macerate (v.)

  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

    [ Syn: waste , emaciate ]

The dictionary is based on the WordNet Electronic Lexical Database.
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