merciless 
She hauled nib to the wash-stand, inflicted a merciless, 
but happily brief scrub on my face and hands with soap, 
water, and a coarse towel. Charlotte Bronte, Jane Eyre, iv. 
2. Without hope of mercy. [Rare.] 
And all dismayd through mercilesse despaire. 
Spenser, F. Q., IV. viii. 51. 
= Syn. 1. Unmerciful, severe, inexorable, unrelenting, bar- 
barous, savage. 
mercilessly (mer'si-les-li), adv. In a merciless 
maimer; cruelly. 
mercilessness (mer'si-les-nes), n. The quality 
of being merciless ; want of mercy or pity. 
mercimentt (mer'si-ment), . See meree- 
ineitt. 
mercurammonium (mer'ku-ra-mo'ni-um), . 
[NL.,< mercurius, mercury, '+ ammonium.] A 
compound of mercury and ammonia : specifical- 
ly applied to bases in which mercury replaces 
a part or all of the hydrogen in ammonia. Ex- 
amples are mercurous-ammonium chlorid, (NH 3 )oHg 2 Cl2, 
and mercuric-diamnionium chlorid, (NH 3 ) 2 HgCl, known 
w fusible white precipitate.- Mercurammonium eWo- 
rld, the hydrargyrum aniraoniatum or white precipitate 
of the United States and British Pharmacopoeias. 
mercurial (mer-ku'ri-al), a. and . [= F. mer- 
curiel = Sp. Pg. mercurial = It. mercurials, < L. 
Mercurialis, of or pertaining to the god Mercury 
or to the planet Mercury, < Mercurius, Mercury : 
see Mercury."] I. a. 1. [y>.] Pertaining to 
the god Mercury; having the form or qualities 
attributed to Mercury. 
His foot Mercurial, his Martial thigh. 
Skate., Cymbeline, Iv. 2. 310. 
To see thee yong. yet manage so thine armes, 
Have a mercuriall mince and martial! hands. 
Stirling, A Pareenesis to Prince Henry. 
2. Like Mercury in character ; having the moral 
or mental qualities ascribed to the god Mer- 
cury, or supposed by astrologists to belong to 
those under his star, the planet Mercury ; light- 
hearted; gay; active; sprightly; flighty; fickle; 
changeable ; volatile. 
He is ... of a disposition, perhaps, rather too mercu- 
rial for the chamber of a nervous invalid. 
Barham, Ingoldsby Legends, I. 201. 
Mercurial races are never sublime. 
De Quincey, Secret Societies, ii. 
3f. Pertaining to Mercury as god of trade; 
hence, pertaining to trade or money-making: 
as, mercurial pursuits. 
His [Monson'sl mind being more martial than mercu- 
rial, . . he applied himself to sea-service. 
Wood, Athena? Oxon., I. 
Properties pertaining to the practice of the law, as well 
as to the mercurial profession. 
P. Whitehead, Gymnasiad, L, note. 
4f. Pertaining to Mercury as herald; hence, 
giving intelligence ; pointing out; directing. 
As the traveller is directed by a mercurial statue. 
ChUlinauiorth, Religion of Protestants. 
5. Pertaining or relating to mercury or quick- 
silver, (a) Containingorconsistingofquicksilverormer- 
cury: as. mercurial preparations or medicines. (&) Char- 
acterized by the use of mercury : as, mercurial treatment. 
(c) Caused by the use of mercury : as, a mercurial disease. 
Hepatic mercurial ore, cinnabar. Mercurial bath, 
erethism, gage. See the nouns. Mercurial gilding. 
Same as wash-gilding. Mercurial horn-ore. Same 
as calomel. Mercurial level, ointment, pendulum, 
thermometer, etc. See the nouns. 
II. n. It. A person possessing any of the at- 
tributes of the god Mercury ; one of mercurial 
temperament; a sprightly person; also, one 
given to trickery; a cheat or thief. 
