[co.a.lesce] vb co.a.lesced ; co.a.lesc.ing [L coalescere, fr. co- + alescere to grow--more at old] vi (ca. 1656) 1: to grow together
2. a: to unite into a whole: fuse "separate townships have coalesced into a single, sprawling colony --Donald Gould" b: to unite for a common end: join forces "people with different points of view ~ into opposing factions --I. L. Horowitz"
3: to arise from the combination of distinct elements "an organized and a popular resistance immediately coalesced --C. C. Menges" ~ vt: to cause to unite "sometimes a book ~s a public into a mass market --Walter Meade" syn see mix -- co.a.les.cence n -- co.a.les.cent adj