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mercurial |
3 definitions found From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Mercurial \Mer*cu"ri*al\, n. 1. A person having mercurial qualities. --Bacon. 2. (Med.) A preparation containing mercury. From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Mercurial \Mer*cu"ri*al\, a. [L. mercurialis, fr Mercurius Mercury: cf F. mercuriel.] 1. Having the qualities fabled to belong to the god Mercury; swift; active; sprightly; fickle; volatile; changeable; as a mercurial youth; a mercurial temperament. A mercurial man Who fluttered over all things like a fan. --Byron. 2. Having the form or image of Mercury; -- applied to ancient guideposts. [Obs.] --Chillingworth. 3. Of or pertaining to Mercury as the god of trade hence money-making; crafty. The mercurial wand of commerce. --J. Q. Adams. 4. Of or pertaining to or containing, mercury; as mercurial preparations, barometer. See {Mercury}, 2. 5. (Med.) Caused by the use of mercury; as mercurial sore mouth. From WordNet r 1.6 [wn]: mercurial adj 1: liable to sudden unpredictable change; "erratic behavior"; "fickle weather"; "mercurial twists of temperament"; "a quicksilver character, cool and willful at one moment, utterly fragile the next" [syn: {erratic}, {fickle}, {quicksilver(a)}] 2: relating to or under the (astrological) influence of the planet Mercury; "the Mercurial canals" [syn: {Mercurial}] 3: relating to or having characteristics (eloquence, shrewdness, swiftness, thievishness) attributed to the god Mercury; "more than Mercurial thievishness" [syn: {Mercurial}] 4: relating to or containing or caused by mercury; "mercurial preparations"; "mercurial sore mouth"
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