solve

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solve

/sɒlv/ Northern England, UK
/sɒlv/ British, Southern, Standard
[sɔɫv] ~(l-vocalization)[sɔʊ̯v] British, Southern, Standard
/sɔlv/ Scotland, UK
/sɑlv/ US
/sɔlv/ US, rare
/sɑlv/ US, cot caught merger
/sɒlv/ Canada
/sɔlv/ Australia
[sɔɫv] ~(l-vocalization)[sɔʊ̯v] Australia
/sɒlv/ New Zealand
[sɔ̟ɫv] ~ [sɞ̠ɫv] ~(l-vocalization)[sɔ̟ʊ̯v] ~ [sɞ̠ɫv] New Zealand

Rhymes with -ɒlv

Where it comes from

From Middle English solven, from Latin solvō.

verb solves · solving · solved

To find an answer or solution to a problem or question; to work out. True piety would effectually solve such scruples.
Similar: decipher, resolve, unriddle
to find out the perpetrator, the motive etc (of crime) to solve a murder to solve a crime
To find the values of variables that satisfy a system of equations and/or inequalities.
To algebraically manipulate an equation or inequality into a form that isolates a chosen variable on one side, so that the other side consists of an expression that may be used to generate solutions.
transitive To loosen or separate the parts of.
archaic, transitive To dissolve

noun solves

archaic A solution; an explanation. Today's cryptic crossword was an easy solve.

Thesaurus

Closest in meaning: resolve, puzzle out, figure out, work, lick, elucidate, resolving, answer, respond, decide, adjust, bring, remedy, remediate, counter, cure

verb

Translations

Every language

verb to find an answer or solution

Español	solucionar, solventar, solver
한국어	해결하다 haegyeolhada
日本語	解決する kaiketsu suru
中文	解決 /解决 jiějué
हिन्दी	सुलझाना suljhānā, हल करना hal karnā
Português	resolver, solucionar
Français	résoudre, régler, solutionner
Deutsch	lösen
Italiano	risolvere
Ελληνικά	λύνω lýno
Română	rezolva, soluționa, lămuri
Русский	реша́ть rešátʹ, реши́ть rešítʹ
Tiếng Việt	giải quyết
العربية	ذَابَ ḏāba, حَلَّ ḥalla
עברית	פָּתַר patár

verb to find out the perpetrator

Deutsch	aufklären, klären
Русский	раскрыть raskrytʹ

verb to use a mathematical process or operation

Deutsch	lösen
עברית	פָּתַר patár

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Cite this

MLA

"solve." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/solve. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

APA

solve. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/solve

Chicago

"solve." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/solve.

BibTeX

@misc{solve_2026,
  title = {solve},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/solve},
  urldate = {2026-11-06}
}