volatilen.adj.
/ˈvɒlətʌɪl/, U.S. /ˈvɑlədl/ A. n.† 1. collective. Birds, esp. wildfowl. Obsolete. (So Old French volatil.)
ΘΚΠ
the world > animals > birds > [noun] > collective
fowl-kinc1000
volentinec1380
volatile1382
fowl1866
bird folk1878
the world > animals > birds > wild or domestic birds > [noun] > wild-fowl > collective
wildfowla1000
volatile1382
1382 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) Gen. vii. 14 Al that moueth vpon the erthe in his kynde, and al volatile after his kynde.
a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) l. 6386 Volatil sent þaim þat king.
a1400 Coer de L. 4225 Off..Partryhches, plovers, and heroun, Off larkes, and smale volatyle.
a1400–50 Alexander 4637 Of all þe frutis on þe fold we fange at oure will, Bath venyson & volatile & variand fisches.
c1475 Promptorium Parvulorum 512/1 (K.) Volatile, wyld fowle,..volatile.
?1553 (c1501) G. Douglas Palice of Honour (London) iii. l. 1422 in Shorter Poems (1967) 90 Till noy the small the grete bestis had na will, Nor rauanus fowlys the littill volatill.
1572 in J. Cranstoun Satirical Poems Reformation (1891) I. xxxviii. 36 As the fals fowler..Deuoiris the pure volatill he wylis to the net.
a1660 Aphorismical Discov. in J. T. Gilbert Contemp. Hist. Ireland (1879) I. 164 Espiing that greate mortalitie not yett interred, disfigured by volatle and other wilde beastes.
2. A winged creature; a bird, butterfly, or the like; a fowl. Usually in plural.
ΘΚΠ
the world > animals > animal body > general parts > body and limbs > [noun] > wing > winged creature
volatilea1325
fowla1382
pinionist1613
volatica1643
a1325 Prose Psalter lxxvii. 31 [lxxviii. 27] He rained vp hem pudre, flesshes, and volatils feþered as grauel of þe se.
c1384 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Douce 369(2)) (1850) Matt. xxii. 4 I haue made redy my mete, my boles and volatilis ben slayn.
1398 J. Trevisa tr. Bartholomew de Glanville De Proprietatibus Rerum (Bodl.) xii. v Alle oþer volatiles bringeþ forþe burþe vnneþe in a ȝeere.
1632 Guillim's Display of Heraldrie (ed. 2) iii. xxi. 234 No lesse than other Volatiles or flying Animals.
1651 N. Biggs Matæotechnia Medicinæ Praxeωs ⁋294 Nor is a volatile contrary to a Reptile.
1666 J. Davies tr. C. de Rochefort Hist. Caribby-Islands 230 As to the Volatiles of this Country, there are Turkeys, Pintadoes, Parrots, Woodquists.
1717 Philos. Trans. 1714–16 (Royal Soc.) 29 530 That the Tongue of this Volatile was much commended..will appear from the following Quotations.
1750 G. Hughes Nat. Hist. Barbados 61 By Animals I would be understood to mean..such only as are generally termed Quadrupeds, Volatiles, and Insects.
1819 H. Busk Vestriad ii. 390 From that first ball where Orpheus, first of lutes, Drew reptiles, volatiles, pantiles, and brutes.
c1876 R. F. Burton in I. Burton Life R. F. Burton (1893) I. iii. 40 A dove not being procurable, its place was supplied by a turkey-cock, and the awful gabbling of the ill-behaved volatile caused much more merriment than was decorous.
3. A volatile matter or substance.
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > gas > becoming or making into gas > [noun] > becoming or making into vapour > ability to become vapour > volatility > volatile matter
subtiliatea1400
flyer1471
volatile1698
1698 W. Harris & J. Keill tr. N. Lémery Course Chym. (ed. 3) i. xvii. 408 These volatiles ought to be taken always in some cold liquor, and not in hot broth.
