Hypertext Webster Gateway: "mercurial"
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) 1.7 (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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