Standard Lemma guide
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
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adj
Soft or tender by reason of ripeness; having a tender pulp.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: also, figuratively
Synonyms: mellowy, cushiony, flabby, flaccid, flexible, soft, spongy, mellow, malleable, moldable, pliable, tender, yielding, zate
Antonyms: none provided
adj
Matured and smooth, and not acidic, harsh, or sharp.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: also, figuratively
Qualifier: or its flavour
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
adj
Soft and easily penetrated or worked; not hard or rigid; loamy.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: yielding
Antonyms: none provided
adj
Mature; of crops: ready to be harvested; ripe.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: poetic, usually
Qualifier: seeds; plants; seeds; plants
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
adj
Fruitful and warm.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: poetic
Qualifier: or the climate or weather
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: mellowy
Antonyms: none provided
adj
Not coarse, brash, harsh, or rough; delicate, rich, soft, subdued.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: figuratively, usually
Qualifier: sound; style; sound; style
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: mellowy
Antonyms: none provided
adj
Senses relating to a person or their qualities.
Well-matured from age or experience; not impetuous or impulsive; calm, dignified, gentle.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: figuratively
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: grounded, sanguine, calm, steady, collected, composed, cool-headed, equable, equanimous, equanimitable, even-keeled, even-minded, even-tempered, imperturbable, laid-back, level-headed, mellow, pacate, pacific, peaceable, peaceful, phlegmatic, placid, quiescent, quiet, relaxed, roolie, sedate, serene, still, tranquil, unexcited, unfazed, unflappable, unflustered, unperturbable, unruffable, unruffled, untumultuous
Antonyms: none provided
adj
Senses relating to a person or their qualities.
Cheerful, genial, jovial, merry; also, easygoing, laid-back, calm, relaxed.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: figuratively
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: convivial, gay, berserk, blissed out, blithe, buoyant, chirpy, blithesome, bonnie, bright, cheerful, cheerly, cheery, chuffed, cock-a-hoop, content, contented, delighted, ebullient, ecstatic, elated, enthusiastic, euphoric, excited, exhilarated, exuberant, exultant, fat and happy, gassed, gayful, giddy, glad, gladsome, gleeful, gleesome, happy, hearty, hyped, high on life, jovial, joyful, joyous, merry, mirthsome, on cloud nine, overjoyed, overjoyous, over the moon, pacific, perky, placated, pleased, satisfied, stoked, thrilled, tickled pink, triumphant, vivacious, wealful, happy as a clam, happy as a clam at high water, happy as a lark, happy as a pig in mud, happy as a pig in shit, happy as a prince, happy as Larry, happy as the day is long, merry as a cricket, merry as a grig, casual, easy-breezy, airy, at ease, at peace, carefree, careless, chill, cool, devil-may-care, easygoing, happy-go-lucky, indifferent, insouciant, laid-back, leisurely, lighthearted, loose, mellow, nonchalant, pococurante, relaxed, serene, solute, tranquil, unanxious, unbothered, unconcerned, undisturbed, unruffled, untroubled, unworried, wanton
Antonyms: none provided
adj
Senses relating to a person or their qualities.
Drunk, intoxicated; especially slightly or pleasantly so, or to an extent that makes one cheerful and friendly.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: figuratively
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: mellowish, Adrian Quist, adrip, aled up, all mops and brooms, arseholed, a sheet in the wind, a sheet in the wind's eye, bedrunken, befuddled, beliquored, besotted, besotten, bevvied, bibacious, bibulous, binned, bingoed, bladdered, blasted, blewed, blind, blind drunk, blitzed, blocked, blootered, blottoed, blue, bollocksed, bombed, boozy, bosky, bottled, Brahms, Brahms and Liszt, budgy, bungalowed, bungfu, burlin', canned, clobbered, corned, cocked, cockeyed, crapulous, crocked, cunted, cup-shot, cup-shotten, cut, dead drunk, destroyed, disguised, drunk, drunk as a piper, drunked up, drunken, ebriated, ebriose, elephant's, elephant's trunk, elevated, faced, fap, fershnickered, flooey, floored, flush, flushed, flustered, fluted, fluthered, feeling no pain, fou, four sheets in the wind, fresh, fried, frosted, fuckered up, fuckfaced, fuddled, full, fuzzy-headed, fuzzy-minded, gassed, gattered, gee-eyed, gesuip, ginned, gished, glorious, groggified, groggy, half polluted, half cut, half lit, half seas over, hammered, have drink taken, have the sun in one's eyes, hazed, high as a Georgia pine, high as a kite, high, hog-whimpering, honkers, hooched up, hooted, hoovered, hosed, how came you so, impaired, in liquor, in one's altitudes, in one's cups, in the bag, in the drink, inebriate, inebriated, inebrious, insober, insobrietous, inter pocula, jaked, jarred, juiced, juiced up, kaylied, kettled, kisky, lamped, langered, langers, larruped, lash, lashed, lathered, legless, liquored up, liquory, lit, loaded, looped, loopy, loose, lubed, lubed up, lubricated, lushed, mabok, mad with it, maggot, maggoted, mashed, maudlin, medicated, messed up, monged, mortal, mortalled, Mozart and Liszt, muddled, muggy, mullered, munted, muzzy, MWI, nappy, newted, nimptopsical, obfuscated, obliviated, off one's box, off one's head, off one's tits, oiled, oiled up, Oliver, Oliver Twist, on the ran tan, ossified, out of it, out of one's box, out of one's face, out of one's head, out of sight, overcome, overrefreshed, overtaken, paralytic, parlatic, pickled, pie-eyed, pixilated, plastered, ploughed, plowed, polluted, potshot, potted, pounded, primed, puggled, quisby, raddled, ratfaced, razzled, ripe, ripped, rolling, rubbered, sauced, sauced up, scammered, schloshed, schnockered, screwed, scuttered, sewed up, shedded, shellacked, shicker, shickered, shitty, skunked, slammed, slarmied, slizzard, sloppy drunk, sloshed, smashed, snockered, snookered, snozzled, snuffy, soaken, sodden, soshed, sotted, sottish, souped-up, soused, sozzled, sozzly, spanceled, spannered, spiffed, splashed, spongy, sprung, squiffed, steamboats, stewed, stinking, stinko, stoated, stoned, stonkered, stotious, strut, swacked, tanked, tanked up, temulent, temulentive, three sheets in the wind, three sheets to the wind, throwed, tight as a tick, tight, tilted, tippled, tipsy, tired and emotional, toasted, top-heavy, top-heavy with drink, toping, trashed, tuned, twatfaced, twisted, wastey, wazzed, wazzocked, well-oiled, wellied, wet, whittled, withered, wobbly, woozy, worse for liquor, worse for wear, wrecked, zoned, zonked, zooted, zorched, zotzed
Antonyms: none provided
adj
Senses relating to a person or their qualities.