1709 T. Robinson Vindic. Mosaick Syst. 16 in Ess. Nat. Hist. Westmorland & Cumberland The Earth..was only a confus'd Mass of Matter, consisting of Solids, Fluids, and Volatiles, all jumbled together.
1749 D. Hartley Observ. Man i. ii. §7. 248 Applying Volatiles to the Nose.
1782 E. Gray in Med. Communications 1 33 Volatiles..which had been given..in order to encourage perspiration.
1810 S. Green Reformist II. 2 The excessive heat of the place..rendered the use of volatiles..requisite to the delicate fair ones who composed this religious group.
1840 L. Hunt Legend of Florence ii. ii Applying a volatile to her temples.
1883 Times 6 June 5/2 The machine is fitted with a volatile the fumes of which cause instantaneous death.
B. adj.† 1. Of meal: So fine or light as readily to fly about. Obsolete.† 6. Of the air: Light; not oppressive. Obsolete. rare.
ΘΚΠ
the world > food and drink > food > meal > [adjective] > fine
volatile1598
1598 A. M. tr. J. Guillemeau Frenche Chirurg. 46/2 An astringent Plaster, made of Bolus, flower, or volatill meale, of whytes of Egges [etc.].
1599 A. M. tr. O. Gaebelkhover Bk. Physicke 54/1 Sift them till they resemble volatile meale.
2. in extended use.1796 H. Hunter tr. J.-H. B. de Saint-Pierre Stud. Nature (1799) II. 135 The seeds of the largest mountain-trees are no less volatile. That of the maple has two membranous pinions similar to the wings of a fly.1812 J. Cutler Topogr. Descr. Ohio 81 The cotton wood tree..has been supposed to be the same as the lombardy poplar, but..differs, at least, in the very large quantity of volatile, capillary pappus attached to the seeds.
a. Flying, capable of flying, volant.
ΘΚΠ
the world > movement > progressive motion > moving with current of air or water > motion in the air > [adjective] > flying (as) with wings > capable of flight
volative1613
volatile1626
volant1655
1626 F. Bacon Sylua Syluarum §728 The Catterpiller toward the End of Summer waxeth Volatile, and turneth to a Butterflie, or perhaps some other Fly.
1653 H. Cogan tr. Diodorus Siculus Hist. 94 It produceth likewise all kinde of creatures both terrestrial and volatile, greater and stronger then other regions.
a1676 M. Hale Primitive Originat. Mankind (1677) iv. ii. 304 The production of Animals aquatil and volatil preceded the production of terrestrial Animals.
1719 J. T. Philipps tr. B. Ziegenbalg Thirty-four Confer. 308 Their Souls will be re-committed into Bodies two-footed, four-footed, or volatile.
1786 S. Henley tr. W. Beckford Arabian Tale 113 One of those beautiful blue butterflies of Cachemire, which are, at once, so volatile and rare.
1825 in W. Hone Every-day Bk. (1826) I. 292 Pheasants by all that's volatile!
1865 Athenæum 21 Oct. 535/1 Conveyed by some volatile insect.
b. Moving or flitting from one place to another, esp. with some degree of rapidity.
ΘΚΠ
the world > movement > motion in a certain direction > [adjective] > moving hither and thither
fugitive1481
discursive1626
volatile1654
various1725
pillar-to-post1886
the world > movement > motion in specific manner > irregular movement or agitation > unsteady movement > [adjective]
waveringc1540
tilting1606
titubating1653
volatile1654
tittering1661
drunken1786
wavery1820
vacillating1822
joggly1828
yawing1835
teetering1845
wambly1857
pecky1864
drunk1881
teetery1900
wambling1908
1654 R. Vilvain tr. Enchiridium Epigr. v. lii Two Meteors, Thunder and Lightning volatil.
1660 Bp. J. Taylor Ductor Dubitantium I. i. iii. Rule 1 §5 It is like a fire-stick which in the hand of a child being gently mov'd, gives a volatile and unfixed light.
1856 N. Brit. Rev. 26 169 M. De la Hire..describes these muscæ as of two kinds, some permanent and fixed,..and others as volatile, or flying about and changing their place, even though the eye be fixed.
c. Characterized by rapid passage. rare.
