vagary


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va·ga·ry

 (vā′gə-rē, və-gâr′ē)
n. pl. va·ga·ries
1. An unpredictable development or change of circumstances: the vagaries of mountain weather; the vagaries of business travel.
2. An extravagant or erratic notion or action: could not explain the vagaries of his behavior.

[From Latin vagārī, to wander, from vagus, wandering.]
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

vagary

(ˈveɪɡərɪ; vəˈɡɛərɪ)
n, pl -garies
an erratic or outlandish notion or action; whim
[C16: probably from Latin vagārī to roam; compare Latin vagus vague]
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

va•gar•y

(vəˈgɛər i, ˈveɪ gə ri)

n., pl. -gar•ies.
1. an unpredictable, capricious, or erratic action, occurrence, or course.
2. a whimsical, or unusual idea or notion.
[1620–30; appar. < Latin vagārī to wander]
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Noun1.vagary - an unexpected and inexplicable change in something (in a situation or a person's behavior, etc.)vagary - an unexpected and inexplicable change in something (in a situation or a person's behavior, etc.); "the vagaries of the weather"; "his wealth fluctuates with the vagaries of the stock market"; "he has dealt with human vagaries for many years"
alteration, change, modification - an event that occurs when something passes from one state or phase to another; "the change was intended to increase sales"; "this storm is certainly a change for the worse"; "the neighborhood had undergone few modifications since his last visit years ago"
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.

vagary

noun (usually plural) whim, caprice, unpredictability, sport, urge, fancy, notion, humour, impulse, quirk, conceit, whimsy, crotchet, sudden notion a coat as a provision against the vagaries of the weather his fairly wide experience of women's vagaries
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

vagary

noun
An impulsive, often illogical turn of mind:
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
päähänpisto

vagary

[ˈveɪgərɪ] N (= whim) → capricho m, antojo m; (= strange idea) → manía f, capricho m
the vagaries of lovelos caprichos del amor
the vagaries of the weatherlos caprichos del tiempo
it can't be left to the vagaries of chanceno se puede dejar al azar or en manos del azar
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

vagary

[ˈveɪgəri] ncaprice m
the vagaries of the weather → les caprices du temps
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

vagary

n usu plLaune f; (= strange idea)verrückter Einfall; the vagaries of lifedie Wechselfälle pldes Lebens
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

vagary

[ˈveɪgərɪ] n (usu pl) → capriccio
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
References in classic literature ?
"A vagary of nature, wherein she has displayed less of her infinite wisdom than is usual.
Half fainting from pain and exhaustion, D'Arnot watched from beneath half-closed lids what seemed but the vagary of delirium, or some horrid nightmare from which he must soon awake.
"But the strangest part of the affair is the effect of this vagary, even on a sober-minded man like myself.