quicksilver
- adjective
- /ˈkwɪkˌsɪlvər/
- Archaic
:
mercurial
- Her quicksilver temperament made it difficult for her friends to predict how she would respond to different situations.
Examples
-
His quicksilver nature caused him to change his plans at the last minute, leaving everyone confused.
-
For the cautious Scandinavian, the newly published La Vagabonde epitomized, in sensuous, quicksilver language, a woman's choice between love and liberation.
Academic text (2003) -
"She was light, quicksilver, efflorescing!
-
He armed a tube, dived into a roll, fired at the tiltfan, and bounced to his feet, all in a single, quicksilver motion.
Fiction book (2000) -
Something quicksilver and deadly, rippling with the sleek, purposeful musculature of a predator.
Fiction book (1998) -
The artist's quicksilver imagination led to a series of unexpected and breathtaking works.
Synonyms
94
6.1
Not regular or predictable and likely to change suddenly
91
4.4
A person whose mood or behavior changes suddenly
77
7.0
Likely to change suddenly and become more dangerous
39
6.2
Changing often in a way you cannot rely on
7
8.2
Changing mood or behaviour suddenly and without warning
3
5.9
Able to change clothes or roles very quickly
Acting quickly and changing mood or interest often
Often changes mood or behavior quickly and without warning
Antonyms
How Changeable
Surface Forms
Etymology
Quicksilver used as an adjective compares a person to the liquid metal: because quick once meant 'alive' and the metal moves and changes suddenly, calling someone 'quicksilver' means they are 'changeable' and hard to predict.