jel·ly
(jĕĺē)
[Middle English gelee, from Old French, from Vulgar Latin* gelāta, from Latin feminine past participle of gelāre, to freeze.]
noun: pl., -lies.
- A soft, semisolid food substance with a resilient consistency, made by the setting of a liquid containing pectin or gelatin or by the addition of gelatin to a liquid, especially such a substance made of fruit juice containing pectin boiled with sugar.
- Something, such as a petroleum ointment, having the consistency of a soft, semisolid food substance.
- A shapeless, pulpy mass: The hero's laser zapped the monster, turning it to jelly.
- Something, such as a body part, that has suddenly become limp or enervated: Her knees turned to jelly when she learned she won first prize.
- A jellyfish.
verb: -lied, -ly·ing, -lies.
transitive verb
- To cause to have the consistency of jelly.
intransitive verb
- To acquire the consistency of jelly. See synonyms at coagulate
