好词典

mercurial

UK //mɜːˈkjʊə.ri.əl//US //mɝːˈkjʊr.i.əl//

词源

源自拉丁语 'mercurialis',与罗马神话中众神的信使墨丘利(Mercury)相关。墨丘利以速度和机敏著称,其名字也与化学元素汞(水银)相同,因其流动性而得名。

adjective

❶ 形容人性格多变、情绪波动大,像水银一样难以捉摸。常指突然的情绪或兴趣变化。

“Her mercurial temperament made it hard to predict her reactions.”

(她善变的性格让人难以预测她的反应。)

“The director was known for his mercurial decision-making style.”

(这位导演以反复无常的决策风格著称。)

❶ 与罗马神话中墨丘利神相关的,形容快速、灵活或机智的特质。

“The dancer's mercurial movements captivated the audience.”

(舞者水银般流畅的动作让观众着迷。)

“He solved the puzzle with mercurial speed.”

(他以极快的速度解开了这个谜题。)

同义词:changeable, volatile, fickle, unpredictable, capricious

常见短语

mercurial temperament — 指一个人情绪或性格反复无常,容易突然改变的状态。

“Working with someone who has a mercurial temperament can be challenging.”

(与情绪多变的人共事可能具有挑战性。)