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5 definitions found
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 : [ gcide ]
Volatile \Vol"a*tile\, a. [F. volatil, L. volatilis, fr. volare
to fly, perhaps akin to velox swift, E. velocity. Cf.
Volley.]
1. Passing through the air on wings, or by the buoyant force
of the atmosphere; flying; having the power to fly. [Obs.]
[1913 Webster]
2. Capable of wasting away, or of easily passing into the
a["e]riform state; subject to evaporation.
[1913 Webster]
Note: Substances which affect the smell with pungent or
fragrant odors, as musk, hartshorn, and essential oils,
are called volatile substances, because they waste away
on exposure to the atmosphere. Alcohol and ether are
called volatile liquids for a similar reason, and
because they easily pass into the state of vapor on the
application of heat. On the contrary, gold is a fixed
substance, because it does not suffer waste, even when
exposed to the heat of a furnace; and oils are called
fixed when they do not evaporate on simple exposure to
the atmosphere.
[1913 Webster]
3. Fig.: Light-hearted; easily affected by circumstances;
airy; lively; hence, changeable; fickle; as, a volatile
temper.
[1913 Webster]
You are as giddy and volatile as ever. --Swift.
[1913 Webster]
Volatile alkali. (Old Chem.) See under Alkali.
Volatile liniment, a liniment composed of sweet oil and
ammonia, so called from the readiness with which the
latter evaporates.
Volatile oils. (Chem.) See Essential oils, under
Essential.
[1913 Webster]
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 : [ gcide ]
Essential \Es*sen"tial\ ([e^]s*s[e^]n"sjal), a. [Cf. F.
essentiel. See Essence.]
1. Belonging to the essence, or that which makes an object,
or class of objects, what it is.
[1913 Webster]
Majestic as the voice sometimes became, there was
forever in it an essential character of
plaintiveness. --Hawthorne.
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2. Hence, really existing; existent.
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Is it true, that thou art but a name,
And no essential thing? --Webster
(1623).
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3. Important in the highest degree; indispensable to the
attainment of an object; indispensably necessary.
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Judgment's more essential to a general
Than courage. --Denham.
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How to live? -- that is the essential question for
us. --H. Spencer.
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4. Containing the essence or characteristic portion of a
substance, as of a plant; highly rectified; pure; hence,
unmixed; as, an essential oil. ``Mine own essential
horror.'' --Ford.
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5. (Mus.) Necessary; indispensable; -- said of those tones
which constitute a chord, in distinction from ornamental
or passing tones.
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6. (Med.) Idiopathic; independent of other diseases.
[1913 Webster]
Essential character (Biol.), the prominent characteristics
which serve to distinguish one genus, species, etc., from
another.
Essential disease, Essential fever (Med.), one that is
not dependent on another.
Essential oils (Chem.), a class of volatile oils, extracted
from plants, fruits, or flowers, having each its
characteristic odor, and hot burning taste. They are used
in essences, perfumery, etc., and include many varieties
of compounds; as lemon oil is a terpene, oil of bitter
almonds an aldehyde, oil of wintergreen an ethereal
salt, etc.; -- called also volatile oils in distinction
from the fixed or nonvolatile.
[1913 Webster]
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) : [ web1913 ]
Volatile \Vol"a*tile\, a. [F. volatil, L. volatilis, fr. volare
to fly, perhaps akin to velox swift, E. velocity. Cf.
Volley.]
1. Passing through the air on wings, or by the buoyant force
of the atmosphere; flying; having the power to fly. [Obs.]
2. Capable of wasting away, or of easily passing into the
a["e]riform state; subject to evaporation.
Note: Substances which affect the smell with pungent or
fragrant odors, as musk, hartshorn, and essential oils,
are called volatile substances, because they waste away
on exposure to the atmosphere. Alcohol and ether are
called volatile liquids for a similar reason, and
because they easily pass into the state of vapor on the
application of heat. On the contrary, gold is a fixed
substance, because it does not suffer waste, even when
exposed to the heat of a furnace; and oils are called
fixed when they do not evaporate on simple exposure to
the atmosphere.
3. Fig.: Light-hearted; easily affected by circumstances;
airy; lively; hence, changeable; fickle; as, a volatile
temper.
You are as giddy and volatile as ever. --Swift.
Volatile alkali. (Old Chem.) See under Alkali.
Volatile liniment, a liniment composed of sweet oil and
ammonia, so called from the readiness with which the
latter evaporates.
Volatile oils. (Chem.) See Essential oils, under
Essential.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) : [ web1913 ]
5. (Mus.) Necessary; indispensable; -- said of those tones
which constitute a chord, in distinction from ornamental
or passing tones.
6. (Med.) Idiopathic; independent of other diseases.
Essential character (Biol.), the prominent characteristics
which serve to distinguish one genus, species, etc., from
another.
Essential disease, Essential fever (Med.), one that is
not dependent on another.
Essential oils (Chem.), a class of volatile oils, extracted
from plants, fruits, or flowers, having each its
characteristic odor, and hot burning taste. They are used
in essences, perfumery, etc., and include many varieties
of compounds; as lemon oil is a terpene, oil of bitter
almonds an aldehyde, oil of wintergreen an ethereal
salt, etc.; -- called also volatile oils in distinction
from the fixed or nonvolatile.
From English-Hindi FreeDict Dictionary ver. 1.6 : [ freedict:eng-hin ]
volatile oils /vˈɒlɐtˌaɪl ˈɔɪlz/
1. वाष्पशील~तेल
"The ship is loaded with volatile oils "
2. चंचल~पुरुष
"He is a volatile person"
3. अस्थिर
"Volatile stocks are present in the market"
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