mercurial
/mɝˈkjʊ.ɹi.əl/
Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.82 in modern English
Meaning
noun
Any of the plants known as mercury, especially the annual mercury or French mercury (Mercurialis annua).
Obsolete
noun
A person born under the influence of the planet Mercury; hence, a person having an eloquent, quickwitted, furtive, or volatile character.
noun
noun
A preparation of mercury, especially as a treatment for syphilis.
adj
Having a lively or volatile character; animated, changeable, quick-witted.
adj
Pertaining to the astrological influence of the planet Mercury; having the characteristics of a person under such influence (see adjective sense 1).
adj
Pertaining to the planet Mercury.
adj
Of or pertaining to the element mercury or quicksilver; containing mercury.
Example Sentences
- "As for [Lambert] Simnell, there was not much in him, more then that hee was a handſome Boy, and did not ſhame his Robes. But this Youth (of whom wee are now to ſpeake) was ſuch a Mercuriall, as the like hath ſeldome beene knowne; and could make his owne part, if at any time hee chanced to bee out."
- "She had paſſed through the milder Remedies frequently without ſucceſs: upon which account I deſigned Mercurialls; and beginning with Venæſection, afterwards purged her with decoct. epithymi, as it is preſcribed in the method of Cure. [...] After I had thus evacuated the Plethora, and diſpoſed her body for Mercurialls more operative, I gave her each morning and evening a few grains of Mercur. diaphoret. in a bolus with conſ. lujule and Mithridate, [...]"
- "[A] small dose of the mercurial may cause excessive salivation; and, if this discharge be attended by much soreness of throat, it is most difficult to determine whether the salivation is actually the result of the mercurial, or merely symptomatic of the sore throat and cold. If it proceed from the mercurial, there will generally be some tenderness of the gums, a soft and flabby state of the sides of the tongue, and it will generally be more obstinate."
- "his mercurial temperament"
- "[Y]our Mercuriall wit hath mangonized a Gigantean fury with an humble hue."
- "When the ſoule bringeth its fire deſire out of its owne ſelfe-will into the Love-deſire of God; and goeth out of its owne ſelfneſſe, and ſinketh into the mercy and compaſſion of God, and caſteth it ſelfe into the death of Chriſt; and willeth no longer the fire-ſource, but deſireth in its fire-life to be dead in the death of Chriſt; then the poyſon of the Mercuriall life dyeth in the will of iniquity, and there ariſeth a new twigge, and budding of love-deſire."
Etymology
Origin
Word Breakdown
- Root: mercurial, mercuriālis
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /mɝˈkjʊ.ɹi.əl/
- British English: /məːˈkjʊə.ɹɪ.əl/