melt down

fundir

Calentar un objeto, especialmente de metal o vidrio, hasta volverlo líquido, normalmente para fabricar algo nuevo.

En inglés sencillo: To heat something, especially metal or glass, until it becomes liquid, often to make something new.

• They melted down the old gold.
• This factory melts down glass bottles for reuse.
• Can we melt these broken silver pieces down?

Cómo se usa: melt something down (They melted the old coins down to make new ones.); melt down something (The factory melts down scrap metal.)

Sinónimos: melt, liquefy

Expresiones frecuentes: melt down metal, melt down coins, melt down glass

derrumbarse, colapsar

Perder el control de las emociones o dejar de funcionar por completo bajo presión.

En inglés sencillo: To lose control of your feelings, or fail completely under pressure.

• The child melted down after lunch.
• She nearly melted down under the pressure of the exams.
• The whole payment system melted down during the holiday rush.

Sinónimos: break down, collapse

Expresiones frecuentes: melt down emotionally, melt down completely

fundirse

Calentarse tanto que las partes sólidas se vuelven líquidas y pierden su forma, especialmente dentro de un reactor nuclear.

En inglés sencillo: To become so hot that solid parts turn liquid and lose their shape, especially inside a nuclear reactor.

• The reactor core melted down.
• Without cooling, the fuel could melt down.
• Investigators explained why the damaged reactor had melted down.

Sinónimos: melt

Expresiones frecuentes: melt down completely, melt down suddenly