unstable
part of speech
adjective (unstable; more unstable, most unstable)
meaning for a pupil
1) Likely to fall over, move or break; not steady. tree →
2) Likely to change suddenly: unstable weather or prices. tree →
3) (science) Likely to change or break down into something else: an unstable chemical. tree →
4) (of a person's mood) Changing quickly and hard to predict. tree →
sense in the lessons
In the Tanakh and Jewish tradition: In Jacob's blessing, Reuben is "unstable as water," meaning hasty and not steady. Interpretation: Jacob says Reuben loses his place as firstborn because of the wrong he did. The tradition reads his lack of self-control as the reason he loses leadership. In the primary lessons: In science and design lessons: a tall thin tower is unstable; a wide base makes it stable. In safety: unstable cliffs, ice or ladders are dangerous. In news: unstable prices or governments. Phrases: «unstable ground», «emotionally unstable».
examples
- Unstable as water, have not thou the excellency; because thou wentest up to thy father's bed; then defiledst thou it — he went up to my couch. (Torah GEN.49.4, JPS 1917) tree →
- The tower of blocks was unstable and fell over. tree →
- Keep away from the unstable cliff edge. tree →
- The ice on the pond is unstable, so don't walk on it. tree →
- Some chemicals are unstable and can explode. tree →
- Food prices have been unstable this year. tree →
- A three-legged stool with one short leg is unstable. tree →
note
Takes «an». Opposite: stable, steady. Science fact: a lower centre of gravity and a wider base make things more stable. Calling a person «unstable» is a serious and often unkind label.
Trees and pragmatics
Every meaning and example of «unstable» parsed by Mova, each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.