Voltairism 
Voltairism (vnl-tfir'i/m), . [< Vnltitirr (see 
(Iff.) + -ixw.j Tlic principles or practice nf 
Voltaire: skepticism; infidelity. 
In I.iilher'n own country I'n.ti-stantixiii sunn dwindled 
into a rather barren ulfair, . . . UwMMnMof It MopUaal 
mill, iilii.n : \vhirll indeed h;i- jultgU-.l mint- ami IILMM- 
down to Vultaireism. Carlyle, Heroes, [v. 
voltalsm (voi'tji-i/iii), n. [< r<iitm* lef.) + 
-ixiii. ] That branch of elect rieal science which 
discusses tlm production of an electric current, 
by the chemical action liet \veen dissimilar met- 
ais immerse. I in a liquid. It In named from the 
Italian pliyniciat \'olt:i, wlnme rxpcriitn'iits contributed 
greatly t<> ilir rstiii.li-.lMu. MI of this brunch of science. 
See vwtaic. 
vqltaite (vol'tji-it), . [< Foft(see voltaic) + 
-ill-.] In mini ml., a hydrous sulphate of iron, 
occurring in isometric crystals of a green to 
black color: first found at the solfatara near 
Naples. 
voltameter (vol-tam'e-ter), n. [Irreg. < n>l- 
fri(iV) + (!r. nirpoi', measure.] An electrolytic 
cell arranged for quantitative measurement of 
the amount of decomposition produced by the 
passage through it of; an electric current, and 
hence used as an indirect means of measuring 
the strength of the current. 
voltametric (vol-ta-met'rik), a. Pertaining to 
or involving the use of a voltameter: as, vol- 
t<t in f trie measurement. 
volt-ammeter (volfara'c-ter),)!. 1. A combina- 
tion of a volt-meter and a transformer, for the 
measurement of alternating currents. The sec- 
ondary or thick-wire coll of the transformer Is included 
in the circuit through which the current passes, while the 
primary or thin-wire coll Is closed through the volt-meter. 
2. An instrument which can be used for mea- 
suring either volts or amperes. 
volt-ampere (v61t'am-par*)> n. The rate of 
working or activity in an electric circuit when 
the electromotive force is one volt and the cur- 
rent one ampere; a watt. 
voltaplast (vol'ta-plast), K. [< volta(ic) + Gr. 
jr/Kiorwf , verbal a3j. of irAdaoeir, mold.] A kind 
of voltaic battery used in electrotyping. 
Volta's pile. See battery, 8 (6). 
Volta's pistol. See pistol. 
voltatype (vol'ta-tip), . [< volta(ie) + Gr. 
ri'Toi;, type: see type.] Same as electrotype. 
volt-coulomb (volt'ko-lom"), n. Same as joule. 
volte, n. Plural of volta. 
volti (vol'ti), v. [It., impv. of voltare, turn, < L. 
rolrere, pp. valutas, turn: see volt 1 , valve.} In 
music, same as rrrte Voltl sublto. See verte <ro- 
bitu. 
voltigert (vol'ti-jer), n. [< F. voltigcur, a leap- 
er: see voltigeur.] Same as voltiyeur. 
The voltiffer of Ferrara was hut as an ape compared to 
him He was singularly skilful in leaping nimbly from 
one horse to another without putting foot to ground, and 
these horses were culled desuitories. 
Uryuhart, it. of Rabelais, I. 23. 
voltigeur (vol-ti-zber'), [F.,< voltiger, < It. vol- 
te(/giare,va.\M,<.volta,& turn, volt: see volt 1 .'] 1. 
A leaper; avaulter. 2. Formerly, in France, 
a member of a light-armed 
picked company, placed on 
the left of a battalion ; un- 
der the second empire, a 
member of one of several 
special infantry regiments. 
voltite (vol'tit),H. uielect., 
an insulating material con- 
sisting of a mixture of a 
specially prepared gelatin 
with resin-oil, oxidized lin- 
seed-oil, resin, and paraffin. 
volt-meter (volt'me'ter), 
. An electrometer, or a 
high-resistance galvanom- 
eter, or a galvanometer 
combined with a resis- 
tance calibrated so that 
its indications show the 
number of volts E. M. F. 
in the circuit between its 
terminals. The cut shows 
one form of volt-meter, 
for the construction of 
which see iniificri'-iiieter. 
voltot, ". [It. : see vault 1 .'} 
A vault. 
Entriug the church, admirable 
is the bredth of the valto or roofe. 
/.'.v/,,,,, IMary, Nov. 18, 1644. volt-meK.. 
Voltolini's disease. A dis- 
ease of childhood, characterized by cerebral 
symptoms, and followed by permanent deaf- 
ness. 
