Dictionary

crystallise en · VERB

Etymology

From crystal + -ise.

Meanings

1. (UK, alt-of, nonstandard) Non-Oxford British English standard spelling of crystallize.
   alt of crystallize
   • By the pathside, there are occasional large boulders that shown black crystals the size of a fingernail; these are pyroxene minerals that had time to crystallise out deep within the chamber of liquid rock – or magma – beneath the volcano. 2004, Richard Fortey, The Earth, Folio Society, published 2011, page 10:
   • The pre-match mantra from the Scotland camp may have been of it not being a “must win” game but that fooled no-one, Poland’s win in Georgia earlier last night simply crystallised how vital it was for the Scots not to lose any more ground at this stage of an intensely competitive campaign. 2014 November 14, Stephen Halliday, “Scotland 1-0 Republic of Ireland: Maloney the hero”, in The Scotsman:
   • formed from durene and durylic acid by prolonged boiling with dilute nitric acid, crystallises in long transparent prisms, and sublimes at a high temperature. 1886, Henry Watts, George Fownes, Sir William Augustus Tilden, Watts Manual of Chemistry, page 567:
   • As the time for the excursion drew near, details crystallised. 1961 December 14, M. J. Wilson, “Special train to Blackpool”, in Trains Illustrated, page 755:
   • In the wake of the Intelligence and Security Committee report on Russia last year, will the Lord President confirm that no British political party should be taking cash from suspicious fortunes made in Russia and Uzbekistan? Can we have a debate in Government time as soon as possible to crystallise a cross-party consensus on this critical topic? 2021 November 18, Liam Byrne, “Business of the House”, in parliamentary debates (House of Commons), volume 703, column 765:
   • Opinion within his organisation had been changing and crystallising rapidly and the situation had altered within the past few months. 1962 December 14, “Dr. Beeching previews the plan for British Railways”, in Modern Railways, page 376:

Forms

Deriveds

recrystallise · non-crystallising · crystalliser · uncrystallise · crystallisability