ΘΚΠ
the world > movement > rate of motion > swiftness > [adjective]
swiftc888
swifta1050
currentc1300
quickc1300
hastivea1325
hastyc1330
ingnel1340
swiftyc1380
speedfula1387
fasta1400
swippingc1420
speedy1487
fleet1528
tite?a1540
scudding1545
flighty1552
suddenly1556
flight1581
feathered1587
Pegasean1590
wing-footed1591
swift-winged?1592
thought-swift-flying1595
wind-winged?1596
swallow-winged1597
Pegasarian1607
skelping1607
rapid1608
night-swifta1616
celerious1632
clipping1635
perniciousa1656
volatile1655
quick-foot1658
meteorous1667
windy1697
high-flying1710
fleet-footed1726
aliped1727
wickc1760
velocious1775
flight-performing1785
fast-going1800
fast-moving1802
meteor1803
wight-wapping1830
fleety1841
speeding1847
swiftening1848
two-forty1855
fire-swift1865
pennate1870
spinning1882
percursory1884
zippy1889
meteoric1895
pacy1906
presto1952
1655 Marrow Complements 8 With volatile haste let us set forward to the temple.
3. in extended use.1769 E. Bancroft Ess. Nat. Hist. Guiana 234 They afford a very strong, volatile, disagreeable smell.elliptical.1683 J. Reid Scots Gard'ner (1756) 80 Some have sown it [sc. salt] on moist muirish land to great advantage, for being far from the sun they have little volatile.
a. Of substances: Characterized by a natural tendency to dispersion in fumes or vapour; liable to, or susceptible of, evaporation and diffusion, at ordinary temperatures.
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > gas > becoming or making into gas > [adjective] > connected with or producing vaporization > able to be vaporized > volatile
flying1471
spirituala1500
volatile1605
fugitive1666
fugacious1671
volitablea1690
incoercible1710
1605 T. Tymme tr. J. Du Chesne Pract. Chymicall & Hermeticall Physicke Ded. Of which foure elements two are..volatil, as water and ayre.
1612 B. Jonson Alchemist ii. iii. sig. D4 Infuse vinegar, To draw his volatile substance, and his tincture. View more context for this quotation
1656 J. Smith Compl. Pract. Physick 252 Nitre is commended because it fixeth volatil things.
1671 J. Webster Metallographia iv. 74 Sulphur is fixt and not volatile.
1708 J. Philips Cyder i. 21 How with heavy Bulk Volatile Hermes, fluid and unmoist, Mounts on the Wings of Air.
1764 T. Reid Inq. Human Mind ii. §1 These volatile particles do probably repel each other.
1769 W. Buchan Domest. Med. ii. 546 A bit of sugar dipped in compound spirits of lavender, or the volatile aromatic tincture.
1813 H. Davy Elements Agric. Chem. i. 6 As soon as dung begins to decompose, it throws off its volatile parts.
1854 E. Ronalds & T. Richardson Knapp's Chem. Technol. (ed. 2) I. 49 The volatile or organic portion of coal is composed of the same elements as wood, peat and brown coal.
1876 R. Routledge Discov. 19th Cent. 28 This preliminary treatment removes all the volatile matters, expelling the whole of the carbonic acid.
b. volatile salt or salts.
