Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • adjective Causing or able to cause separation into constituents; solvent.
  • noun A resolvent substance, especially a medicine that reduces inflammation or swelling.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • Having the power to resolve or dissolve; causing solution; solvent.
  • noun That which has the power of causing solution.
  • noun In medicine, a remedy which causes the resolution of a swelling; a discutient.
  • noun In algebra, an equation formed to aid the resolution of a given equation having for its roots known functions of the roots of the given equation. Thus, if x, x′ , x″, x‴ are the roots of a biquadratic, one method of solution begins by solving the cubic whose roots are of the form xx′ + x″ x‴.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • adjective Having power to resolve; causing solution; solvent.
  • noun That which has the power of resolving, or causing solution; a solvent.
  • noun (Med.) That which has power to disperse inflammatory or other tumors; a discutient; anything which aids the absorption of effused products.
  • noun (Math.) An equation upon whose solution the solution of a given pproblem depends.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adjective Able to resolve (separate) the constituents of a mixture
  • noun Any substance or material able to resolve the constituents of a mixture; a solvent.
  • noun medicine That which has power to disperse inflammatory or other tumours; a discutient; anything which aids the absorption of effused products.
  • noun mathematics An equation upon whose solution the solution of a given problem depends.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun a liquid substance capable of dissolving other substances

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

Latin resolvens, present participle of resolvere: compare French résolvant. See resolve.

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Examples

  • Observing him in these moods, I often dwelt meditatively upon the old philosophy of the Bi-Part Soul, and amused myself with the fancy of a double Dupin — the creative and the resolvent.

    The Murders in the Rue Morgue 2006

  • C1 and C2; (b) a binary resolvent of C1 and a factor of

    Automated Reasoning Portoraro, Frederic 2005

  • C1 and C2; or, (d) a binary resolvent of a factor of C1 and a factor of

    Automated Reasoning Portoraro, Frederic 2005

  • Then, a resolvent obtained by resolution from C1 and

    Automated Reasoning Portoraro, Frederic 2005

  • (Loveland 1970, Luckham 1970) always resolves a clause against the most recently derived resolvent.

    Automated Reasoning Portoraro, Frederic 2005

  • On expression they yield a fine purple juice, which proves a useful laxative, and a resolvent in recent colds.

    Herbal Simples Approved for Modern Uses of Cure William Thomas Fernie

  • The absorption of morbid deposits (plastic exudations, etc.) can be materially furthered by adding to a galvanic bath some resolvent — above all, iodine.

    The Electric Bath George M. Schweig

  • It is useful also locally in rheumatic affections as a resolvent and anodyne, in acne, and as a parasiticide.

    Scientific American Supplement, No. 384, May 12, 1883 Various

  • The leaves when applied externally are highly resolvent for tumours, bruises, and gouty swellings.

    Herbal Simples Approved for Modern Uses of Cure William Thomas Fernie

  • He found the soapy mucus within the vesicles of the Bladderwrack an excellent resolvent, and most useful in dispersing scrofulous swellings.

    Herbal Simples Approved for Modern Uses of Cure William Thomas Fernie

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