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vary
From Wiktionary, the free dictionary
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English
Etymology
From Middle English varien, from Old French varier, from Latin variō (“to change, alter, make different”), from varius (“different, various”); see various.
Pronunciation
- (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˈvɛəɹi/
- (General American) IPA(key): /ˈvɛəɹi/, /ˈvæɹi/, /ˈvɛɹi/
Audio (US, without the Mary–marry–merry merger); /ˈvɛəɹi/: (file) Audio (US, without the Mary–marry–merry merger); /ˈvæɹi/: (file) Audio (US, Mary–marry–merry merger); /ˈvɛɹi/: (file)
- (General Australian) IPA(key): /ˈveːɹi/
- (New Zealand, without the cheer–chair merger) IPA(key): /ˈveəɹi/
- (New Zealand, cheer–chair merger) IPA(key): /ˈviəɹi/
- (Scotland) IPA(key): /ˈveɹɪ/, /ˈveɹe/
- (Lancashire, fair–fur merger) IPA(key): /ˈvɜːɹɪ/
- Rhymes: -ɛəɹi
- Rhymes: -æɹi
- Homophones: very (only in accents with the Mary–marry–merry merger); veery (cheer–chair merger)
Verb
vary (third-person singular simple present varies, present participle varying, simple past and past participle varied)
- (transitive) To change with time or a similar parameter.
- He varies his magic tricks so as to minimize the possibility that any given audience member will see the same trick twice.
- 1695, C[harles] A[lphonse] du Fresnoy, translated by John Dryden, De Arte Graphica. The Art of Painting, […], London: […] J[ohn] Heptinstall for W. Rogers, […], →OCLC:
- We are to vary the customs according to the time and country where the scene of action lies.
- (transitive) To institute a change in, from a current state; to modify.
- You should vary your diet. Eating just bread will do you harm in the end.
- a. 1687, Edmund Waller, to Phyllis
- Gods, that never change their state, / Vary oft their love and hate.
- (intransitive) Not to remain constant: to change with time or a similar parameter.
- His mood varies by the hour.
- The sine function varies between −1 and 1.
- 1712 (date written), [Joseph] Addison, Cato, a Tragedy. […], London: […] J[acob] Tonson, […], published 1713, →OCLC, Act I, scene iii, page 1:
- While fear and anger, with alternate grace, / Pant in her breast, and vary in her face.
- (of the members of a group, intransitive) To display differences.
- The sprouting tendency of potatoes varies between cultivars, years and places of growing.
- 1960 February, “The modernisation of Peterborough”, in Trains Illustrated, page 108:
- In the new layout, it is proposed to provide three island platforms with six platform faces varying from 1,075 to 1,290 ft. in length and including bays.
- (intransitive) To be or act different from the usual.
- I'm not comfortable with
3.Nc3in the Caro-Kann, so I decided to vary and playexd5.
- (transitive) To make of different kinds; to make different from one another; to diversify; to variegate.
- 1650, Thomas Browne, Pseudodoxia Epidemica: […], 2nd edition, London: […] A[braham] Miller, for Edw[ard] Dod and Nath[aniel] Ekins, […], →OCLC:
- God hath […] varied their inclinations.
- 1667, John Milton, “Book V”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC:
- God hath here / Varied his bounty so with new delights.
- (transitive, music) To embellish; to change fancifully; to present under new aspects, as of form, key, measure, etc. See variation.
- (intransitive, obsolete) To disagree; to be at variance or in dissension.
- 1623, John Webster, The Devil's Law Case:
- the rich jewel which we vary for
Synonyms
- (institute a change in): alter, change; See also Thesaurus:alter
- (not to remain constant): fluctuate
- (display differences): See also Thesaurus:differ
- (make of different kinds): See also Thesaurus:diversify
- (disagree): dissent, take exception
Derived terms
Translations
to change something with time or a similar parameter
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to institute a change in — see modify
not to remain constant
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to display difference
to act different from usual
- The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.
Translations to be checked
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Noun
vary (uncountable)
- (obsolete) alteration; change.
- c. 1603–1606, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of King Lear”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene ii]:
- With euery gall, and varry of their Masters,
Related terms
Further reading
- “vary”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
- William Dwight Whitney, Benjamin E[li] Smith, editors (1911), “vary”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., →OCLC.
Anagrams
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Czech
Pronunciation
Noun
vary
Malagasy
Etymology
Ultimately a blend from two etymologies:
- From Proto-Malayic *bəras (if completely inherited then the reflex would be *veza), Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *bəʀas, from Proto-Austronesian *bəʀas.
- From Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *pajay (“rice plant”), from Proto-Austronesian *pajay (“rice plant”). Compare Ma'anyan parei, Javanese ꦥꦫꦶ (pari), Malay padi and Tagalog palay.
False cognate of Telugu వరి (vari). Doublet of fary (“sugar cane”).
Pronunciation
Noun
vary
- rice (raw seeds used as food)
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