We were dissuaded by our wicked queen. 
Shak., Cymbeline, v. 5. 
St. To give advice against ; represent as unde- 
sirable, improper, or dangerous. 
War therefore, open or uouceal'd, alike 
My voice dissuades. Milton, P. L., ii. 1ST. 
II. intrans. To give advice in opposition to 
some proposed course of action. 
Here Essex would have tarried, in expectation of the 
Indian Fleet, but that Graves the Pilot dissuaded, be- 
cause the Harbour was not good. 
Baker, Chronicles, p. SH.".. 
dissuader (di-swa'der), n. One who dissuades ; 
a dehorter. 
dissuasion (di-swa'zhon), n. [= F. dissuasion 
= Sp. ilixiiaxioit = Pg" dissuas&o = It. dissua- 
sione, < L. dissuasio(H-), < dissuadere. pp. din- 
sita-sus, dissuade: see tlixmiiidi'.] 1. The act of 
dissuading; advice or exhortation in opposition 
to something ; diversion or an attempt to divert 
from a purpose or measure by advice or argu- 
ment; dehortation. 
dissymmetry 
Endeavour to preserve yourself from relapse by such dis- 
mtanitfn from love ut> its votaries call invectives against it. 
Boyle. 
2. A dissuasive influence or motive ; a deter- 
ring action or effect. 
But for the duawuiun of two eyes, 
That make with him foul weather or fine day, 
He had abstained, nor graced the spect;ul, . 
Browning, King and Book, II. SOU. 
dissuasive (di-swa'siv), u. and n. [= F. disnua- 
sif = Sp. disuasiro = Pg. It. dissnasivo, dissua- 
sive, < L. dissuasus, pp. of dissuadere, dissuade : 
see dissuade.] I. a. Tending to dissuade or 
divert from a purpose ; dehortatory. 
The young lovers were too much enamoured of each other 
to attend to the di*miuiee voice of avarice. 
Goldsmith, True History for the Ladles. 
H. . Argument or advice employed to deter 
one from a measure or purpose ; that which is 
intended or tends to divert from any purpose or 
course of action. 
A hearty dissuasive from . . . the practice of swearing 
and cursing. Abp. Sharp, Works, IV. xviii. 
dissuasively (di-swa'siv-li), adv. In a dissua- 
sive manner. Clarke. 
dissuasory (di-swa'so-ri), a. and n. [= It. dis- 
suasorio, < L. as if "dissuasorius, < disxuasor, a 
dissuader, < dissuadere, pp. dissuasus, dissuade : 
see dissuade.] I. a. Tending to dissuade ; dis- 
suasive. [Rare.] 
II. . ; pi. dissiiasories (-riz). A dissuasion ; 
a dissuasive exhortation. [Hare.] 
This virtuous and reasonable jKirson, however, has ill 
luck in all his dissuasories. Je/reii. 
dissue, r. i. See dizzue. 
dissundert, v. t. [< dis-, apart, + sunder.] To 
separate ; rend asunder. 
Whose misrule Automedon restraines, 
By cutting the in tangling geres, and so dissundering quite 
The brave slaine beast. Chaptnan, Iliad, xvi. 
dissweetent (dis-swe'tn), v. t. [< dis- priv. + 
sweeten.] To deprive of sweetness. 
By excess the sweetest comforts will be dismeetened. 
Bp. Jtic/tardson, Observations on Old Test,, p. 29C. 
dissyllabet, . See dissyllable. 
dissyllabic (dis-i-lab'ik), a. [= F. dissylla- 
bique, < dissyllabe, dissyllable : see dissyllable.] 
Consisting of two syllables only: as, a dissyl- 
labic foot in poetry. 
dissyllabiflcation(dis-i-lab"i-fi-ka'shqn), n. [< 
dissy llabify : see -fy and -atioti.] Formation 
into two syllables. 
dissyllabify (dis-i-lab'i-fi), r. I. ; pret. and pp. 
dissyllabified, ppr. dissi/llabififimj. [< dissyllabe 
+ -fy, make.] To form into two syllables. 
dissyllabism (di-dl'g-bizm). . [< dissyllabe 
+ -ism.] The character of having only two 
syllables. 
Of some of them [tongues related and unrelated to 
Chinese] the roots are in greater or less part dissyllabic ; 
and we do not yet know that all disxyllabism, and even 
that all complexity of syllable beyond a single consonant 
with following vowel, is not the result of combination or 
reduplication. Whitney, Eucyc. Brit., XVIII. 774. 
dissyllabize (di-sil'a-biz), r . t. ; pret. and pp. 
dissyllabized, ppr. dissyllabizing. [< dissyllabe 
+ -ize.] To dissyllabify. 
dissyllable (di-sil'a-bl or dis'i-la-bl), n. [Al- 
tered to suit syllable, from earlier dissyllabe, < 
F. dissyllabe = Sp. disilabo = Pg. dissyllabo, < 
L. disyllabus, of two syllables, < Gr. &afitta0or, 
improp. <5<om>/U<j/Jof, of two syllables, < it-, two-, 
-I- oMafii/, a syllable: see syllable.] A word 
consisting of two syllables only, as paper, white- 
ness, virtue. 
dissymmetric, dissymmetrical (dis-si-mef- 
rik, -ri-kal), a. [< L. dis- priv. + Gr. avu/ierpof, 
symmetric : see symmetric.] Having no plane 
of symmetry; especially, having the same form 
but not superposable, as the right- and left- 
hand gloves. Thus, the crystals of tartaric acid, which 
are optically right- and left-handed, are dissymmetric, 
and were conceived by Pasteur to be built up of dissym- 
metric molecules. 
Pasteur invoked the aid of helices and magnets, with a 
view to rendering crystals dissymmetrical at the moment 
of their formation. Tyndall, Int. to Life of Pasteur, p. 17. 
dissymmetry (dis-sim'e-tri), n. [< L. dis- priv. 
+ Gr. avft/jcrpia, symmetry.] Want of symme- 
try, specifically that characteristic of dissym- 
metric bodies. See dissymmetric. 
By both helices and magnets Faraday caused the plane 
of polarisation in perfectly neutral liquids and solids to 
rotate. If the turning of the plane of polarisation be 
a demonstration of molecular disxiimmetry, then, ill the 
twinkling of an eye, Faraday was able to displace symme- 
try by (//.,</(,//< 'n/, and to confer upon bodies, which in 
their ordinary state were inert and dead, this power of 
rotation which M. Pasteur considers to be the exclusive 
attribute of life. Tyndall, Int. to Life of Patur, p. 17. 
