MERCURY

a heavy, silver-white metallic element that is liquid at ordinary temperatures; quicksilver. Ingestion of mercury (for example, by eating fish caught in polluted waters) can damage the central nervous system, causing tremors and poor coordination and, in severe cases, brain damage. —All About Radiation Glossary. Final approval 27.9.89

a line of American cars produced by the Ford Motor Company (an American automobile company founded in 1903). Introduced in the late 1930s, the Mercury (of which there were four initial models), was in the medium price range of the Ford lineup, falling in between the luxury Lincoln and the low-price Ford. Upon release, the car became an instant success and more than 70,000 were sold in the first year. The Mercury line continued to be a successful line for many years.the name of a type of automobile produced by the Ford Motor Company.