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Webster 1913 Edition


Voluble

Vol′u-ble

,
Adj.
[L.
volubilis
, fr.
volvere
,
volutum
, to roll, to turn round; akin to Gr. [GREEK] to infold, to inwrap, [GREEK] to roll, G.
welle
a wave: cf. F.
voluble
. Cf. F.
Well
of water,
Convolvulus
,
Devolve
,
Involve
,
Revolt
,
Vault
an arch,
Volume
,
Volute
.]
1.
Easily rolling or turning; easily set in motion; apt to roll; rotating;
as,
voluble
particles of matter
.
2.
Moving with ease and smoothness in uttering words; of rapid speech; nimble in speaking; glib;
as, a flippant,
voluble
, tongue
.
[Cassio,] a knave very
voluble
.
Shakespeare
Voluble was used formerly to indicate readiness of speech merely, without any derogatory suggestion. “A grave and voluble eloquence.”
Bp. Hacket.
3.
Changeable; unstable; fickle.
[Obs.]
4.
(Bot.)
Having the power or habit of turning or twining;
as, the
voluble
stem of hop plants
.
Voluble stem
(Bot.)
,
a stem that climbs by winding, or twining, round another body.
Vol′u-ble-ness
,
Noun.
Vol′u-bly
,
adv.

Webster 1828 Edition


Voluble

VOL'UBLE

,
Adj.
[L. volubilis.]
1.
Formed so as to roll with ease, or to be easily set in motion; apt to roll; as voluble particles of matter.
2.
Rolling; having quick motion.
This less voluble earth.
3.
Nimble; active; moving with ease and smoothness in uttering words; fluent; as a flippant, voluble tongue.
4.
Fluent; flowing with ease and smoothness; as a voluble speech.
5.
Having fluency of speech.
Cassio, a knave very voluble.

Definition 2024


voluble

voluble

English

Adjective

voluble (comparative more voluble, superlative most voluble)

  1. (of a person or a manner of speaking) Fluent or having a ready flow of speech; garrulous or loquacious; tonguey.
    • c. 1595, William Shakespeare, Love's Labour's Lost, act 3, scene 1:
      A most acute juvenal; voluble and free of grace!
    • 1853, Charlotte Brontë, Villette, ch. 19:
      What fun shone in his eyes as he recalled some of her fine speeches, and repeated them, imitating her voluble delivery!
    • 1904, Jack London, The Sea Wolf, ch. 26:
      But Wolf Larsen seemed voluble, prone to speech as I had never seen him before.
  2. (of thoughts, feelings, or something that is expressed) Expressed readily or at length and in a fluent manner.
    • 1886, William Dean Howells, The Minister's Charge, ch. 6:
      [H]e heard the voice of the drunken woman, now sober, poured out in voluble remorse, and in voluble promise of amendment for the future, to every one who passed, if they would let her off easy.
    • 1910, H. H. Munro, "The Reticence of Lady Anne" in Reginald in Russia and Other Sketches:
      As a rule Lady Anne's displeasure became articulate and markedly voluble after four minutes of introductory muteness.
    • 1922, James Joyce, Ulysses, Episode 9:
      In the daylit corridor he talked with voluble pains of zeal.
  3. Easily rolling or turning; having a fluid, undulating motion.
    • 1935, Leonard Barnes, Zulu Paraclete: A Sentimental Record, Peter Davies, page 22:
      Seen from the west, their sky-line gallops away north and south like a sea-serpent in voluble motion.
  4. (botany) Twisting and turning like a vine.

Synonyms

Antonyms

Related terms

Translations


Spanish

Adjective

voluble m, f (plural volubles)

  1. Easily turned around
  2. Of inconstant character
  3. voluble (sense 4)