volubilityn.
/ˌvɒljᵿˈbɪlᵻti/, U.S. /ˌvɑljəˈbɪlᵻdi/ I. Quickness or readiness of movement; mutability.† 1. † b. Ready variation of expression. Obsolete. rare.† 3. Capacity for moving in an easy or gliding manner. Obsolete.† 4. Tendency to change or turn from one condition to another; changeableness, mutability, inconstancy. Obsolete.
a. Quickness in turning from one object to another; versatility. Obsolete. rare.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > ability > [noun] > many-sidedness or versatility
volubility1579
ambidexterity1593
versatilousness1640
versatileness1654
versability1672
versatilitya1773
versatility1798
flexility1815
manysidedness1831
Crichtonism1854
multisidedness1903
omnicompetence1937
1579 G. Fenton tr. F. Guicciardini Hist. Guicciardin i. 4 The wisedome and reputacion of the man togither with the naturall volubilitie of his witte.
1605 F. Bacon Of Aduancem. Learning ii. sig. Rr4 Orators..by the obseruing their well graced fourmes of speech..leese the volubilitie of Application. View more context for this quotation
ΘΚΠ
the world > life > the body > external parts of body > head > face > face with expression or expression > [noun] > variation of expression
volubility1659
mobility1839
1659 J. Harrington Valerius & Publicola 18 If you speak of Israel, Athens, Rome, Venice, or the like, they hear you with volubility of countenance.
2.
a. The capacity of revolving, rolling, or turning round; aptness to rotate about an axis or centre.
ΘΚΠ
the world > movement > motion in specific manner > revolution or rotation > [noun] > capacity for
volubility1593
verticity1672
revolvency1785
1593 R. Hooker Of Lawes Eccl. Politie i. iii. 53 If celestiall spheres should forget their wonted motions and by irregular volubilitie, turne themselues any way as it might happen.
1601 P. Holland tr. Pliny Hist. World I. 31 The world with continuall volubilitie and turning about it, driveth the..globe thereof into the forme of a round ball.
1656 T. Stanley Hist. Philos. II. viii. 26 He who thrust the Cylinder, gave it the beginning of motion, but did not give it volubility.
1687 A. Lovell tr. C. de Bergerac Comical Hist. 86 It began to be out of my power any more to discern the Diversity of their several Motions by reason of their extream Volubility.
1705 C. Purshall Ess. Mechanism Macrocosm 296 They lose their Fluidity, which depends upon the Volubility of Globular Particles at liberty.
1740 G. Cheyne Ess. Regimen 75 Blood Globules, by their Rotundity, Volubility, and Elasticity, resist Trituration, that is, Digestion.
1754 Dict. Arts & Sci. at Needle In the construction of the horizontal needle a piece of pure steel is provided, of a length not exceeding six inches, lest its weight impede its volubility.
1871 R. Browning Prince Hohenstiel-Schwangau 132 Under pretence of making fast and sure The inch [of ascent] gained by late volubility.
b. Of the eye: readiness in moving. rare.
ΘΚΠ
the world > life > the body > external parts of body > head > face > eye > [noun] > movements of eye
rollinga1500
volubility1603
flexion1626
roving1658
eye-rolling1837
run1837
sursumversion1897
extorsion1899
vergence1902
eye-roll1928
1603 P. Holland tr. Plutarch Morals 1275 The cheerefull cast & amiable volubility of his quicke eie.
ΘΚΠ
the world > movement > progressive motion > specific manner of progressive motion > [noun] > smoothly > capacity for
volubility1605
1605 F. Bacon Of Aduancem. Learning ii. sig. Vv4 Except men know exactly all the conditions of the Serpent:..his volubility and lubricity. View more context for this quotation
1610 J. Guillim Display of Heraldrie iii. xviii. 153 Such Creatures..which..as it were slide from place to place, some more slowlie, but othersome with a certaine Volubility and flexible Agitation of the Bodie.
