1. That may change; liable or subject to change; mutable, variable, inconstant.
a. 1340. Hampole, Psalter xxxviii[ix]. 8. All ere chawngeabil & passand. Ibid. (1340), Pr. Consc., 1413. Þe life of þis world es … ful variand and chaungeable.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Knt.’s T., 384. Fortune is chaungeable.
1587. Golding, De Mornay, iv. 44. It is certeine that he is vnchangeable, and that if he were not so the whole chaungeable nature should perish.
1600. Shaks., A. Y. L., III. ii. 431. A moonish youth [would] greeue, be effeminate, changeable, longing, and liking.
a. 1762. Lady M. W. Montague, Lett., lxix. 114. I have been very near leaving this changeable world.
1797. Encycl. Brit., s.v. Astron. II. 429/2. The most remarkable of these changeable stars.
1885. Manch. Exam., 10 Sept., 5/5. The weather was very changeable.
2. Liable to be changed (by others); alterable.
1461. Paston Lett., No. 404, II. 30. This chaungebyll rewle.
1604. H. Jacob, Reasons, 70. It is not Changeable by man, and therefore it only is lawfull.
1830. D’Israeli, Chas. I., III. xi. 247. Their places of meeting were changeable, and only known to their own party.
1836. J. Gilbert, Chr. Atonem., ix. (1852), 275. A merely arbitrary determination … changeable at pleasure.
3. Showing different colors under different aspects; ‘shot,’ changing-colored. arch.
1480. Wardr. Acc. Edw. IV. (1830), 116. Grene chaungeable velvet.
1550. Inv. Ch. Goods, in Norfolk Archæol. (1872), VII. 34. A cope of blew changeable sylke.
1580. Baret, Alv., 323. Pigeons haue feathers of changeable colours.
1589. R. Harvey, Pl. Perc., 12. Changeable coloured vrchins.
1601. Shaks., Twel. N., II. iv. 76. The Tailor make thy doublet of changeable Taffata, for thy minde is a very Opall.
1624. Inv., in Archæol., XLVIII. 136. Changable taffaty curtains.
1712. Budgell, Spect., No. 425, ¶ 3. A Robe of changeable Silk.
c. 1815. Moore, Irish Melod., Poet. Wks. II. 137. Love’s wing and the peacock’s are … both of them bright, but they’re changeable too.
† b. Variegated, parti-colored. Obs.
1614. Bp. Hall, Recoll. Treat., 960. Each one striues who shall lay the first hand vpon that changeable cote [Joseph’s], which was died with their Fathers loue, and their enuy.
† 4. Varying, various. Obs.
1535. Coverdale, 2 Esdr. vi. 44. Floures of chaungeable coloure and smell.
1572. Mascall, Govt. Cattle, Sheep (1627), 203. The shepheard must often driue them ouer changeable pastures and grounds whereas there is scant of feeding.
5. as sb. † a. A changeable fabric (see 3, 3 b). Obs. b. A changeable thing or person. rare.
1496. Will of Byllisdon (Somerset Ho.). Tartron or Sarsenet of Chaungeable.
1659. Feltham, Resolves, I. ix. 14. First went Lying, a smooth, painted huswife: clad all in Changeable.
a. 1711. Ken, Hymnar., Poet. Wks. 1721, II. 35. No Change … the Unchangeable affects, To his fix’d Glory God all Changeables directs.
1748. Richardson, Clarissa (1811), V. 298. The changelings, or changeables, if thou like that word better.
