| 释义 |
volatility|vɒləˈtɪlɪtɪ|
[ad. mod.L. volatilitas, f. L. volātilis volatile a. Cf. F. volatilité (1641), It. volatilità, Sp. volatilidad, Pg. -idade.]
The quality, state, or condition of being volatile, in various senses.
1. Readiness to vaporize or evaporate, tendency to be readily diffused or dissipated in the atmosphere, especially at ordinary temperatures.
1626Bacon Sylva §294 Heat causeth the Spirits to search some Issue out of the Body, as in the Volatility of Metals. 1657G. Starkey Helmont's Vind. 311 Essentiall or distilled Oyls,..by reason of their volatility, not abiding decoction, are with difficulty made into a Sapo. 1684–5Boyle Min. Waters 29 Of the fixity or volatility of the Saline part in strong fires. 1718Quincy Compl. Disp. 7 By Spirit is understood the most fine and subtile Parts of Bodies, which is discoverable by its Volatility and Quickness to the Smell and Taste. 1757Phil. Trans. L. 427 From one or more of which principles, I apprehend, the volatility or fixity of all minerals..takes its origin. 1800tr. Lagrange's Chem. II. 45 Ammonia warm has less action on zinc, on account, no doubt, of its volatility. 1857Miller Elem. Chem., Org. iii. 157 From its great volatility..it [sc. ether] is frequently employed for producing cold artificially. 1880MacCormac Antiseptic Surgery 103 The volatility of the acid renders any but recently prepared gauze untrustworthy.
2. Tendency to lightness, levity, or flightiness; lack of steadiness or seriousness.
1655Fuller Ch. Hist. xi. ii. §33 Those [recreations], which..must needs be preacted by the fancy (such the volatility thereof) all the day before. a1700Ken Edmund Poet. Wks. 1721 II. 78 Consideration..Fixes the Volatility of Thought, Till to itself the wandring Soul is brought. 1759Johnson Rasselas xvi, Such sprightliness of air and volatility of fancy as might have suited beings of a higher order. 1792A. Young Trav. France 279 Volatility and changeableness are attributed to the French as national characteristicks. 1811Shelley in Hogg Life (1858) I. 379 Volatility of character evinces no capabilities for great affections. 1870Emerson Soc. & Solit. viii. 171 The imagination infuses a certain volatility and intoxication. 1871Mozley Univ. Serm. vi. 132 The inner life of man is a struggle with volatility and disorder.
3. Adaptability for flight. Also fig.
1722Wollaston Relig. Nat. ix. (1724) 212 [The soul must] be capable of mounting upwards, in proportion to the volatility of its vehicle. 1841Syd. Smith in Lady Holland Mem. (1855) I. 125 The volatility of the butterfly.
4. Capacity for ready or rapid movement. rare—1.
1797Monthly Mag. III. 226 Musical pretensions..are so much more calculated to promote unmeaning volatility of finger, than grace, taste, or expression.
5. Computers. The property of a memory of not retaining data after the power supply is cut off.
1969IEEE Trans. Magnetics V. 583/1 Progress in the overall field of semiconductor memories to date is surveyed... The problems of power, reliability, and volatility are yielding to practical solutions. 1981Appl. Solid State Sci. Suppl. ii. a. 122 Many investigations into lessening the impact of the volatility of the semiconductor memory have been made.
Hence volaˈtilityship [-ship 3 b], used to designate a volatile person. rare.
1771P. Parsons Newmarket II. 134, I repeat my wishes that this may come to the hands of your volatilityship. |