1653 T. Watson Αυταρκεια xi. 184 The Poets painted time with wings, to shew the volubility and swiftnesse of it.
a. Of persons.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > will > decision > irresolution or vacillation > inconstancy > [noun]
unsteadfastnessa1300
falsenessc1330
unstablenessc1380
varyingc1380
inconstancec1386
variance1390
geriness1412
instabilityc1422
changeability?a1425
mutabilitya1425
changec1425
changeableness1447
unconstancec1449
unstabilitya1470
mutableness1481
unsureness1481
instableness1483
variation1509
inconstancy1526
shittleness1530
fickleness1548
unconstancy1548
unconstantness1551
inconstantness?a1562
pliableness1562
fast and loose1575
volubility1603
levity1604
unconstability1611
flexibleness1623
vagrancy1642
self-inconsistency1655
inconsistency1665
flittingnessa1680
easiness1705
inconsistence1713
versatility1755
contrariety1762
vibration1785
changefulness1791
girouettism1825
pirouettism1839
weathercockism1843
pirouettiveness1844
volatileness1849
unfixity1856
ficklety1888
1603 J. Florio tr. M. de Montaigne Ess. ii. i. 195 Whosoever shall heedefully survay and consider himselfe, shall finde this volubilitie and discordance to be in himselfe.
1613 A. Sherley Relation Trav. Persia 136 The world by taking notice of your infirmitie will alwayes feare volubilitie in all your actions.
a1660 Aphorismical Discov. in J. T. Gilbert Contemp. Hist. Ireland (1879) I. 204 All the lawe, phisicke, and poetrie in the world canot cure or amende the flexibilitie, volubilitie, inconstancie, and treacherie of this man.
b. Of fortune or affairs.
ΘΚΠ
the world > time > change > alternation > change of fortune > [noun]
foldingc1440
mail-wryc1475
varietya1533
volubility1609
1609 P. Holland tr. Ammianus Marcellinus Rom. Hist. 286 The volubilitie of inconstant fortune produceth these occurrences in the East parts.
1670 R. Graham Angliæ Speculum Morale 1 All affairs do resemble the great Machines of Heaven and Earth, in their motion and volubility.
1699 T. Cockman tr. Cicero Offices i. xxvi. 88 The great Volubility and Changeableness of Fortune.
II. Capacity for or ease of utterance; garrulousness.
5.
a. Ready flow of speech, etc.
ΚΠ
1589 G. Puttenham Arte Eng. Poesie ii. v. 64 Which flowing of wordes with much volubilitie smoothly proceeding from the mouth is in some sort harmonicall.
1653 Bp. J. Taylor Ενιαυτος: Course of Serm. i. ii. 15 Some men..explicate our praying in the Spirit, by a mere volubilty [sic] of language.
1656 T. Stanley Hist. Philos. II. v. 159 Cicero being at Athens heard him, and was much taken with the eloquence and volubility of his discourse.
1704 Clarendon's Hist. Rebellion III. xvi. 556 The General was not a Man of Eloquence or Volubility of Speech.
1726 Bp. J. Butler 15 Serm. iv. 64 This unrestrained Volubility and Wantonness of Speech is the Occasion of numberless Evils.
1791 W. Cowper tr. Homer Odyssey in Iliad & Odyssey II. xviii. 32 Gods! with what volubility of speech The table hunter prates.
1828 C. Lamb Old Margate Hoy in Elia 2nd Ser. 31 A..young man..with..an insuppressible volubility of assertion.
1836 C. Thirlwall Hist. Greece III. 11 The sweetness of voice, and the volubility of utterance, with which both [Pisistratus and Cimon] expressed themselves.
b. Smooth, easy, or copious flow of verse or poetic utterance.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > language > speech > [noun] > flow of speech > quality of flowing
volubility1589
society > leisure > the arts > literature > poetry > versification > rhythm > [noun] > rhythmic flow
volubility1589
run1693
1589 T. Nashe To Students in R. Greene Menaphon Epist. sig. ** The spacious volubilitie of a drumming decasillabon.
1751 S. Johnson Rambler No. 92. ⁋11 The verse intended to represent the whisper of the vernal breeze, must be confessed not much to excel in softness or volubility.
