Lewis & Short

lĭquo, āvi, ātum, 1, v. a., to make liquid, to melt, dissolve, liquefy.

  1. I. Lit.: pila, Luc. 7, 159: vitrum, Plin. 36, 26, 66, § 194: lapis liquatur igni, id. 36, 8, 13, § 62: liquatum aes, id. 34, 13, 36, § 134: liquatae guttae, Cic. poët. Tusc. 2, 10, 25.
    1. B. Transf., to strain, filter, clarify: vina liques, Hor. C. 1, 11, 6: liquatum vinum, Plin. 15, 29, 37, § 124: liquatae aquae, id. 31, 3, 22, § 36: saccus, quo vinum liquatur, Col. 9, 15, 12: silicem rivo saliente, Manil. 5, 534: voces liquatae, i. e. clear voices, Auct. ap. Macr. S. 6, 3.
  2. * II. Trop., to make clear, simplify: quae (verba) cum sex et viginti natus annos summis audientium clamoribus dixerit, defervisse tempore et annis liquata jam senior idem fatetur, Quint. 12, 6, 4.