[syn: atomize, atomise]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Atomize \At"om*ize\, v. t.
To reduce to atoms, or to fine spray.
[1913 Webster]
The liquids in the form of spray are said to be
pulverized, nebulized, or atomized. --Dunglison.
[1913 Webster]
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
atomize
v 1: spray very finely; "atomize perfume" [syn: atomize,
atomise]
2: strike at with firepower or bombs; "zap the enemy" [syn:
nuke, atomize, atomise, zap]
3: break up into small particles; "the fine powder had been
atomized by air" [syn: atomize, atomise]
Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0:
170 Moby Thesaurus words for "atomize":
ablate, abrade, accelerate, activate, adduce, aerate, aerify,
analyze, anatomize, beat, bombard, bray, break into pieces,
break to pieces, break up, brecciate, carbonate, change,
chlorinate, chop logic, circumstantiate, cite, cleave, come apart,
comminute, consume, contriturate, corrode, crack up, crash,
cross-bombard, crumb, crumble, crumble into dust, crunch, crush,
cut to pieces, decay, decompose, demolish, descend to particulars,
desynonymize, detail, difference, differentiate, diffuse,
disassemble, discriminate, disequalize, disintegrate, disjoin,
dismantle, disorganize, disperse, disrupt, dissolve, distill,
distinguish, diversify, divide, document, dynamite, emit,
enter into detail, erode, etherify, etherize, evaporate, exhale,
fall to pieces, fission, flour, fluidize, fractionate, fragment,
fume, fumigate, gasify, give full particulars, give off, grain,
granulate, granulize, grate, grind, grind to powder, hydrogenate,
individualize, individuate, instance, itemize, levigate,
make a distinction, make mincemeat of, mark, mark off, mark out,
mash, mill, mince, modify, molder, nucleize, oxygenate,
particularize, perfume, personalize, pestle, pick to pieces, pound,
powder, pull in pieces, pull to pieces, pulverize,
reduce to powder, reduce to rubble, reek, refine a distinction,
rend, rub out, ruin, scatter, scrunch, segregate, send out,
separate, set apart, set off, sever, severalize, shard, shatter,
shiver, shred, smash, smash the atom, smash up, smoke, specialize,
specify, spell out, splinter, split, split hairs, spray, squash,
squish, steam, sublimate, sublime, substantiate, sunder,
take apart, tear apart, tear down, tear to pieces, tear to shreds,
tear to tatters, total, triturate, unbuild, undo, unmake, vaporize,
vary, volatilize, waste away, wear away, wrack up, wreck