volatile liniment

1 definition found

volatile liniment - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  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.]
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     2. Capable of wasting away, or of easily passing into the
        aeriform state; subject to evaporation.
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     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.
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     3. Fig.: Light-hearted; easily affected by circumstances;
        airy; lively; hence, changeable; fickle; as, a volatile
        temper.
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              You are as giddy and volatile as ever. --Swift.
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     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.
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