a. [ Compar. Mellower superl. Mellowest. ] [ OE. melwe; cf. AS. mearu soft, D. murw, Prov. G. mollig soft, D. malsch, and E. meal flour. ] [ 1913 Webster ] 1. Soft or tender by reason of ripeness; having a tender pulp; as, a mellow apple. [ 1913 Webster ] 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. [ 1913 Webster ] The tender flush whose mellow stain imbues Heaven with all freaks of light. Percival. [ 1913 Webster ] 3. Well matured; softened by years; genial; jovial. [ 1913 Webster ] May health return to mellow age. Wordsworth. [ 1913 Webster ] As merry and mellow an old bachelor as ever followed a hound. W. Irving. [ 1913 Webster ] 4. Warmed by liquor; slightly intoxicated. Addison. [ 1913 Webster ] |