early 15c., transitive, "to turn to liquid, dissolve, melt," from Old French liquefier "liquefy, dissolve" (12c., Modern French liquéfier), from Latin liquefacere "make liquid, melt, dissolve," from liquere "be fluid" (see liquid (adj.)) + facere "to make" (from PIE root *dhe- "to set, put").

1756, in chemistry, "melt or dissolve gradually, become liquid by absorbing moisture from the air," from Latin deliquescere "to melt away," from de- (see de-) + liquescere "to melt," from liquere "to be liquid" (see liquid (adj.)). Transferred or figurative meaning "to melt away" is by 1858.

"sweetened, flavored alcoholic liquor," 1729, from French liqueur "liquor, liquid," from Old French licor "liquid." See liquor, which is the same word but borrowed earlier.

1590s, "mystically absorbed," from Greek ekstatikos "unstable, inclined to depart from," from ekstasis (see ecstasy). Meaning "characterized by or subject to intense emotions" is from 1660s, now usually pleasurable ones, but not originally always so. Related: Ecstatical; ecstatically.

c. 1400, "mudhole, puddle," probably from Old English -sloppe "dung" (in plant name cusloppe, literally "cow dung"), related to slyppe "slime" (from PIE root *sleubh- "to slide, slip").

The meaning "semi-liquid food" is by 1650s; that of "refuse liquid of any kind, household liquid waste" (usually slops) is from 1815. The meaning "affected or sentimental material" is by 1866.

c. 1200, likur "any matter in a liquid state, a liquid or fluid substance," from Old French licor "fluid, liquid; sap; oil" (12c., Modern French liqueur), from Latin liquorem (nominative liquor) "a liquid, liquor; wine; the sea," originally "liquidity, fluidity," from liquere "be fluid, liquid" (see liquid (adj.)).

Narrowed sense of "fermented or distilled drink" (especially wine) first recorded c. 1300; the broader sense seems to have been obsolete from c. 1700. As long as liquor is in him was a Middle English expression, "as long as he is alive," that is, "as long as he has a drop of blood left." The form in Modern English has been assimilated to Latin, but the old pronunciation persists.

1570s, of accounts, "to reduce to order, to set out clearly" (a sense now obsolete), from Late Latin or Medieval Latin liquidatus, past participle of liquidare "to melt, make liquid, make clear, clarify," from Latin liquidus "fluid, liquid, moist" (see liquid (adj.)). Sense of "clear away" (a debt) first recorded 1755. The meaning "wipe out, kill" is from 1924, possibly from Russian likvidirovat, ultimately from the Latin word. Related: Liquidated; liquidating.

1650s, "liquid used in gargling," from gargle (v.).

"liquid kitchen refuse fed to pigs," 1550s, from swill (v.).

"ship for carrying oil or other liquid cargo," 1900, from tank (n.).