4  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Volatile  \Vol"a*tile\,  a.  [F.  volatil,  L.  volatilis  fr  volare 
  to  fly,  perhaps  akin  to  velox  swift,  E.  velocity.  Cf 
  {Volley}.] 
  1.  Passing  through  the  air  on  wings,  or  by  the  buoyant  force 
  of  the  atmosphere;  flying;  having  the  power  to  fly.  [Obs.] 
 
  2.  Capable  of  wasting  away  or  of  easily  passing  into  the 
  a["e]riform  state;  subject  to  evaporation. 
 
  Note:  Substances  which  affect  the  smell  with  pungent  or 
  fragrant  odors,  as  musk,  hartshorn,  and  essential  oils, 
  are  called  volatile  substances,  because  they  waste  away 
  on  exposure  to  the  atmosphere.  Alcohol  and  ether  are 
  called  volatile  liquids  for  a  similar  reason,  and 
  because  they  easily  pass  into  the  state  of  vapor  on  the 
  application  of  heat.  On  the  contrary,  gold  is  a  fixed 
  substance,  because  it  does  not  suffer  waste,  even  when 
  exposed  to  the  heat  of  a  furnace;  and  oils  are  called 
  fixed  when  they  do  not  evaporate  on  simple  exposure  to 
  the  atmosphere. 
 
  3.  Fig.:  Light-hearted;  easily  affected  by  circumstances; 
  airy;  lively;  hence  changeable;  fickle;  as  a  volatile 
  temper. 
 
  You  are  as  giddy  and  volatile  as  ever.  --Swift. 
 
  {Volatile  alkali}.  (Old  Chem.)  See  under  {Alkali}. 
 
  {Volatile  liniment},  a  liniment  composed  of  sweet  oil  and 
  ammonia,  so  called  from  the  readiness  with  which  the 
  latter  evaporates. 
 
  {Volatile  oils}.  (Chem.)  See  {Essential  oils},  under 
  {Essential}. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Volatile  \Vol"a*tile\,  n.  [Cf.  F.  volatile.] 
  A  winged  animal;  wild  fowl;  game.  [Obs.]  --Chaucer.  --Sir  T. 
  Browne. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  volatile 
  adj  1:  (chemistry)  evaporating  readily  at  normal  temperatures  and 
  pressures;  "volatile  oils";  "volatile  solvents"  [ant: 
  {nonvolatile}] 
  2:  liable  to  lead  to  sudden  change  or  violence;  "an  explosive 
  issue";  "a  volatile  situation  with  troops  and  rioters 
  eager  for  a  confrontation"  [syn:  {explosive}] 
  3:  marked  by  erratic  changeableness  in  affections  or 
  attachments;  "fickle  friends";  "a  flirt's  volatile 
  affections"  [syn:  {fickle}] 
  4:  tending  to  vary  often  or  widely;  "volatile  stocks"; 
  "volatile  emotions" 
  n  :  a  volatile  substance;  a  substance  that  changes  readily  from 
  solid  or  liquid  to  a  vapor;  "it  was  heated  to  evaporate 
  the  volatiles" 
 
  From  The  Free  On-line  Dictionary  of  Computing  (13  Mar  01)  [foldoc]: 
 
  volatile 
 
  1.    {volatile  variable}. 
 
  2.    See  {non-volatile  storage}. 
 
  (1997-06-05) 
 
 

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