macerate

Verb
Synonyms: wasteemaciate

WordNet 3.0

Verb (4)

  1. separate into constituents by soaking
  2. become soft or separate and disintegrate as a result of excessive soaking“the tissue macerated in the water”
  3. soften, usually by steeping in liquid, and cause to disintegrate as a result“macerate peaches”“the gizzards macerates the food in the digestive system”
  4. cause to grow thin or weak“The treatment emaciated him”Synonyms: wasteemaciate
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Webster's Dictionary (GCIDE)

Macerate \Mac"er*ate\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Macerated; p. pr. & vb. n. Macerating.] [L. maceratus, p. p. of macerare to make soft, weaken, enervate; cf. Gr. ? to knead.]

1.To make lean; to cause to waste away. [Obs. or R.] --Harvey. [1913 Webster]

2.To subdue the appetites of by poor and scanty diet; to mortify. --Baker. [1913 Webster]

3.To soften by steeping in a liquid, with or without heat; to wear away or separate the parts of by steeping; as, to macerate animal or vegetable fiber. [1913 Webster]

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