mercury
noun
- chemical element
- temperature
proper noun
- closest planet to the Sun
- Roman god
- family name
- astrological planet
- British cipher machine
Wiktionary
Pronunciation: /ˈmɜː.(ɹ)kjʊ.ɹi/ / /ˈmɝ.kjə.ɹi/ / /ˈmɝ.k(ə)ɹ.i/ / /ˈmɜːkjʊɹi/ / /ˈmɜɹkjəɹi/ / /ˈmɜɹkɹi/
name
Etymology: Inherited from Middle English Mercurie, from Latin Mercurius.
- The first planet in the Solar system with the closest orbit to the Sun, named after the god; represented by ☿.
“Thou, first of the children of men, art come to Mercury, where thou and I will journey up and down for a season to show thee the lands and oceans, the forests, plains, and ancient mountains, cities and palaces of this world, Mercury, and the doings of them that dwell therein.”
- The Roman god associated with speed, sometimes used as a messenger, wearing winged sandals; the Roman counterpart of the Greek god Hermes.
- Ellipsis of Mercury Drug.
noun
Etymology: Inherited from Middle English Mercurie, from Latin Mercurius.
- Quicksilver, mercury. (No longer capitalized, as the name of the metal is no longer recognized as that of the planet.)
- A carrier of tidings.
- A carrier of tidings.
“Enter Mr. Tulkinghorn, followed by Mercuries with lamps and candles.”
- A carrier of tidings.
“His Mercury having made his observations, reported, that there was no body in the coach but Mrs. Hornbeck and an elderly woman, who had all the air of a duenna, and that the servant was not the same footman who had attended them in France.”
- A carrier of tidings.
“No allusion to it is to be found in the monthly Mercuries.”
verb
Etymology: Etymology tree Latin mercuriusder. Middle English mercurie English mercury The noun is derived from Middle English mercurie (“metallic chemical element, quicksilver; a plant, probably goosefoot (genus Chenopodium); (possibly) dog’s mercury (Mercurialis perennis); etc.”), borrowed from Late Latin mercurius (“metallic chemical element, quicksilver”), Latin Mercurius (“Mercury, the Roman god of commerce, communication, etc.; the planet Mercury; etc.”), possibly from merc-, a stem of merx (“goods, wares; merchandise”); further etymology uncertain, possibly: * from Etruscan; or * from Proto-Indo-European *merǵ- (“to divide”), or *merkʷ- (“to grasp; to take”). The suffix -urius is also thought to be from Etruscan. Noun sense 1.1 (“metallic chemical element”) is from the association in medieval alchemy of the seven known metals—gold, silver, quicksilver, copper, iron, tin, and lead—with the Sun, the Moon, and the planets Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn. An analogy was probably also drawn between the element being liquid at room temperature, and the Roman god Mercury’s attribute of swiftness. Noun sense 2 (“senses relating to plants”) is derived from mercurial (“(obsolete) any of the plants now known as mercury”, noun), from Middle English mercurial (“a plant, probably goosefoot (genus Chenopodium); (possibly) dog’s mercury (Mercurialis perennis)”, noun) from Anglo-Norman mercurial, Old French mercurial, or directly from their etymon Latin mercuriālis (“a plant, probably annual mercury (Mercurialis annua)”), short for herba mercuriālis (“(probably) annual mercury”, literally “herb or plant of the god Mercury”). Mercuriālis (“pertaining to the Roman god Mercury”, adjective) is derived from Mercurius (“the Roman god Mercury”) (see above) + -ālis (suffix forming adjectives of relationship from nouns). Noun sense 2.2.2.1 (“Blitum bonus-henricus”) is from the fact that this plant was often confused with annual mercury (noun sense 2.1). The verb is derived from the noun.
- To apply or coat (something) with mercury (noun sense 1.1) or a preparation containing mercury.
“In proceeding to elucidate my process, I will divide it into six parts, the first three of which will be confined to plate cleaning; the fourth to coating with chemicals; the fifth to mercurying and chemicals, and the sixth to finishing with general remarks.”
“An image is but an appearance on glass that has been mercuried. It cannot be a friend.”
- To apply or coat (something) with mercury (noun sense 1.1) or a preparation containing mercury.
“[…] I knovv, you ha' not a finger, but is as long as my quiuer (couſin Mercvrie) vvhen you pleaſe to extend it. […] Alas, your palmes (Ivpiter knovves) they are as tender as the foot of a foundred nagge, or a ladies face nevv mercuried, the'ile [they'll] touch nothing.”
- To administer to (someone) a medicine containing mercury.
“As for bloodletting, their prime cooler, it is inflammatory; and they know it (parrot-wise), for the thumping heart, and bounding pulse, of pashints blid [bled] by butchers in black, and bullocks blid by butchers in blue, prove it; and they have recorded this in all their books; yet stabbed, and bit, and starved, and mercuried, and murdered, on.”