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > chemistry > organic chemistry > organic salts > [noun] > miscellaneous others
alum zucarinea1425
white precipitate1588
volatile salt or salts1639
malate1788
oxalate1788
sebate1788
succinate1789
camphorate1800
suberate1800
tannate1802
formate1807
zymate1817
uranate1819
ambreate1820
fungate1821
hydriodide1823
sorbate1823
fulminate1824
uraniate1824
pinate1829
oleate1831
pectate1831
resinate1831
xanthate1831
formobenzoate1834
racemate1835
indigotate1838
japonate1838
oxalhydrate1838
oxalovinate1838
palmate1838
pyruvate1838
roccellate1838
rubinate1838
verdite1838
oxalurate1839
sesquisalt1839
palmitate1840
rhabarbarate1840
hippurate1841
palmitin1841
sericate1841
stearate1841
oenanthylate1843
humate1844
parabanate1844
urethylane1844
angelate1846
fungiate1847
nitroprusside1849
sodium nitroprusside1849
fulminurate1855
igasurate1855
inosinate1855
phenate1857
sinapate1857
styphnate1857
anchoate1858
parellate1858
toluate1860
piperate1862
fumarate1864
glycollate1864
hydurilate1865
hyoglycocholate1865
isamates1865
itaconates1865–72
paralactate1866
porphyrate1866
usnate1866
thebolactate1867
oxalonitrate1868
rhodanate1868
stearerate1868
terebate1868
terephthalate1868
thymotate1868
turpetholate1868
violurate1868
viridate1868
xanthide1868
glycocholate1872
xylate1872
xylidate1872
tiglate1875
peptonate1876
hydracrylate1877
thymolate1880
formamidine1882
carboxylate1884
nucleate1896
phytin1905
cacodylate1908
cupferron1910
protamine sulphate1915
metallic soap1918
pentaerythritol tetranitrate1923
phosphagen1927
phosphocreatine1927
viologen1933
pentachlorophenate1938
hyaluronate1946
tetraethylpyrophosphate1947
pteroylglutamate1948
inosate-
1639 G. Plattes Discov. Subterraneall Treasure 39 The fixed salt of any vegetable is different from the volatill or fugitive salt of the same.
1662 R. Mathews Unlearned Alchymist (new ed.) 20 Thy Salt doth also consist of three sorts, a fixed Salt, and a Nitrous, and a Volatil.
1670 W. Simpson Hydrol. Ess. 30 The neatness and novelty of the word volatile salt.
1712 J. Browne tr. P. Pomet et al. Compl. Hist. Druggs I. 4 It affords a great deal of volatile Salt.
1765 L. Sterne Life Tristram Shandy VII. ii. 8 The nervous juices, with the fix'd and volatile salts, are all jumbled into one mass.
1813 J. Thomson Lect. Inflammation 95 After smelling to volatile salts, or eating too much strong mustard,..a pain is often felt above the eye-brows.
1837 T. Carlyle French Revol. I. i. iii. 25 Few are so happy as the Duke d'Orleans and the Prince de Condé; who can themselves, with volatile salts, attend the King's antechamber.
c. volatile alkali, ammonia. (See alkali n. 2) Hence volatile-alkaline adj.
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > chemistry > chemical substances > bases > [noun] > named alkalis or bases > ammonia
volatile alkali1682
ammoniac1791
volalkali1796
ammonia1799
the world > matter > chemistry > chemical substances > bases > [adjective] > of or relating to ammonia
ammoniac1646
ammoniacal1732
volatile-alkaline1767
ammonial1818
ammonic1869
ammonical1869
1682 N. Grew Exper. Luctation ii. i. §8 in Anat. Plants 240 The predominant Salt in most Minerals, and parts of Animals, is an Alkaly: in the former, usually a fixed; in the latter, a volatile Alkaly.
1685 R. Boyle Short Mem. Hist. Mineral Waters 85 Strong Spirit of Urine, and other volatile Alcaly's.
1728 E. Chambers Cycl. at Alkaly No body hath hitherto produced a volatile Alkaly from the Acids of the Mineral Kingdom.
1767 Philos. Trans. 1766 (Royal Soc.) 56 98 The tincture produced did not effervesce with acids, but retained a volatile-alkaline smell.
1788 W. Austin in Philos. Trans. (Royal Soc.) 78 381 A very pungent smell of volatile alkali is immediately perceived.
1815 W. Henry Elements Exper. Chem. (ed. 7) Index Alkalis, analysis of the volatile.
1854 J. Scoffern in Orr's Circle Sci., Chem. 327 Ammonia was formerly denominated the volatile alkali.
d. volatile oil n. (see essential adj. 5b).
