lĭquesco

I. v. inch. n. [liqueo], to become fluid or liquid, to melt.

I. Lit.: tabes nivis liquescentis, Liv. 21, 36: haec ut cera liquescit, Verg. E. 8, 80; Ov. M. 5, 431: volnificusque chalybs vastā fornace liquescit, Verg. A. 8, 446; Plin. 37, 10, 59, § 162: corpora foeda jacent ... dilapsa liquescunt, Ov. M. 7, 550.—

B. Transf.

1. To become clear, limpid: aqua liquescit ac subsidit, Auct. B. Alex. 5.—

2. Of the liquid sound of l, m, n, r with other consonants, to merge, coalesce, be confined with other sounds: eorum sonus liquescit et tenuatur, Val. Prob. p. 1389 P.—

II. Trop.

A. To grow soft, effeminate: qua (voluptate) cum liquescimus, Cic. Tusc. 2, 22, 52. —

B. To melt or waste away: fortuna liquescit, Ov. Ib. 425.—Of a person: minui et deperire, et, ut proprie dicam, liquescere, Sen. Ep. 26.