The phrase "melted away" is often used to describe something that has disappeared gradually over time. In IPA phonetic transcription, it is written as /ˈmɛltɪd/ /əˈweɪ/. The first part, "melted," is pronounced with a short e sound, followed by an L blend and a soft T at the end. The second part, "away," has a schwa sound for the first syllable and a long A for the second syllable. The combination of these two words creates a smooth and flowing sound, fitting for something that gradually disappears.
Melted away is a phrasal verb that describes the act of gradually disappearing or dissolving due to the process of melting. It is commonly used metaphorically to depict the gradual and almost imperceptible disappearance or vanishing of something, such as an emotion, memory, or physical object.
In a literal sense, when a substance melts, it changes from its solid state into a liquid as a result of being exposed to heat or high temperatures. When something has melted away, it means it has completely transformed into a liquid state and has either dissipated or trickled away due to the melting process.
Metaphorically, when we say that something has melted away, it implies that it has gradually faded or disappeared, similar to how a solid object melts into liquid and eventually becomes indistinguishable. For example, when referring to emotions, one might say that their anger or sadness has melted away, indicating that over time, the intensity of their emotion has diminished and eventually dissipated. Similarly, memories or images can also be said to have melted away when they gradually fade from our minds, becoming obscure or forgotten.
In summary, "melted away" refers to the process of gradual disappearance or dissolving, whether in a literal sense through melting or figuratively to emphasize the gradual fading or vanishing of something.
The phrase "melted away" is composed of two words with distinct etymologies.
1. Melted: The word "melted" comes from the Old English word "meltan", which meant "to become liquid". This Old English term has Germanic origins, derived from the Proto-Germanic word "meltijaną" meaning "to dissolve or liquefy". Over time, the word was adopted into Middle English as "melten" and eventually became "melted" in Modern English.
2. Away: The word "away" also has an Old English origin. It is derived from the Old English word "aweg" or "onweg", which meant "onward" or "from this place". The word "away" gradually evolved through Middle English, becoming the form we use today in Modern English.