mercurial
to behave unpredictably
TRANSLATION
launenhaft, ebhaft, sprunghaft; Quecksilber
STATISTICS
IN THE PRESS
Before becoming head of Chrysler Coproration, Lee Iacocca was president of the rival Ford Motor Company. "In the pre-war years there was no intelligent management at Ford," he once recalled. "When I arrived at the end of the war, the company was a monolithic dictatorship (ruled by the MERCURIAL Henry Ford). Its balance sheet was still being kept on the back of an envelope, and the guys in purchasing had to weigh the invoices to count them!"
Ford, Henry (1863-1947) American automobile manufacturer, founder of The Ford Motor Company (1903) noted for his development of the celebrated Model T (1912) and for his application of mass production (assembly line) techniques to automobile manufacturing
Ford, Henry (1863-1947) American automobile manufacturer, founder of The Ford Motor Company (1903) noted for his development of the celebrated Model T (1912) and for his application of mass production (assembly line) techniques to automobile manufacturing
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mercurial
From Middle English of the planet Mercury; from Latin mercurilis - of the god or planet Mercury; from Mercurius, Mercury.
Date: 14th century.
The god Mercury and the planet named for him were thought to govern eloquence and cleverness. As the gods' messenger, with his winged cap and sandals, he was the very symbol of speed. The planet Mercury was named for him because it is the fastest of the planets. His name was also given to the liquid silver metal that runs out of one's hand so quickly it is almost impossible to hold.
A mercurial person isn't necessarily physically quick, but changes moods very quickly.
From Middle English of the planet Mercury; from Latin mercurilis - of the god or planet Mercury; from Mercurius, Mercury.
Date: 14th century.
The god Mercury and the planet named for him were thought to govern eloquence and cleverness. As the gods' messenger, with his winged cap and sandals, he was the very symbol of speed. The planet Mercury was named for him because it is the fastest of the planets. His name was also given to the liquid silver metal that runs out of one's hand so quickly it is almost impossible to hold.
A mercurial person isn't necessarily physically quick, but changes moods very quickly.
