the.com/solvent
the great dissolver, quietly pulling things apart so chemistry can happen at all
means A substance, usually liquid, that dissolves another to form a solution — or, in finance, the state of having enough assets to pay your debts.
from From Latin solvere, 'to loosen, release, untie' — the same root that gives us 'solve,' 'dissolve,' and 'absolve.' The present participle solvens meant 'loosening,' and the chemical and financial senses both keep that core idea: a solvent loosens solids into solution, while a solvent person has loosened the grip of their debts. Solvere itself is thought to combine se- ('apart') with luere ('to release, pay'), so the loosening was baked in from the very start.
- universal one
- Water dissolves more substances than any other liquid
- like loves like
- Polar solvents dissolve polar things, oils stick to oils
- huffing danger
- Solvent fumes can stop a heart on first use
- dry cleaning
- Uses solvents, not water, to lift stains
- financial double
- Same word means able to pay your debts
acetone — widely used industrial solvent, main ingredient in nail polish remover
ethanol — polar solvent used in pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and as 95% of hand sanitizers
toluene — aromatic hydrocarbon solvent used in paint thinners and adhesives