Vagary

Vagary
Vagary Va*ga"ry, n.; pl. {Vagaries}. [L. vagari to stroll about. See {Vague}.] [1913 Webster] 1. A wandering or strolling. [Obs.] [1913 Webster]

2. Hence, a wandering of the thoughts; a wild or fanciful freak; a whim; a whimsical purpose. ``The vagaries of a child.'' --Spectator. [1913 Webster]

They changed their minds, Flew off, and into strange vagaries fell. --Milton. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • vagary — index notion, quirk (idiosyncrasy) Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …   Law dictionary

  • vagary — (n.) 1570s, a wandering, a roaming journey, probably from L. vagari to wander, roam, be unsettled, spread abroad, from vagus roving, wandering (see VAGUE (Cf. vague)). Current meaning of eccentric notion or conduct (1620s) is from notion of… …   Etymology dictionary

  • vagary — *caprice, freak, fancy, whim, whimsy, conceit, crotchet Analogous words: *mood, humor, temper, vein: *fancy, fantasy, dream, daydream: notion, *idea …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • vagary — meaning ‘an eccentric idea or action’, is pronounced vay gǝ ri …   Modern English usage

  • vagary — [n] caprice crotchet, fancy, fool notion*, humor, idea, impulse, inconsistency, inconstancy, notion, quirk, whim, whimsy; concepts 13,410 …   New thesaurus

  • vagary — ► NOUN (pl. vagaries) ▪ an unexpected and inexplicable change. ORIGIN from Latin vagari wander …   English terms dictionary

  • vagary — [vā′gə rē; və ger′ē, vā′gar′ē] n. pl. vagaries [earlier used as a v., to wander < L vagari, to wander < vagus: see VAGUE] 1. an odd, eccentric, or unexpected action or bit of conduct 2. an odd, whimsical, or freakish idea or notion; oddity; …   English World dictionary

  • vagary — noun (plural ries) Etymology: probably from Latin vagari to wander, from vagus wandering Date: 1579 an erratic, unpredictable, or extravagant manifestation, action, or notion Synonyms: see caprice …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • vagary — /veuh gair ee, vay geuh ree/, n., pl. vagaries. 1. an unpredictable or erratic action, occurrence, course, or instance: the vagaries of weather; the vagaries of the economic scene. 2. a whimsical, wild, or unusual idea, desire, or action. [1565… …   Universalium

  • vagary — noun a) An erratic notion or action. b) An impulsive or illogical desire; a caprice …   Wiktionary

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