Come, brave mercurials, sublim'd in cheating, 
My dear companions, fellow-soldiers 
I' th 1 watchful exercise of thievery. 
T. Tomkis ('!), Albumazar, 1. 1. 
2. A preparation of mercury used as a drug. 
The question with the modern physician is not, as with 
the ancient, . . . Shall mercurials be administered ? 
H. Spencer, Study of Sociology, p. 21. 
mercurialine (mer-ku'ri-al-in), n. [< mercurial 
+ -i/ie 2 .] A volatile alkaloid (CH 5 N) extract- 
ed from the leaves and seed of Mercurialis 
anntia. It is a poisonous oily liquid, isomeric 
and possibly identical with methylamine. 
Mercurialis (mer-ku-ri-a'lis), . [NL. (Tourue- 
fort, 1700), < L. mercurialis, so. iierba, a plant, 
prob. dog's-mercury : see mercurial.] A genus 
of plants of the natural order Eupliorlnacece, the 
tribe Crotoneee, and the subtribe Acalypl><ia>. it is 
composed of G species of herbs native in Europe, the Med- 
iterranean region, and eastern Asia. M. perennit, the 
dog's-mercury, is a poisonous weed, with a simple erect 
stem six or eight inches high, the oblong or ovate-lanceo- 
late leaves crowded on its upper half; the flowers are 
diijecious on slender axillary peduncles. M. tomentona of 
the Mediterranean region was long supposed to have the 
power of determining the sex of children according as the 
mother drank the juice of the male or of the female plant. 
See mercury, 8, and boy'ft, girl's, and golden mercury (un- 
der mercury). 
3714 
mercurialisation, mercurialise. See mercu- 
rialization, mercurialize. 
mercurialism (mer-ku'ri-al-izm), . [< mercu- 
rial + -ism.] The pathological condition pro- 
duced by the use of mercury. 
The other patient, on the contrary, showed no signs of 
mercurialism whatever. Lancet, No. 3447, p. 609. 
mercurialist (mer-ku'ri-al-ist), n. [< mercurial 
+ -ist.] 1. One who is under the influence of 
the planet Mercury, or one resembling the god 
Mercury in fickleness of character. 
Memmalints are solitary, much in contemplation, sub- 
tile. Burton, Anat. of Mel., p. 190. 
2. A physician much given to the use of mer- 
cury in the treatment of disease. DmigUson. 
3f. A scholar; a rhetorician. 
He who with a deepe insight marketh the nature of our 
Mercurialists shall find as fit a harbour for pride under a 
schollers cap as under a souldiers helmet. 
Oreene, Farewell to Follie. 
mercurialization (mer-ku'ri-al-i-za'shon), n. 
[< mercurialize + -ation.] The act of mercu- 
rializing, or the state of being mercurialized. 
Also spelled mercurialisation. 
Premature delivery appeared to follow the merctiriali- 
latiim of the system. 
A. S. Taylor, Med. Jurisprudence, p. 448. 
mercurialize (mer-ku'ri-al-iz), v.; pret. and pp. 
mercurialized, ppr. mercurializing. [< mercu- 
rial. + -ize.~\ I. intrans. To be capricious or 
fantastic. 
II. trans. 1 . To treat or impregnate with mer- 
cury, as by exposure to its vapor, or immersion 
in a chemical solution of it. To mercurialize a pho- 
tographic negative is to subject it to the action of a solu- 
tion of bichlorid of mercury in order to intensify or rein- 
force the image. Plugs of mercurialized carbon are some- 
times used in microphones and in the transmitter of a tele- 
phonic circuit. 
2. In med., to affect with mercury, as the bod- 
ily system ; bring under the influence of mer- 
cury. 
Also spelled mercurialise. 
merctirially (mer-ku'ri-al-i), adv. 1. In a mer- 
curial manner. 2. By means of mercury. 
Mercurian (mer-ku'ri-an), a. [< L. Mercurius. 
