vary
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
English[edit]
Etymology[edit]
From Middle English varien, from Old French varier, from Latin variō (“to change, alter, make different”), from varius (“different, various”); see various.
Pronunciation[edit]
- (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˈvɛəɹi/
- (General American) IPA(key): /ˈvɛəɹi/, /ˈvæɹi/, /ˈvɛɹi/
(Mary–marry–merry distinction)Audio (US) (file)
(Mary–marry–merry distinction)Audio (US) (file)
(Mary–marry–merry merger)Audio (US) (file) - Rhymes: -ɛəɹi
- Homophone: very (accents with the Mary-marry-merry merger)
- Rhymes: -æɹi
Verb[edit]
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 diversity; 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], […], →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[edit]
- (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[edit]
Translations[edit]
to change something with time or a similar parameter
|
to institute a change in — see modify
not to remain constant
|
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
|
Noun[edit]
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[edit]
Further reading[edit]
- “vary”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
- “vary”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.
Anagrams[edit]
Czech[edit]
Pronunciation[edit]
Noun[edit]
vary
Malagasy[edit]
Etymology[edit]
- From Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *bəʀas, from Proto-Austronesian *bəʀas.
- From Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *pajay (“rice plant”), from Proto-Austronesian *pajay (“rice plant”). Doublet of fary (“sugar cane”). Compare Ma'anyan parei, Javanese ꦥꦫꦶ (pari), Malay padi and Tagalog palay.
Pronunciation[edit]
Noun[edit]
vary
- rice ((raw) seeds used as food)
Categories:
- English terms inherited from Middle English
- English terms derived from Middle English
- English terms derived from Old French
- English terms derived from Latin
- English 2-syllable words
- English terms with IPA pronunciation
- English terms with audio links
- Rhymes:English/ɛəɹi
- Rhymes:English/ɛəɹi/2 syllables
- English terms with homophones
- Rhymes:English/æɹi
- Rhymes:English/æɹi/2 syllables
- English lemmas
- English verbs
- English transitive verbs
- English terms with usage examples
- English terms with quotations
- English intransitive verbs
- en:Music
- English terms with obsolete senses
- English nouns
- English uncountable nouns
- Czech terms with IPA pronunciation
- Czech non-lemma forms
- Czech noun forms
- Malagasy terms inherited from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian
- Malagasy terms derived from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian
- Malagasy terms inherited from Proto-Austronesian
- Malagasy terms derived from Proto-Austronesian
- Malagasy doublets
- Malagasy terms with IPA pronunciation
- Malagasy lemmas
- Malagasy nouns