In physics, to liquefy (sometimes spelled liquify) means to turn something into the liquid state.
Liquification can be a change from a gas to a liquid through condensation, usually by cooling, or a change from a solid to a liquid through melting, usually by heating or by grinding and blending with another liquid to induce dissolution. Earthquakes can also cause liquefaction (see: Earthquake liquefaction) where loosely packed, water-logged sediments come loose from the intense shaking of the earthquake.
Liquification is referred to in physics, chemistry, and genetic engineering to the process of condensing a gas into a liquid, while in geology, it refers to the process by which saturated, unconsolidated sediments are transformed into a substance that acts like a liquid. In the energy industry, both liquification and occasionally liquefication refer to reforming coal or gas into a liquid form that is economical to transport and use as fuel.
Liquefy can mean to turn hard assets into cash. This is a term used in private equity (nee LBOs).