ΘΚΠ
society > occupation and work > materials > derived or manufactured material > extracted or refined oil > [noun] > volatile oil
ethereal oil1664
essential oil1682
volatile oil1800
1800 tr. E. J. B. Bouillon-Lagrange Man. Course Chem. II. 229 Volatile oils are distinguished from the fixed oils by their acrid taste, their volatility, their aromatic odour, and their solubility in alcohol.
1836–41 W. T. Brande Man. Chem. (ed. 5) 1143 The volatile or essential oils are generally obtained by distilling the vegetables, or the parts of the plants which afford them, with water, in common stills.
1880 S. Haughton Six Lect. Physical Geogr. vi. 301 Its flora is characterized by bulbous plants and those yielding volatile oils.
e. Connected with volatilization.
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > gas > becoming or making into gas > [adjective] > connected with or producing vaporization > able to be vaporized > volatile > connected with volatilization
volatile1807
1807 T. Thomson Syst. Chem. (ed. 3) II. 403 The inside of the volatile tube is coated with charcoal in the state of a fine black.
4. Readily changing from one interest or mood to another; changeable, fickle; marked or characterized by levity or flightiness:elliptical.1756 C. Smart tr. Horace Epistles i. xviii, in tr. Horace Wks. (1826) II. 259 The melancholy hate the merry,..the volatile dislike the sedate.
a. Of the mind, disposition, etc.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > will > decision > irresolution or vacillation > inconstancy > [adjective] > capricious or whimsical > marked or characterized by capriciousness
fantastical1531
feathery1601
fantasticala1618
arbitrary1646
fancy1646
whimmed1654
fantastic1658
volatile1661
vagarious1827
1661 J. Glanvill Vanity of Dogmatizing xii. 111 If we consider the volatile nature of those officious Assistants, and the several causes which occur..to scatter and disorder them.
1702 Clarendon's Hist. Rebellion I. iv. 279 If the Volatile, and Unquiet Spirit of the Lord Digby had not prevailed with the King.
1719 D. Defoe Farther Adventures Robinson Crusoe 21 The French..Temper is allow'd to be more volatile,..and their Spirits more fluid than in other Nations.
1759 S. Johnson Idler 26 May 161 Sometimes occasions will be wanting to tempt the mind, however volatile, to sallies and excursions.
1796 F. Burney Camilla I. i. vii. 115 Her spirits were volatile, but her heart was tender.
c1850 Arabian Nights (Rtldg.) 527 Neither kindness nor the fear of punishment was able to restrain his volatile and restless disposition.
1861 Ld. Brougham Brit. Constit. (ed. 2) App. 461 The fickle, inconstant, volatile temper of the people.
b. Of persons.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > will > decision > irresolution or vacillation > inconstancy > [adjective] > capricious or whimsical
startfulmood?a1300
wildc1350
volage?a1366
gerfulc1374
geryc1386
wild-headeda1400
skittishc1412
gerish1430
shittle1440
shittle-witted1448
runningc1449
volageous1487
glaikit1488
fantasious1490
giggish1523
tickle or light of the sear?1530
fantastical1531
wayward1531
wantona1538
peevish1539
light-headed1549
humoral1573
unstaid1579
shittle-headed1580
toy-headed1581
fangled1587
humorous1589
choiceful1591
toyish1598
tricksy1598
skip-brain1603
capricious1605
humoursome1607
planetary1607
vertiginous1609
whimsieda1625
ingiddied1628
whimsy1637
toysome1638
cocklec1640
mercurial1647
garish1650
maggoty1650
kicksey-winseya1652
freakish1653
humourish1653
planetic1653
whimsical1653
shittle-braineda1655
freaking1663
maggoty-headed1667
maggot-pated1681
hoity-toity1690
maggotish1693
maggot-headeda1695
whimsy-headed1699
fantasque1701
crotchetly1702
quixotic1718
volatile1719
holloweda1734
conundrumical1743
flighty1768
fly-away1775
dizzy1780
whimmy1785
shy1787
whimming1787
quirky1789
notional1791
tricksome1815
vagarish1819
freakful1820
faddy1824
moodish1827
mawky1837
erratic1841
rockety1843
quirkish1848
maggoty-pated1850
crotchetya1854
freaksome1854
faddish1855
vagrom1882
fantasied1883
vagarisome1883
on-and-offish1888
tricksical1889
freaky1891
hobby-horsical1893
quirksome1896
temperamental1907
up and down1960
untogether1969
fanciful-
fantastic-
1719 Vanbrugh in Athenæum (1890) 6 Sept. 322/1 To think, that such a volatile gentleman..shou'd turn his thoughts & application to the duty of a Surveyors business, is a monstruous project.
