Liquid definition | Dictionary.com

liq⋅uid

[lik-wid]

–adjective

1.	composed of molecules that move freely among themselves but do not tend to separate like those of gases; neither gaseous nor solid.

2.	of, pertaining to, or consisting of liquids: a liquid diet.

3.	flowing like water.

4.	clear, transparent, or bright: liquid eyes.

5.	(of sounds, tones, etc.) smooth; agreeable; flowing freely: the liquid voice of a trained orator.

6.	in cash or readily convertible into cash without significant loss of principal: liquid assets.

7.	Phonetics. characterizing a frictionless speech sound pronounced with only a partial obstruction of the breath stream and whose utterance can be prolonged as that of a vowel, esp. l and r.

8.	(of movements, gestures, etc.) graceful; smooth; free and unconstricted: the ballerina's liquid arabesques.

–noun

9.	a liquid substance.

10.	Phonetics. either r or l, and sometimes m, n, ng.

Origin:
1350–1400; ME liquyd < L liquidus, equiv. to liqu(ēre) to be liquid + -idus -id ⁴

Related forms:

liq⋅uid⋅ly, adverb

liq⋅uid⋅ness, noun

Synonyms:
1. Liquid, fluid agree in referring to matter that is not solid. Liquid commonly refers to substances, as water, oil, alcohol, and the like, that are neither solids nor gases: Water ceases to be a liquid when it is frozen or turned to steam. Fluid is applied to anything that flows, whether liquid or gaseous: Pipes can carry fluids from place to place.

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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Link To Liquid

liq·uid (lĭk'wĭd)

1. The state of matter in which a substance exhibits a characteristic readiness to flow, little or no tendency to disperse, and relatively high incompressibility.
2. Matter or a specific body of matter in this state.
Linguistics A consonant articulated without friction and capable of being prolonged like a vowel, such as English l and r.

adj.

Of or being a liquid.
Having been liquefied, especially:
1. Melted by heating: liquid wax.
2. Condensed by cooling: liquid oxygen.
Flowing readily; fluid: added milk to make the batter more liquid.
Having a flowing quality without harshness or abrupt breaks: liquid prose; the liquid movements of a Balinese dancer.
Linguistics Articulated without friction and capable of being prolonged like a vowel.
Clear and shining: the liquid brown eyes of a spaniel.
Readily convertible into cash: liquid assets.

[From Middle English, of a liquid, from Old French liquide, from Latin liquidus, from liquēre, to be liquid.]
liq'uid·ly adv., liq'uid·ness n.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Liquid

Liq"uid\ (l[i^]k"w[i^]d), a. [L. liquidus, fr. liquere to be fluid or liquid; cf. Skr. r[=i] to ooze, drop, l[=i] to melt.]

1. Flowing freely like water; fluid; not solid.

Yea, though he go upon the plane and liquid water which will receive no step. --Tyndale.

2. (Physics) Being in such a state that the component parts move freely among themselves, but do not tend to separate from each other as the particles of gases and vapors do; neither solid nor a["e]riform; as, liquid mercury, in distinction from mercury solidified or in a state of vapor.

3. Flowing or sounding smoothly or without abrupt transitions or harsh tones. "Liquid melody." --Crashaw.

4. Pronounced without any jar or harshness; smooth; as, l and r are liquid letters.

5. Fluid and transparent; as, the liquid air.

6. Clear; definite in terms or amount.[Obs.] "Though the debt should be entirely liquid." --Ayliffe.

Liquid glass. See Soluble glass, under Glass.

Liquid

Liq"uid\, n. 1. A substance whose parts change their relative position on the slightest pressure, and therefore retain no definite form; any substance in the state of liquidity; a fluid that is not a["e]riform.

Note: Liquid and fluid are terms often used synonymously, but fluid has the broader signification. All liquids are fluids, but many fluids, as air and the gases, are not liquids.

2. (Phon.) A letter which has a smooth, flowing sound, or which flows smoothly after a mute; as, l and r, in bla, bra. M and n also are called liquids.

Liquid measure, a measure, or system of measuring, for liquids, by the gallon, quart, pint, gill, etc.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Language Translation for : Liquid

Spanish: líquido,

German: flüssig,

Japanese: 液体の

More Translations »

liquid

A phase of matter in which atoms or molecules can move freely while remaining in contact with one another. A liquid takes the shape of its container. (Compare gas and solid.)

The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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liquid (adj.)

1382, from O.Fr. liquide, from L. liquidus "fluid, liquid, moist," from liquere "be fluid," related to liqui "to melt, flow." Of sounds, from 1637. Financial sense of "capable of being converted to cash" is first recorded 1818. The noun is 1709, from the adj.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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liquid

Of, relating to, or being an asset that may be bought or sold in a short period of time with relatively small price changes engendered by the transaction. A U.S. Treasury bill is an example of a very liquid asset. (Many issues of municipal bonds are not very liquid.) Compare illiquid 1.
Of, relating to, or being an investment position in which most of the assets are in money or near money. This kind of position generally earns a relatively low return but allows the investor to take advantage of other investment opportunities.

Main Entry: liq·uid
Function: adjective
1 a : consisting of cash or capable of ready conversion into cash <liquid assets> b : capable of covering current liabilities out of current assets esp. in a rapid manner liquid insurer>
2 : of or relating to a security or commodity with enough shares or units outstanding to hinder significant price variation from large transactions

Main Entry: ¹liq·uid
Pronunciation: 'lik-w&d
Function: adjective
1 : flowing freely like water
2 : havingthe properties of a liquid : being neither solid nor gaseous

Main Entry: ²liquid
Function: noun
: a fluid (as water) that has no independent shape but has a definite volume and does not expand indefinitely and that isonly slightly compressible

liquid liq·uid (lĭk'wĭd)
n.

The state of matter in which a substance exhibits a characteristic readiness to flow, little or no tendency to disperse, and relatively high incompressibility.
Matter or a specific body of matter in this state.

adj.

Of or being a liquid.
Having been liquefied, especially melted by heating or condensed by cooling.
Flowing readily; fluid.

liq'uid·ly adv.
liq'uid·ness n.

liquid (lĭk'wĭd) Pronunciation Key
One of four main states of matter, composed of molecules that can move about in a substance but are bound loosely together by intramolecular forces. Unlike a solid, a liquid has no fixed shape, but instead has a characteristic readiness to flow and therefore takes on the shape of any container. Because pressure transmitted at one point is passed on to other points, a liquid usually has a volume that remains constant or changes only slightly under pressure, unlike a gas.

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