vers able ness (versablnes)

The character or state of being versable; versability. versalt (ver's al), a. [Abbr. of universal. Cf. varsal.] Universal; whole. She looks as pale as any clout in the versal world. Shak., R. and J., ii. 4. 219. Some, for brevity, Have cast the versal world's nativity. S. Butler, Hudibras, II. iii. 930. IMG:content-1798.png:[blocks in formation] The Bishop of London is... thoroughly versant in ecclesiastical law. Sydney Smith, First Letter to Archdeacon Singleton. [( Davies.) 2. In her., carrying the wings erect and open. It is generally held to be the same as elevated and pur suant, but seems to refer especially to a display of the under surface of the wings. II. n. All that part of a country which slopes or inclines in one direction; the general lie or slope of surface; aspect. versatile (ver'sa-til), a. [ versatile = Sp. versátil = Pg. versatil = It. versatile , satilis , revolving, movable, versatile, versare , turn: see versel, v.] 1. Capable of being moved or turned round: as, a versatile spindle. At ye Royall Society Sr Wm Petty propos'd divers things for the improvement of shipping: a versatile keele that should be on hinges. Evelyn , Diary, Nov. 20, 1661. He had a versatile timber house built in Mr. Hart's garden (opposite to St. James's parke) to try the experiment. He would turne it to the sun, and sit towards it. Aubrey , Lives (James Harrington). Versatile and sharp-piercing, like a screw. W. Harte, Eulogies. 2. Changeable; variable; unsteady; inconstant. Those versatile representations in the neck of a dove. Glanville. 3. Turning with ease from one thing to another; readily applying one's self to a new task, or to various subjects; many-sided: as, a versatile writer; a versatile actor. An adventurer of versatile parts, sharper, coiner, false witne , sham bail, dancing-master, buffoon, poet, come dian. Macaulay , Hist. Eng., vii. Conspicuous among the youths of high promise... was the quick and versatile Montague. Macaulay , Hist. Eng., xx. The versatile mind, ever ready to turn its attention in a new and unexplored quarter. J. Sully , Outlines of Psychol., p. 97. 4. In bot., swinging or turning freely on a support: especially noting an anther fixed by the middle on the apex of the filament, and swinging freely to and fro. See cuts under anther and lily.-5. In ornith., specifically, reversible: noting any toe of a bird which may be turned either forward or backward. It is advantageous to a bird of prey to be able to spread the toes as widely as po ible, that the talons may seize the prey like a set of grappling irons; and accordingly the toes are widely divergent from each other, the outer one in the owls and a few hawks being quite versatile. Coues, Key to N. A. Birds, p. 130. 6. In entom., moving freely up and down or laterally: as, versatile antenne. - Versatile dementia, a form of dementia in which the patient is talkative and restle , often with a tendency to destroy, with out reason, any objects within his reach. - Versatile head, in entom., a head that can be freely moved in every direction. versatilely (ver'sa-til-li), adv. In a versatile manner. versatilene (vėr'sa-til-nes), n. The state or quality of being versatile; versatility. versatility (ver-sa-til'i-ti), n. [ blene . The evils of inconstancy and versatility , ten you sand times worse than those of obstinacy and the blindest prejudice. Burke , Rev. in France. 2. The faculty of easily turning one's mind to new tasks or subjects; facility in taking up various pursuits or lines of thought or action; versatilene : as, the versatility of genius. I do not mean the force alone, The grace and versatility of the man. Tennyson, Lance lot and Elaine. 3. Specifically, in ornith., capability of turning either backward or forward, as a toe; the versatile movement of such a digit. vers at i on (vèr-sā'shon), n. A turning or winding. Blount, 1670. [ Verschoor