1745 J. Mason Treat. Self-knowl. iii. 198 What is it, but a Want of Self-Knowledge and Self-Government, that makes us so unsettled and volatile in our Dispositions?
1791 J. Boswell Life Johnson anno 1769 I. 331 I was volatile enough to repeat to him a little epigrammatick song of mine.
1830 I. D'Israeli Comm. Life Charles I III. vii. 129 Henrietta was nothing more than a volatile woman.
1852 H. B. Stowe Uncle Tom's Cabin II. xxvii. 115 Volatile, fickle, and childish as they generally were, they were soft-hearted and full of feeling.
1878 R. B. Smith Carthage 55 Either of these stories..may among a people so volatile as the Carthaginians, perhaps be true.
c. Of markets, shares, etc.: showing sharp changes in price or value (merging with uses of sense B. 5).
ΘΚΠ
society > trade and finance > stocks and shares > [adjective] > feeling or state of market
sensitive1813
bearish1827
light1827
quiet1833
easy1836
soft1849
weak1856
steady1857
buoyant1868
sick1870
swimming1870
featureless1879
bullish1882
firm1887
gravelly1887
technical1889
pippy1892
manipulated1903
thin1931
volatile1931
trendless1939
nervous1955
toppy1961
over-bullish1970
toppish1983
1931 Daily Express 31 Jan. 2/6 Some volatile issues..recorded..advances.
1977 Time 19 Dec. 10/1 It stabilized the volatile lira.
1981 Times 25 Sept. 1/6 The pound slipped further against all leading currencies on nervous and volatile foreign exchange markets.
1981 Times 26 Sept. 23/6 Leading shares..remained volatile until after-hours trading when prices steadied a little.
1985 Times 26 Jan. 23/1 It has been one of the most volatile [Stock Exchange] accounts in recent history.
5.
a. Evanescent, transient; readily vanishing or disappearing; difficult to seize, retain, or fix permanently.
ΘΚΠ
the world > time > duration > shortness or brevity in time > swift movement of time > [adjective]
slidinga900
scrithingOE
henwardOE
swifta1225
short livya1325
passing1340
flittingc1374
shadowy1374
temporalc1384
speedfula1400
transitory?c1400
brittlea1425
unabidingc1430
frail?c1450
indurablec1450
scrithel?c1475
caduke1483
transitorious1492
passanta1500
perishinga1500
caducea1513
fugitive?1518
caducal?1548
quick1548
delible1549
flittering1549
undurable?1555
shadowish1561
fleeting1563
vading1566
flightful1571
wanzing1571
transitive1575
slipping1581
diary1583
unlasting1585
never-lasting1588
flit1590
post-like1594
running1598
short-lived1598
short-winded1598
transient1599
unpermanent1607
flashy1609
of a day1612
passable1613
dureless1614
urgenta1616
waxena1616
decayable1617
horary1620
evanid1626
fugitable1628
short-dated1632
fugacious1635
ephemerala1639
impermanent1653
fungous1655
volatile1655
ephemerousa1660
unimmortal1667
timesome1674
while-being1674
of passage1680
journal1685
ephemeron1714
admovent1727
evanescent1728
meteorous1750
deciduous1763
preterient1786
ephemeridal1795
meteorica1802
meteor1803
ephemerean1804
ephemerid1804
evanescing1805
fleeted1810
fleet1812
unenduring1814
unremaining1817
unimmortalized1839
impersistent1849
flighty1850
uneternal1862
caducous1863
diurnal1866
horarious1866
brisk1879
evasive1881
picaresque1959
the world > physical sensation > sight and vision > invisibility > [adjective] > vanishing or disappearing > liable to vanish
slippery1548
fadeable1633
volatile1655
1655 Bp. J. Taylor Vnum Necessarium v. §6 Those transient acts of devotion, or other volatile and fugitive instances of Repentance, are not the proper and proportion'd remedy to the evil of vicious habits.
