מָתַק (b. h.) 1) to be sweet, palatable. Ukts. III, 4 עד שיִמְתּוֹקוּ until they are made palatable (by pressing). Gen. R. s. 85 יִמְתַּק לכם may it be sweet to (well agree with) you, v. בָּסַם. —2) to partake with delight, smack, gnaw. Yalk. Job 910 (ref. to Job XXIV, 20) שמָתַק רמה מהם the worm gnawed at them with delight; Gen. R. s. 33 שמִיתְּקוּ רמה מהם (Pi.) the worms did &c.—Yalk. Prov. 962 סופו להיות מוֹתֵק עליו shall finally feed on him; ib. 961 מותח (corr. acc.).
Pi. - מִיתֵּק 1) to partake with delight, s. supra. —2) to sweeten, season. Tosef. Bets. III, 15 אין מְמַתְּקִין וכ׳ you must not (on the Holy Day) sweeten a mustard mixture by dipping a live coal into it; Sabb. 134ᵃ; Y. Bets. IV, 62ᶜ bot. Sabb. 90ᵃ למַתֵּק קדרה to season a dish. Ber. 5ᵃ מלח מְמַתֶּקֶת וכ׳ salt seasons the meat; a. fr.—Trnsf. to pacify. Y. Ab. Zar. II, 42ᵃ top והוא יודע למתק וכ׳ he knows how to calm the great Ocean. Y. Meg. III, 74ᵃ bot. (in a secret letter) תמר … ובקשנו למַתְּקָה וכ׳ Tamar still endures in her bitterness (hostility), and we attempted to sweeten her (by bribery), ‘but the melter has refined in vain’ (Jer. VI, 29). —3) to indulge. Yalk. Prov. 961 (ref. to Prov. XXIX, 21) כל מי שמְמַתֵּק וכ׳ he who indulges his passion in his youth (v. מָנוֹן).—Taan. 9ᵇ, v. infra.
Hif. - הִמְתִּיק to sweeten. Cant. R. to V, 16 (play on ממתקים, ib.) ה׳ להם וכ׳ he sweetened (softened) the word for them; Num. R. s. 10, beg.
Hithpa. - הִתְמַתֵּק to become sweet, to be quieted. Y. Ab. Zar. l. c. בשעה שהמים … מִתְמַתְּקִין when the waters praise their Creator, they grow calm. Gen. R. s. 13, a. e. מִתְמַתְּקִים הן בעבים (some ed. ממת׳, corr. acc.) the salt water becomes sweet in the clouds; Taan. 9ᵇ Ms. M. (ed. ממתקין, corr. acc.).