Mercury, + -an.'] 1. Pertaining to Mercury as 
god of eloquence. 
The mercurian heavenly charme of hys rhetorique. 
Nash, Haue with you to Saffron- Walden. 
2. Pertaining to the planet Mercury. 
Absorption by a Mercurian atmosphere. 
A. M. Clarke, Astron. in 19th Cent. 
mercuric (mer-kii'rik), a. [< mercur-y + -ic.~\ 
1. Belated to or containing mercury. 2. In 
chem., specifically applied to compounds in 
which each atom of mercury is regarded as bi- 
valent: as, mercuric chlorid, HgCl 2 Mercuric 
chlorid, corrosive sublimate. Mercuric fulminate, 
fulminating mercury; adetonatingcompound^Hgj^foOo) 
which crystallizes in shining gray crystals, prepared from 
a mixture of alcohol, nitric acid, and mercury nitrate. A 
moderate blow or slight friction causes it to explode vio- 
lently. It is used for charging percussion-caps and deto- 
nating caps for firing dynamite, etc. 
mercurification (mer-ku"ri-fi-ka'shon), . [< 
me rcurify + -ation: see -fication.~] 1. In chem., 
the process or operation of obtaining the mer- 
cury from metallic minerals in its fluid form. 
2. The act or art of mixing with quicksilver. 
It remains that I rjerf orm the promise I made of adding 
the ways of mercurijication. Boyle, Works, I. 643. 
mercurify (mer-ku''ri-fi), v. t.; pret. and pp. 
mercurijied, ppr. mercurify ing. [< mercury + 
-fy.~\ 1 . To obtain mercury from (metallic min- 
erals), as by the application of intense heat, 
which expels the mercury in fumes that are 
afterward condensed. 2. To combine or min- 
gle with mercury; mercurialize. 
A part only of the metal is mercurijied. 
Boyle, Works, I. 641. 
mercuriousnesst (mer-ku'ri-us-nes), n. [< *mer- 
curiovs (< L. Mercurius, Mercury) + -ness.'] The 
state or quality of being mercurial, or like the 
god Mercury, as (in the quotation) in his char- 
acter of a swift messenger. 
A chapeau with wings, to denote the mercuriousnesse of 
this messenger. Fuller, Worthies, Kent. 
mercurismt (mer'ku-rizm), n. [< Mercur-y + 
-ism.'] A communication of news or intelli- 
gence; a communication or announcement. 
Sir T. Browne. 
mercUTOUS (mer'ku-rus), a. [< mercur-y + 
-oils."] 1. Belated to or containing mercury. 
2. In diem., specifically applied to compounds 
in which two atoms of mercury are regarded as 
forming a bivalent radical : as, merriiroits chlo- 
riil. Hg 2 01 2 . 
Mercury. Statue of Greek 
workmanship, in the British 
Museum, London. 
Mercury 
Mercury (mer'ku-ri), H. 
[< ME. Mercuric, mer- 
curic, < AF. Mercuric, 
OF. Mercure, F. Mercure 
= Sp. Pg. It. Merettrio, 
< L. Mercurius, Mercury 
(the deity and the 
planet), so called (ap- 
par. ) as the god of trade, 
< mem (mere-), mer- 
chandise, wares : see 
mercy, merchant.] 1. 
In Rom. myth., the 
name of a Boman di- 
vinity, who became 
identified with the 
Greek Hermes. He was 
the son of Jupiter and Maia, 
and was the herald and am- 
bassador of Jupiter. As a 
god of darkness, Mercury 
is the tutelary deity of 
thieves and tricksters ; he 
became also the protector 
of herdsmen, and the god 
of science, commerce, and 
the arts and graces of life, 
and the patron of travel- 
ers and athletes. It was he 
who guided the shades of 
the dead to their final abid- 
ing-place. He is represented 
in art as a young man, usually wearing a winged hat and 
the talaria or winged sandals, and bearing the caduceus 
or pastoral staff and often a purse. 