426 
67H5 
Vpltzia (volt'si-ii). . [XL., named after P. I,. 
I'/ilt: i ITs.'.-lMm. a Kvein-h mining engineer. | 
The ijenenc name (riven '>' Hruii(rniait (l*:>i 
to a fossil plant which first appem-ed in the 
I'ermian. and found also, in several localities, 
in the various divisions of the Knro|x-an Ti ia-, 
and iti rocks of the same age in India. rftria 
belongs to tttv Cnuffmr, and Is placeil l.y -ih.uk :mi..n t - 
tin. Taxodinete. It is a tree of coimi.l. ial.1.- li.inlil. ., 
ling Araucaria In general appearance, but havinu a 
frilctincatlnn analogous to that of the Taxudinr/r. The 
fossils called Cycliipterii Litbeana by Oelnltz are consid- 
ered by Kldstim as being. In all probability, the bracU of 
a cone of Voltzia. The (lluftnUint of Hchimper and the 
aluptulrpidium of llcer were also (In 1804) placed by 
M-ln-nk under Volttia. 
voltzine (volt'sin), i. [< Voltz (see Voltzia) 
+ -iii;-.] A rose-red, yellowish, or brownish 
opaque or subtransluceut mineral, occurring 
in implanted spherical globules with thin la- 
mellar structure. It is an oxysulphid of /.inc. 
voltzite (volt'sit), M. [< Fo/fc(see Voltzia) + 
-i (<'-.] Same as voltziuc. 
volubilate ( vol'u-bi-lat), . [< L. rolubili*, turn- 
ing (see voluble) + -ate 1 .] In hot., twining; 
voluble. 
VOlubile (vol'ii-bil), a. [Formerly also rolubil; 
< L. i-niiiliili.i, whirling, that is turned round : see 
riilubli:} If. Same as voluble, I. 
Tills leas tnlubU earth, 
By shorter flight to the east, had left him there. 
Milton, f. I., Ir. 594. 
2. In bot., same as voluble, 4. Encye. /frit., 
IV. 95. 
volubility (vol-u-biri-ti), . [< F. volubilitr. 
< L. volubilita(t-)s, a rapid whirling motion, 
fluency (of speech). < rolnbilit, whirling, volu- 
ble: see voluble.} 1. The state or character of 
being voluble in speech ; excessive fluency or 
readiness in speaking; unchecked flow of talk. 
A lacquey that runs on errands for him, and can whis- 
per a light message to a loose wench with some round 
volubility. B. Jonton, Cynthia's Rerels, L 1. 
He [the emperor] first attacked Cardinal Peach, ami, 
singularly enough, launched forth with uncommon tola 
bUity into a discussion on ecclesiastical principles and 
usages, without possessing the slightest notion, either 
historical or theological, of the subject. 
Hemom of Tallfyrand, in The Century, XLI. 701. 
2. A rolling or revolving; aptness to roll ; revo- 
lution; hence, mutability. 
Then celestial spheres should forget their wonted mo- 
tions, and by irregular volubility turn themselves any way, 
as It might happen. Hooker. 
Volubility of human aflalrs. Sir R. L'Ettrange. 
voluble (vol'u-bl), a. [< P. voluble = Sp. voluble 
= Pg. tolttvet = It. rolubile, < L. volubilis, that 
turns around, whirling, fluent (of speech), < 
volrere, pp. valutas, turn round or about : see 
rolre.] 1. Formed so as to roll with ease, or 
to be easily turned or set in motion; apt to 
roll; rolling; rotating; revolving. 
The most excellent of all the figures Geometrical is the 
round for his many perfections. First because he ia euen 
and smooth, without any angle or interruption, most rol- 
ublf and apt to turne, and to continue motion, which is 
the author of life. I'uttenham, Arte of Eng. 1'oesie, p. 81. 
V cares, like a ball, are voluble, and ran ; 
Houres, like false Vowes, no sooner spoke than done. 
Ueywood, Dialogues (Works, ed. Pearson, 1874, VI. 1 11 1 
Would yon like to hear yesterday's sermon over and 
over again eternally volublet Thackeray, Philip, xvIL 
2. Characterized by a great flow of words or by 
glibuess of utterance; speaking with plausible 
fluency : as, a voluble politician. 
Cassio, ... a knave very volatile. 
Skalr., Othello, II. 1. 242. 
A man's tongue is voluble, and pours 
Words out of all sorts ev'ry way. Such as you speak you 
hear. Chapman, Iliad, xx. 228. 
If a man hath a voluble Tongue, we say, He hath the gift 
of Prayer. StUeu. Table- Talk, p. 90. 
