MELLOW

mellow. Mellow, v. to soften, grow soft, ripen, mature

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Mel″low (?), a. [Compar. Mellower (?); superl. Mellowest.] [[OE. melwe; cf. AS. mearu soft, D. murw, Prov. G. mollig soft, D. malsch, and E. meal flour.]] 1. 1. Soft or tender by reason of ripeness; having a tender pulp; as, a mellow apple.
2. 2. Hence: (a) Easily worked or penetrated; not hard or rigid; as, a mellow soil. “Mellow glebe.” Drayton (b) Not coarse, rough, or harsh; subdued; soft; rich; delicate; — said of sound, color, flavor, style, etc. “The mellow horn.” Wordsworth. “The mellow-tasted Burgundy.” Thomson.
The tender flush whose mellow stain imbues Heaven with all freaks of light. Percival. 3. 3. Well matured; softened by years; genial; jovial.
May health return to mellow age. Wordsworth. As merry and mellow an old bachelor as ever followed a hound. W. Irving. 4. 4. Warmed by liquor; slightly intoxicated. Addison.