1661 K. W. Confused Characters 70 I cannot give a more substantial expression to such a violatile subject.
1686 A. Horneck Crucified Jesus xvii. 499 Will you prefer a few airy, volatile joys before their safety?
1711 Ld. Shaftesbury Characteristicks III. Misc. v. i. 234 Whatever Interpretations might have been made of this fragil and volatil Scripture.
1759 E. Burke Philos. Enq. Sublime & Beautiful (ed. 2) Introd. 2 This delicate and aerial faculty, which seems too volatile to endure even the chains of a definition.
1791 J. Boswell Life Johnson I. 6 The incidents which give excellence to biography are of a volatile and evanescent kind.
1844 A. W. Kinglake Eothen i. 10 In the Ottoman dominions..wealth..is a highly volatile blessing, not easily transmitted.
1863 A. W. Kinglake Invasion of Crimea I. xiv. 228 He was a buyer and seller of those fractional and volatile interests in trading adventures, which go by the name of ‘shares’.
1876 J. B. Mozley Serm. preached Univ. of Oxf. xi. 214 These are..mere volatile day dreams.
b. Computing. Of a memory: retaining data only as long as there is a power supply to it.
ΘΚΠ
society > computing and information technology > hardware > [adjective] > properties of memory
non-volatile1950
volatile1950
read1953
1950 W. W. Stifler High-speed Computing Devices (Engin. Res. Associates) xiv. 305 In a volatile storage medium, like a delay line, retransmission of each signal once during each storage cycle period is required.
1970 O. Dopping Computers & Data Processing x. 136 The flip-flop register is a fast, expensive, volatile memory.
1979 R. Mutch Gemstone viii. 95 I need two microprocessors, read-only and volatile memories,..and a battery.
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the world > matter > gas > air > [adjective] > specific qualities of (the) air > thin or light
smalla1398
subtlea1398
rarefied1523
subtile1590
thin1667
volatile1698
ambient1763
1698 J. Fryer New Acct. E.-India & Persia 328 The Air is Serene and Volatile, which..is highly serviceable to the Respiration of all Living Creatures.
Draft additions January 2009
volatile acidity n. acidity associated with the volatile components of a solution; spec. the concentration of acetic acid and other fatty acids in wine.In quot. 1749 probably not a fixed compound.
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1749 Philos. Trans. Abridged 1665–1700 (Royal Soc.) (ed. 5) 2 489 This subtle, grateful, and volatile Acidity of the Salt of Amber, I attribute to the Influence of the Bituminous Exhalations.]
1865 R. Druitt Rep. Cheap Wines 179 The volatile acidity in Nos. 1, 7, and 8, good wines, was equal to 45, 75, and 85 of tartaric acid per gallon respectively.
1924 W. V. Cruess Commerc. Fruit & Veg. Products xxiv. 447 For a given fruit vinegar..the fixed acidity is a fairly constant quantity and if this correction factor is applied the volatile acidity can be determined with reasonable accuracy from the total acidity.
1966 Science 30 Dec. 1626/1 The volatile acidity, which is largely acetic acid, is primarily a measure of undesirable activity of anaerobic bacteria.
2002 San Antonio (Texas) Express-News (Nexis) 23 Oct. 2 f Volatile acidity, when in balance, gives a wine flavor and aroma.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1920; most recently modified version published online June 2022).
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n.adj.a1325