crystallize
/ˈkrɪst(ə)lʌɪz
/(also crystallise)
verb
1Form or cause to form crystals: [no object]: when most liquids freeze they crystallize...
- As the solution cools, quinine sulfate crystallizes out.
- Such solutions are unstable and the addition of a tiny amount of the solute will cause all of the excess solute to crystallize out of solution.
- At regular intervals they remove samples and measure how many of the C triglycerides in the liquid oil phase crystallise out.
Synonyms
form crystals, solidify, harden
2 (usually as adjective crystallized) Coat and impregnate (fruit or petals) with sugar as a means of preserving them: a box of crystallized fruits...
- If you're going to crystallise the rose petals for the topping, simply paint each one with egg white and dip in caster sugar, coating well.
- Fleurs de sucre are crystallized flower petals or berries, beautifully packaged up in tall glass tubes.
- The sliced lemon added on day 2 also becomes crystallized and very yummy as its own treat.
3Make or become definite and clear: vague feelings of unrest crystallized into something more concrete [with object]: writing can help to crystallize your thoughts...
- A good briefing can save you hours of legwork and days of phone- and email-tag, particularly when you want information that can't be crystallized into a quick, clear question.
- His ideas never crystallized into a system: he held that political thought had to be as mobile and protean as its object.
- His smile crystallized into a frozen grin, the part in his hair fracturing to the very foundations of his Brylcream.
Synonyms
become clear, become definite, take shape, emerge, form, materialize
informal gel
4 Finance Convert or be converted from a floating charge into a fixed charge: no deduction is given for contingent liabilities until they crystallize [with object]: the sale may not crystallize the charge...
- When a floating charge crystallizes, its priority in relation to subsequent dealings depends on the application of the usual principles and it will generally take priority over all charges created after crystallization.
- It follows that the charge over the book and other debts was a floating charge until it crystallised on that date.
- The contingent liability has now crystallised into a €113 million charge in the profit and loss account.
Derivatives
crystallizable
/ adjective ...- After 1985/6 the real glory days of terminal bonus and potentially crystallisable gain were over.
- More subtly, by dividing the crystallizable material into discrete nanometer-scale domains, such as cylinders or spheres, one nucleation event per domain becomes necessary to crystallize the material.
- The chain folding concept was helpful in understanding the physical and chemical properties of crystallisable polymers, matters of practical as well as scientific importance.
crystallization
/ noun ...- It is an international trend for people to move into cities which are the crystallization of human civilization.
- This is further refined by carbon filtration to remove any traces of molasses before crystallization.
- The final year physics undergraduates plan to study the crystallisation of protein solutions in weightless conditions.