stands still in its northward or southward motion. (b) The time of the sun's passing the solstices, or
solstitial points, namely, about June 21 and December 21. See Illust. in Appendix.
Solstitial
(Sol*sti"tial) a. [L. solstitialis: cf. F. solsticial.]
1. Of or pertaining to a solstice.
2. Happening at a solstice; esp. (with reference to the northern hemisphere), happening at the summer
solstice, or midsummer. "Solstitial summer's heat." Milton.
Solubility
(Sol`u*bil"i*ty) n. [Cf. F. solubilité.]
1. The quality, condition, or degree of being soluble or solvable; as, the solubility of a salt; the solubility
of a problem or intricate difficulty.
2. (Bot.) The tendency to separate readily into parts by spurious articulations, as the pods of tick trefoil.
Soluble
(Sol"u*ble) a. [L. solubilis, fr. solvere, solutum, to loosen, to dissolve: cf. F. soluble. See
Solve, and cf. Solvable.]
1. Susceptible of being dissolved in a fluid; capable of solution; as, some substances are soluble in alcohol
which are not soluble in water.
Sugar is . . . soluble in water and fusible in fire.
Arbuthnot. 2. Susceptible of being solved; as, a soluble algebraic problem; susceptible of being disentangled, unraveled,
or explained; as, the mystery is perhaps soluble. "More soluble is this knot." Tennyson.
3. Relaxed; open or readily opened. [R.] "The bowels must be kept soluble." Dunglison.
Soluble glass. (Chem.) See under Glass.
Solubleness
(Sol"u*ble*ness), n. Quality or state of being soluble.
Solus
(||So"lus masc. a., So"la) fem. a. [L.] Alone; — chiefly used in stage directions, and the like.
Solute
(So*lute") a. [L. solutus, p. p. of solvere to loosen. See Solve.]
1. Loose; free; liberal; as, a solute interpretation. [Obs.] Bacon.
2. Relaxed; hence; merry; cheerful. [R.]
A brow solute, and ever-laughing eye.
Young. 3. Soluble; as, a solute salt. [Obs.]
4. (Bot.) Not adhering; loose; — opposed to adnate; as, a solute stipule.
Solute
(So*lute"), v. t.
1. To dissolve; to resolve. [Obs.]
2. To absolve; as, to solute sin. [Obs.] Bale.
Solution
(So*lu"tion) n. [OE. solucion, OF. solucion, F. solution, fr. L. solutio, fr. solvere, solutum,
to loosen, dissolve. See Solve.]
