quicksilver

English

Etymology

From Middle English quyksilver, from Old English cwicseolfor. Literally "living silver" from its ability to move. See quick in the sense of living.

Noun

quicksilver (uncountable)

1. The metal mercury.
2. (colloquial) An amalgam of mercury and tin applied to the backs of mirrors, quicksilvering.

Quotations

• For examples of the usage of this term see the citations page.

Derived terms

terms derived from quicksilver

quicksilvered quicksilver horizon quicksilvering quicksilverish

quicksilver plaster quicksilver soap quicksilver water quicksilvery

Translations

mercury

Danish: kviksølv (da) n. Dutch: kwikzilver (nl) n. Finnish: elohopea (fi) French: vif-argent (fr) m. German: Quecksilber (de) n. Greek: υδράργυρος (el) m. Hebrew: כספית (he) f.

Low Saxon: Quecksülver  (nds) n. Portuguese: mercúrio (pt) m. Romanian: mercur (ro) n., argint viu (ro) n., hidrargir (ro) Russian: ртуть (ru) (rtut') f. Spanish: Mercurio (es) m. Volapük: hidrargin (vo), (synonym) märkurin (vo)

amalgam used on mirrors

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Translations to be checked

Latin: argentum vivum, argentum liquidum

Adjective

quicksilver (not comparable)

1. Unpredictable, erratic or fickle; mercurial.

Verb

quicksilver (third-person singular simple present quicksilvers, present participle quicksilvering, simple past and past participle quicksilvered)

1. To overlay with quicksilver.
2. To treat with quicksilver.

References

• quicksilver in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
• The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1914