[Formerly it might he used of readiness and ease in speak- 
ing ithout the notion of excess. 
It (speech) ought to be voluble rpon the tongue, and 
tunable to the eare. 
I'uttrnhuiii, Arte of Eng. Poesle (ed. Arber), p. 168. 
He [Archbishop Abbot] was painful, stout, severe against 
bad manners, of a grave and voluble eloquence. 
Bp. Uadtet, Abp. Williams, i. 66. (Trench.)} 
3f. Changeable; mutable. 
He ... almost puts 
Faith in a fever, and deifies alone 
Voluble chance. 
Fletcher (and another), Two Noble Kinsmen, I. _'. 
4. In lint., of a twining habit; rising spirally 
around a support, as the hop. 
volubleness (vol'u-bl-nes), n. The character 
of being voluble ; volubility. 
volubly (vol'u-bli), adv. In a voluble or fluent 
manner. 
" O Gods," said he, " how volubly doth talk 
This eating gulf ! ' Chapman, Odyssey, xvlii. 41. 
volume 
Kails, ir* which, when set down on paper, are at 
ih I. < i.il, jia for unanswerable argument* when ! 
oualy and votvbtu urged Iti Pmli;ini. nt :it tin- bar, or in 
private conversation. Xaeaulay, II 
Volucella <vi.i-o -!'), . |M.. (iieoffi-oy. 
17f.li. < I.. fotUOfU, litt'eii for tli(?lit : see \',,iu- 
ri-.v. | A notable genus ( ,f s\rpliid Hies. M.me 
.I them mimicking l.nml.leliees in general np- 
]iearaiH ...mil parasitic, in the larval. -tali .upon 
thft larva* of these bees and in the m 
wasps. Forty-five species are known in Ninth 
America, and seven in Durupe. 
Volucresfvol'u-kre/.), w. pi. [NL.. < L. filiirir 
or i-iilucris, fitted for flight, winded, volitorial: 
as a noun, a bird; <ro/re,fly: see rnlnut. \ 1. In 
C. L. Bonaparte's classification of din I- < : 
the first tribe of the third order of /'rtwwrc*, em- 
bracing thoso lower /V'-vr/ > which form Sun- 
devall's scutelliplautar division of that order, 
together with all the picarian birds, it la an arti- 
ficial group, Insusceptible of definition, and corresponds 
exactly with no recognized group or groups : on the whole 
It agree* beat with Piearim as commonly accepted. 
2. In C. J. Sundevall'N clasnification. tin 
ond order of birds, agreeing in the main with 
the I'iearue as commonly understood, but in- 
cluding the parrots and pigeons. It U most 
nearly a synonym of the old /''< of Linneus. 
[Rare in both senses.] 
volucrine (vol'u-krin),n. [< L. voluerin, a1>ird, 
+ -1'nfi.] Pertaining to birds; bird-like. 
The votuerinr clamor continued unabated, and win u I 
came downstairs I was not surprised at the alght that 
awaited me. The passage was filled with hird-oagm. 
P. Jlabiumm, Under the Hun. p. 849. 
volume (vol'um), . [< F. volume = 8p. r- 
liimfH = Pg. It. volume, < L. volumen (volumiti-), 
a roll (as of a manuscript), < volvere, pp. ro/uf ux, 
roll round or about: see voluble.} 1. A writ- 
ten document (as of parchment, papyrus, or 
strips of bark) rolled up in a convenient form 
for keeping or use, such being anciently the 
prevailing form of the book; a roll; a scroll. 
Volume of the ancient type. 
Pentateuch of the Samaritans, uted in their Synagogue at Shechcm. 
The written sheets i 
termed an wnbilirim, 
the cornua, to which 
author was tied. Th< 
frequently anointed < 
tlve against Insects. 
In the volume (roll, 
In history a great 
tion. 
rere usually wound around a stick, 
the extremities of which were called 
a label containing the name of the 
; whole was placed in a wrapper, and 
ritb oil of cedarwood as a prcserva- 
R. V.) of the book It Is written. 
Heb. i. 7. 
volume is unrolled for our Instmc- 
Burlre, Rev. In France. 
Hence 2. A collection of written or printed 
sheets bound together, whether containing a 
single complete work, a part of a work, or more 
than one separate work; a book; a tome: as, 
a large volume; a work in six rulnim*. 
He furnlsh'd me 
From mine own library with rolvmft. 
Shot., Tempest, I. !. 167. 
They (men) cannot extinguish those lively character* of 
the power, wisdom, and goodness of God which are every 
where to be seen In the large volnmr of the Creation. 
SWingJIeet, Sermons, I. III. 
An odd volume of a set of books bear* not the value of 
its proportion to the set. FranHin. 
