Unstable — Un*sta ble, a. [Cf. {Instable}.] Not stable; not firm, fixed, or constant; subject to change or overthrow. {Un*sta ble*ness}, n. Chaucer. [1913 Webster] {Unstable equilibrium}. See {Stable equilibrium}, under {Stable}. [1913 Webster] … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
unstable — index aleatory (uncertain), capricious, dangerous, ephemeral, faithless, fallible, inconsistent, indefi … Law dictionary
unstable — early 13c., apt to move, from UN (Cf. un ) (1) not + STABLE (Cf. stable) (adj.). Cf. M.H.G. unstabel. Meaning liable to fall is recorded from c.1300; sense of fickle is attested from late 13c. An O.E. word for this was feallendlic, which might… … Etymology dictionary
unstable — *inconstant, fickle, capricious, mercurial Analogous words: *changeable, variable, mutable, protean: volatile, effervescent, buoyant, resilient, *elastic Antonyms: stable … New Dictionary of Synonyms
unstable — is the standard negative form of stable, but the corresponding noun is instability, not un . See in and un … Modern English usage
unstable — / unsteady [adj] doubtful, weak ambiguous, borderline, capricious, changeable, dizzy, dubious, erratic, fickle, fitful, fluctuating, giddy, inconsistent, inconstant, insecure, irrational, lubricious, mercurial, mobile, movable, moving, mutable,… … New thesaurus
unstable — ► ADJECTIVE (unstabler, unstablest) 1) prone to change or collapse; not stable. 2) prone to psychiatric problems or sudden changes of mood … English terms dictionary
unstable — [unstā′bəl] adj. [ME] not stable; specif., a) not fixed, firm, or steady; easily upset or unbalanced b) changeable; variable; fluctuating c) unreliable; fickle d) emotionally unsettled e) Chem. tending to decompose or change into other compounds … English World dictionary
unstable — UK [ʌnˈsteɪb(ə)l] / US adjective 1) an unstable person becomes angry or upset often and very suddenly My father wasn t a bad man, but he was emotionally unstable. 2) an unstable government changes often and must deal with a lot of fighting and… … English dictionary
unstable — un|sta|ble [ʌnˈsteıbəl] adj 1.) likely to change suddenly and become worse →↑instability ▪ The political situation is still very unstable. ▪ an unstable relationship 2.) something that is unstable is likely to move or fall 3.) someone who is… … Dictionary of contemporary English
