unstable

«unstable» in Mova's school dictionary: Likely to fall over, move or break; not steady — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples.

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 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

• 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.