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liquid

 - 10 dictionary results

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.
Use liquid in a Sentence
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. 2010.
Cite This Source Link To liquid
liq·uid   (lĭk'wĭd)   
n.  

    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.

  2. Linguistics A consonant articulated without friction and capable of being prolonged like a vowel, such as English l and r.

adj.  

  1. Of or being a liquid.

  2. Having been liquefied, especially:

    1. Melted by heating: liquid wax.

    2. Condensed by cooling: liquid oxygen.

  3. Flowing readily; fluid: added milk to make the batter more liquid.

  4. Having a flowing quality without harshness or abrupt breaks: liquid prose; the liquid movements of a Balinese dancer.

  5. Linguistics Articulated without friction and capable of being prolonged like a vowel.

  6. Clear and shining: the liquid brown eyes of a spaniel.

  7. 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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Cultural Dictionary

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.
Cite This Source
Word Origin & History

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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Financial Dictionary

liquid

  1. 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.

  2. 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.


Wall Street Words: An A to Z Guide to Investment Terms by David L. Scott.
Copyright © 2003. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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Legal Dictionary

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
Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law, © 1996 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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Medical Dictionary

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
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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liquid liq·uid (lĭk'wĭd)
n.

  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.

adj.

  1. Of or being a liquid.

  2. Having been liquefied, especially melted by heating or condensed by cooling.

  3. Flowing readily; fluid.

liq'uid·ly adv.
liq'uid·ness n.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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Science Dictionary
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.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
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