The herald Mercury, 
New-lighted on a heaven-kissing hill. 
Shalt., Hamlet, iii. 4. 68. 
2. \l. c. or cap.] PI. mercuries (-riz). One who 
acts like the god Mercury in his capacity of a 
messenger ; a conveyor of ne ws or information ; 
an intelligencer. 
Following the mirror of all Christian kings, 
With winged heels, as English Mercuries. 
Shak., Hen. V., ii., chorus, 7. 
We give the winds wings, and the angels too, as being 
the swift messengers of God, the nimble mercuries of hea- 
ven. Abp. Bancroft, Sermons, p. 131. 
Hence 3. [I. c. or cap.] A common name for 
a newspaper or periodical publication; for- 
merly, also, a newspaper-carrier or a seller of 
newspapers. 
Those who sell them [news-books] by wholesale from 
the press are called mercuries. Cowell. 
No allusion to it is to be found in the monthly Mercu- 
ries. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., xii. 
4f. [1. c.] Warmth or liveliness of tempera- 
ment; spirit; sprightly qualities; hence, lia- 
bility to change ; fickleness. 
He was so full of mercury that he could not fix long in 
any friendship, or to any design. Bp. Burnet. 
5. The innermost planet of the solar system. 
Its mean distance from the sun is 0.387 that of the earth. 
The inclination (7 degrees) and the eccentricity (0.2056) of 
its orbit are exceeded only by some of the minor planets. 
Its diameter is only 3,000 miles, or about i of that of the 
earth; its volume is to that of the earth as 1 to 18.5. It 
performs its sidereal revolution in 88 days, its synodical 
In 116. Its proximity to the sun prevents its being often 
Been with the naked eye. The mass of Mercury, though 
as yet not very precisely determined, is less than that of 
any other planet (asteroids excepted). According to Schia- 
parelli it rotates on its axis in the same way as the moon 
does, once in each orbital revolution. 
6. [/. c.] Chemical symbol, Hg ; atomic weight, 
200.1. A metal of a silver-white color and 
brilliant metallic luster, unique in that it is 
fluid at ordinary temperatures, it becomes solid, 
or freezes, at about 40, and crystallizes in the isometric 
system. Its specific gravity at is 13.6; when frozen, 
according to J. W. Mallet, 14.1932. This metal occurs 
native, sometimes in considerable quantity; but by far 
the largest supply is obtained from the snlphid, known 
as cinnabar. (See cinnabar.) Mercury is not very gener- 
ally disseminated. In the United States only traces of its 
ores have been found to the east of the Cordilleras. The 
principal sources of supply are the mines of Almaden in 
Spain, of New Almaden and others near the Bay of San 
Francisco, and of Idria in Austria. Its chief use is in 
the metallurgic treatment of gold and silver ores by 
amalgamation. The thermometer and barometer arc 
instruments in which the peculiar qualities of this metal 
are well illustrated. Commercially the most important 
salts of mercury are mercurous chlorid (HggClo) or calo- 
mel, chiefly used in medicine, and the mercuric chlorid 
(HgClo) or corrosive sublimate, a violent poison used in 
medicine and extensively in surgery as an antiseptic, and 
as a preservative in dressing skins, etc., being a very pow- 
erful antiseptic. The sulphid (HgS\ or cinnabar, when 
prepared artificially, is called nrmwkm. and is used as a 
pigment. The names mercuri/ and guickxilrer are entire- 
ly synonymous, but the former is rather a scientific des- 
ignation, and one necessarily used in compound names 
ami in the adjective form ; while the latter is a common 
popular designation of this metal. See amalgam, caltmel, 
quicksilver. 
7. [/. c.] The column of quicksilver in a ther- 
mometer or barometer, especially with refer- 
ence to the temperature or state of the atmo- 
sphere shown by it. [Colloq.] 
