1. Smelt (verb):
* To melt metal, especially ore, in order to extract the pure metal.
* To fuse or combine, especially by heat.
You would use "smelt" in this context when:
* You are discussing metallurgical processes like extracting iron from iron ore.
* You are describing the process of combining different materials by melting them together, like in glassmaking or jewelry making.
* You are using it metaphorically to describe a process of blending or fusing ideas or concepts.
2. Smelt (noun):
* A small, silvery fish that is commonly used as bait.
You would use "smelt" in this context when:
* You are talking about fishing or fishing gear.
* You are referring to the fish itself.
* You are discussing cooking and recipes that feature smelt.
Examples:
* Smelt: "The fishermen caught a bucket of smelt to use as bait."
* Smelt (verb): "They smelted the iron ore to produce steel."
* Smelt (verb): "The artist smelted the glass to create intricate sculptures."
Remember to check the context to determine which meaning of "smelt" is being used.