vary

vary
\ \ [14] Latin varius meant ‘speckled, variegated, changeable’ (it gave English various [16], and may have been related to Latin vārusbent, crooked, knock-kneed’, source of English prevaricate). It had a range of derivatives, which have given English variable [14], variance [14], variant [14], variegate [17], variety [16], variolasmallpox’ [18] (which retains the original notion of ‘speckling’), and vary.
\ \ Cf.PREVARICATE, VARIEGATE, VARIETY, VARIOLA, VARIOUS

Word origins - 2ed. . 2005.

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  • vary — var‧y [ˈveəri ǁ ˈveri] verb varied PTandPP 1. [intransitive, transitive] if rates, costs, prices etc vary, or something varies them, they change when economic conditions change: • Many professional investors vary the proportions of their… …   Financial and business terms

  • Vary — Va ry, v. i. 1. To alter, or be altered, in any manner; to suffer a partial change; to become different; to be modified; as, colors vary in different lights. [1913 Webster] That each from other differs, first confess; Next, that he varies from… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Vary — Va ry, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Varied}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Varying}.] [OE. varien, F. varier, L. variare, fr. varius various. See {Various}, and cf. {Variate}.] [1913 Webster] 1. To change the aspect of; to alter in form, appearance, substance,… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Vary — is a given name, and may refer to:* Judyth Vary Baker (born 1943), woman who claimed to have an affair with Lee Harvey Oswald * Ralph Vary Chamberlin (1879 1967), American zoologistee also* Variation …   Wikipedia

  • vary — I verb alter, alternate, assort, be inconstant, be unlike, change, contrast, depart, deviate, differ, diverge, diversify, exchange, fluctuate, give variety, innovate, interchange, make a change, make different, modify, mutare, mutate, reorganize …   Law dictionary

  • vary — [ver′ē, var′ē] vt. varied, varying [ME varien < OFr varier < L variare, to vary, change < varius, various, prob. < IE base * wa , to bend, turn > VACILLATE] 1. to change in form, appearance, nature, substance, etc.; alter; modify 2 …   English World dictionary

  • vary — ver ē, var ē vi, var·ied; vary·ing to exhibit divergence in structural or physiological characters from the typical form …   Medical dictionary

  • Vary — Va ry, n. Alteration; change. [Obs.] Shak. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • vary — (v.) mid 14c. (transitive); late 14c. (intransitive), from O.Fr. varier, from L. variare change, alter, make different, from varius varied, different, spotted; perhaps related to varus bent, crooked, knock kneed, and varix varicose vein, from a… …   Etymology dictionary

  • vary — 1 * change, alter, modify Analogous words: deviate, diverge, digress, depart (see SWERVE): *transform, metamorphose, convert 2 *differ, disagree, dissent Analogous words: deviate, diverge, digress, depart (see SWERVE): *separate …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • vary — [v] change alter, alternate, assort, be unlike, blow hot and cold*, convert, depart, deviate, differ, digress, disagree, displace, dissent, divaricate, diverge, diversify, divide, fluctuate, hem and haw*, inflect, interchange, modify, mutate,… …   New thesaurus

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