Pleasantly high or stoned, and relaxed after taking drugs; also, of drugs: slightly intoxicating and tending to produce such effects.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: US, figuratively, slang
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: baked, blazed, blitzed, blown, chemically impaired, chopped, cut, drugged, drugged-out, fuckered up, fried, gassed, geeked, high, high as a kite, hepped up, hopped up, monged, munted, trolleyed, toasted, lifted, lit, off one's box, out of one's box, reefed, spaced-out, stoned, up there, wasted, whacked, zooted, zorched
Antonyms: none provided
adj
Pleasing in some way; excellent, fantastic, great.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: slang
Qualifier: chiefly African-American Vernacular
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
name
A surname.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
The property of being mellow; mellowness.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: US, informal
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
A comfortable or relaxed mood.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: US, informal, specifically
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Also main mellow: a close friend or lover.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: US, informal
Qualifier: African-American Vernacular
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
To cause (fruit) to become soft or tender, specifically by ripening.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: US, informal, transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
To cause (food or drink, for example, cheese or wine, or its flavour) to become matured and smooth, and not acidic, harsh, or sharp.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: US, informal, transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
To soften (land or soil) and make it suitable for planting in.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: US, informal, regional, transitive
Qualifier: archaic except UK
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
To reduce or remove the harshness or roughness from (something); to soften, to subdue, to tone down.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: US, figuratively, informal, transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
To cause (a person) to become calmer, gentler, and more understanding, particularly from age or experience.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: US, figuratively, informal, transitive
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
To cause (a person) to become slightly or pleasantly drunk or intoxicated.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: US, figuratively, informal, transitive
Qualifier: chiefly passive voice
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Followed by out: to relax (a person); in particular, to cause (a person) to become pleasantly high or stoned by taking drugs.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: US, also, figuratively, informal, reflexive, transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
To mature and lose its harshness or sharpness.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: US, informal, intransitive
Qualifier: or its flavour
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
To be rendered soft and suitable for planting in.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: US, informal, intransitive, regional
Qualifier: archaic except UK
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
To lose harshness; to become gentler, subdued, or toned down.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: US, figuratively, informal, intransitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
To relax; in particular, to become pleasantly high or stoned by taking drugs.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: US, figuratively, informal, intransitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
adjective satellite
slightly and pleasantly intoxicated from alcohol or a drug (especially marijuana)
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: high
Antonyms: none provided
adjective satellite
having attained to kindliness or gentleness through age and experience
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Synonyms: mellowed
Antonyms: none provided
adjective satellite
having a full and pleasing flavor through proper aging
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Synonyms: mellowed
Antonyms: none provided
adjective satellite
unhurried and relaxed
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Synonyms: laid-back
Antonyms: none provided
adverb
(obsolete) in a mellow manner
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: mellowly
Antonyms: none provided
verb
make or grow (more) mellow
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: soften
verb
become more relaxed, easygoing, or genial
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Synonyms: melt, mellow out
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: change
verb
soften, make mellow
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: soften
History
The adjective is derived from Late Middle English melowe, melwe (“ripe, mellow; juicy; sweet”) [and other forms]; further etymology uncertain, possibly: * from an attributive use of melow, melowe, melewe, mele (“meal from ground grain or legumes; flour; kernel of barley or lentils”) [and other forms], from Old English melo, melu (“meal (edible part of a grain or pulse); flour”), from Proto-Germanic *melwą (“ground corn; meal; flour”), from Proto-Indo-European *melh2- (“to crush; to grind”); or * a variant of Middle English merow, merowe, meruw (“soft, tender; of a person: frail; of love: unstable, variable”) [and other forms], from Old English meru, mearu (“soft, tender; delicate, frail; callow”) [and other forms], from Proto-Germanic *marwaz (“soft, mellow; brittle, delicate”), from Proto-Indo-European *mer(w)- (“to rub; to pack”). The noun and verb are both derived from the adjective. The etymology of noun sense 3 (“close friend; lover”) is unknown, but may also be derived from the adjective. Cognates * Dutch murw (“tender”) * German mürbe (“soft, tender”) * German Low German möör (“tender”) * Old Norse mör (“tender; aching”) (Icelandic meyr (“tender”)) * Saterland Frisian muur (“tender”) * West Frisian murf (“tender”)
Perhaps a variant of Mellor.
Across languages
48 source translations are retained for this English entry.
