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capricious
used in Leaves of Grass

7 uses
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Definition
impulsive or unpredictable or tending to make sudden changes — especially impulsive behavior
  • Thy unsubduedness, caprices, wilfulness
    Book 34 — SANDS AT SEVENTY (22% in)
caprices = impulsive acts
  • Sea of stretch'd ground-swells, Sea breathing broad and convulsive breaths, Sea of the brine of life and of unshovell'd yet always-ready graves, Howler and scooper of storms, capricious and dainty sea, I am integral with you, I too am of one phase and of all phases.
    Book 3 — Song of Myself (35% in)
  • Come I am determin'd to unbare this broad breast of mine, I have long enough stifled and choked; Emblematic and capricious blades I leave you, now you serve me not, I will say what I have to say by itself, I will sound myself and comrades only, I will never again utter a call only their call, I will raise with it immortal reverberations through the States, I will give an example to lovers to take permanent shape and will through the States, Through me shall the words be said to make...
    Book 5 — CALAMUS (9% in)
  • ...Musing, pondering, a breath, a briny tear, a dab of liquid or soil, Up just as much out of fathomless workings fermented and thrown, A limp blossom or two, torn, just as much over waves floating, drifted at random, Just as much for us that sobbing dirge of Nature, Just as much whence we come that blare of the cloud-trumpets, We, capricious, brought hither we know not whence, spread out before you, You up there walking or sitting, Whoever you are, we too lie in drifts at your feet.
    Book 19 — SEA-DRIFT (58% in)
  • Not for the bards of the past, not to invoke them have I launch'd you forth, Not to call even those lofty bards here by Ontario's shores, Have I sung so capricious and loud my savage song.
    Book 23 — By Blue Ontario's Shore.... (96% in)
  • The Mystic Trumpeter 1 Hark, some wild trumpeter, some strange musician, Hovering unseen in air, vibrates capricious tunes to-night.
    Book 32 — FROM NOON TO STARRY NIGHT (22% in)
  • Red Jacket (From Aloft) Upon this scene, this show, Yielded to-day by fashion, learning, wealth, (Nor in caprice alone—some grains of deepest meaning,) Haply, aloft, (who knows?
    Book 34 — SANDS AT SEVENTY (25% in)

There are no more uses of "capricious" in Leaves of Grass.

Typical Usage  (best examples)
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