Lewis & Short

dissŏlūtĭo, ōnis, f. [dissolvo], a dissolving, destroying, breaking up, dissolution (good prose).

  1. I. Lit.: navigii, Tac. A. 14, 5: naturae (mors), Cic. Leg. 1, 11; id. Fin. 5, 11, 31; cf. id. ib. 2, 31: stomachi, i. e. looseness, Plin. 20, 22, 91, § 248.
  2. II. Trop.
    1. A. In gen., an abolishing, a destruction: legum omnium, Cic. Phil. 1, 9: imperii, Tac. A. 13, 50.
      Absol., ruin, Vulg. Isa. 8, 22.
    2. B. In partic.
      1. 1. A reply, refutation: criminum, Cic. Clu. 1, 3; cf. Auct. Her. 1, 3, 4.
      2. 2. (Acc. to dissolutus, A.) As rhet. t. t., want of connection, interruption: constructio verborum tum conjunctionibus copuletur, tum dissolutionibus relaxetur, Cic. Part. 6, 21; cf. Quint. 9, 3, 50; Auct. Her. 4, 30.
      3. 3. (Acc. to dissolutus, B.) Of character, looseness, i. e. weakness, effeminacy, frivolity; dissoluteness: si humanitas appellanda est in acerbissima injuria (sc. vindicanda) remissio animi ac dissolutio, Cic. Fam. 5, 2, 9; so, judiciorum, id. Verr. 2, 4, 59 fin.; Treb. Pol. XXX. Tyr. 23: dissolutio et languor, Sen. Ep. 3 fin.; cf. animorum, id. Cons. Sap. 4.