1779 S. Johnson Pomfret in Pref. Wks. Eng. Poets IV. 3 In his other poems there is an easy volubility.
6. The character or state of being voluble in speech; great fluency of language; readiness of speech; garrulousness.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > language > speech > loquacity or talkativeness > [noun]
overspeecheOE
tongue-itch1540
multiloquy1542
long tongue1557
garrulity1581
slipperiness1589
polylogy1602
volubility1602
loquacity1603
lubricity1603
tonguiness1607
overspeakinga1610
talkativeness1609
philology1623
tongue-vice1628
glibness1633
futility1640
linguacity1656
garrulousness1727
linguosity1727
loquaciousness1727
multiloquiousness1727
jaw1748
multiloquence1760
flippancy1789
verbal diarrhoea1808
magpiety1832
big mouth1834
pleniloquence1838
chattiness1876
open-mouthedness1883
gabbiness1887
garrulance1890
irreticence1919
talkiness1934
ear-bashing1945
mee-mawing1974
1602 J. Marston Hist. Antonio & Mellida ii. sig. C4v You haue the most gracefull presence,..amazing volubility,..delicious affabilitie.
a1616 W. Shakespeare Taming of Shrew (1623) ii. i. 175 Say she be mute, and will not speake a word, Then Ile commend her volubility . View more context for this quotation
1670 G. Havers tr. G. Leti Il Cardinalismo di Santa Chiesa i. i. 13 It was my fortune to hear a Franciscan Preach.., but with more Volubility than Virtue.
1710 R. Steele Tatler No. 115. ⁋5 His great Volubility and inimitable Manner of Speaking.
1751 S. Johnson Rambler No. 157. ⁋8 Long familiarity with my subject enabled me to discourse with ease and volubility.
1781 Compl. Mod. London Spy 118 The following account, which she delivered with great volubility.
1826 F. Reynolds Life & Times II. 11 He took the lead in conversation, and his natural volubility, increased by sudden joy, carried all before it.
1855 T. B. Macaulay Hist. Eng. III. xi. 25 Before he had been a member three weeks, his volubility, his asperity, and his pertinacity had made him conspicuous.
1875 H. James Mme. de Mauves i Her volubility was less suggestive than the latter's silence.
7.
a. Extreme readiness of the tongue in respect of speech or discourse.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > language > speech > loquacity or talkativeness > [noun] > readiness of tongue
volubility1612
1612 W. Martyn Youths Instr. 99 The volubilitie of a smooth tongue is nothing profitable.
1650 R. Stapleton tr. F. Strada De Bello Belgico iii. 67 A Counsellour of great subtilty and volubility of tongue.
1699 S. Garth Dispensary iii. 36 Both had the Volubility of Tongue, In Meaning faint, but in Opinion strong.
1711 R. Steele Spectator No. 252. ⁋3 You have mentioned only the Volubility of their Tongue.
1755 T. Smollett tr. M. de Cervantes Don Quixote I. iv. i. 197 All this preamble was uttered..with such volubility of tongue..that they admired her good sense as much as her beauty.
b. Similarly of the throat, voice, etc.
ΚΠ
1740 C. Cibber Apol. Life C. Cibber xii. 225 In Volubility of Throat, the former [singer] had much the Superiority.
1769 O. Goldsmith Rom. Hist. II. 225 He..used all those methods which singers practice, either to mend the voice, or improve its volubility.
1884 Encycl. Brit. XVII. 98/2 These [harmonics on horns and trumpets] they executed with volubility akin to that displayed on fingered instruments.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1920; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
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