Keeps dissolving in tears (7)
I believe the answer is:
retains
'keeps' is the definition.
('retain' can be a synonym of 'keep')
'dissolving in tears' is the wordplay.
'dissolving' indicates anagramming the letters.
'in'+'tears'='intears'
'intears' is an anagram of 'RETAINS'.
(Another definition for retains that I've seen is " Holds back, keeps".)
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