Also 6–7 vagare, 6 -arie. [prob. ad. L. vagārī (It. vagare) to wander. Cf. FEGARY.]
† 1. A wandering or devious journey or tour; a roaming about or abroad; an excursion, ramble, stroll. Obs.
Freq. in the 17th c., chiefly in verbal phrases as to fetch, make, or take a vagary.
1577. Stanyhurst, Descr. Irel., in Holinshed (1808), VI. 24. The Irish enimie spieing that the citizens were accustomed to fetch such od vagaries,… they … laid in sundrie places for their comming. Ibid. (1582), Æneis, II. (Arb.), 44. Thee gates vncloased they skud with a liuely vagare.
1600. Pory, trans. Leo’s Africa, I. 19. These haue often vagaries ouer the deserts vnto the prouince of Tedgear.
c. 1613. Soc. Cond. People Anglesey (1860), 40. To entice his neighbours wifes … to leave their husbands … and to follow him by turns, into other countreys, and after a long vagare, to return again.
1657. S. Purchas, Pol. Flying Ins., I. v. 12. A hot Sun-shine … will quickly prompt them out of their Hives to take a short vagary.
1677. Gilpin, Demonol. (1867), 320. The like did Dinah, when she made a needless vagary to see the daughters of the land.
1826. W. E. Andrews, Crit. Rev. Fox’s Bk. Mart., II. 413. Whether it is likely that such a person should be permitted to make a walking vagary throughout all London.
transf. and fig. c. 1630. Risdon, Surv. Devon, § 225. (1810), 237. Torridge, after a long vagary, making many meanders, emptieth itself in the … sea.
1655. Gurnall, Chr. in Arm., xvi. (1665), 359. Our hearts are soon gone away from the duty in hand, and taken a vagary to the furthest part of the world.
1759. Sterne, Tr. Shandy, I. xxii. My aunt Dinah and the coachman … led us a vagary some millions of miles into the very heart of the planetary system.
† b. To play his vagary, of a horse, to leave or refuse to follow the proper or desired course. Obs.–1
1580. Blundevil, Art of Riding, I. 11. If he will then play his vagarie, beate him forthwith with your wand.
† 2. A wandering in speech or writing; a rambling from the subject under consideration; digression or divagation. Obs. (passing into sense 5).
1579. G. Harvey, Letter-bk. (Camden), 67. Countenauncinge oute the matter ether with tunge or penne withoute the same discoursinge vagaries.
1596. R. H., trans. Lavaterus’ Ghostes & Spir., To Rdr. a ij. His histories seeme not idle tales, or impertinent vagaries, but very truthes.
1651. Baxter, Inf. Bapt., Apol. 15. When ever he was at a loss, that the people might not perceive it, he presently would fall into a wordy vagary. Ibid. (1681), Answ. Dodwell, iv. 54. You must talk at other rates than you have done in your tedious fallacious Vagaries.
1762. in Ellis, Orig. Lett., Ser. II. IV. 451. Mr. Beckford … had his vagaries as usual, and gave the House a little prelude of what they were to expect.
3. A departure or straying from the ordered, regular, or usual course of conduct, decorum, or propriety; a frolic or prank, esp. one of a freakish nature. Now rare or Obs. (passing into sense 4).
1588. Babington, Prof. Exp. Lord’s Pr. (1596), 274. A short vagare … layde a grinding griefe vpon his conscience during life.
1593. B. Barnes, Parth. & Parth., vi. I will be His bail for this offence; and if he make Another such vagary, take of me A pawn.
1609. W. M., Man in Moon (1849), 21. Hee that might doe well and would not, when hee wanteth shal be unpittied…; then shall you hear of your olde vagaries.
1667. Milton, P. L., VI. 614. Strait they chang’d thir minds, Flew off, and into strange vagaries fell, As they would dance.
1693. Locke, Educ., § 96. Would your Son engage in some Frolic, or take a Vagary, were it not … better he should do it with, than without your Knowledge?
1714. Gay, What d’ye call it, I. iv. Ye Goblins and Fairys, With Frisks and Vagarys.
1785. Grose, Dict. Vulgar T., Vagaries, frolicks, wild rambles.
a. 1845. Barham, Ingol. Leg., Ser. III. House-Warming. That should she incline to play such a vagary … She could turn a knight into a waggon of hay.
1862. C. Stretton, Chequered Life, II. 100. I could not sleep: I was too much amused at the vagaries of my new acquaintances [sc. rats], and kept watching them.
fig. 1794. Mrs. Radcliffe, Myst. Udolpho, i. Let us hear what vagaries fancy has been playing in your mind.
† b. Without article: Frolic, gambolling. Obs.
1791. Wolcot (P. Pindar), Rights of Kings, Wks. 1812, II. 401. Here—there, Up, down, she dances it; now far, now near, In mad and riotous vagary.
4. A capricious, fantastic, or eccentric action or piece of conduct.
1629. Massinger, Picture, V. iii. An old bachelor, as I am,… is not troubled With these fine vagaries.
1711. Steele, Spect., No. 260, ¶ 1. The Vagaries of a Child are not more ridiculous than the Circumstances which are heaped up in my Memory.
1753. Richardson, Grandison (1781), IV. xxi. 162. She…, not having so great a fortune to support vagaries, would have shone … in Italy.
1831. Carlyle, Sart. Res., III. vi. A noble natural Courtesy shines through him, beautifying his vagaries.
1861. Tulloch, Eng. Purit., iv. 409. Ignorance and vanity once unbridled knew no limit to the vagaries … into which they ran.
1888. Bryce, Amer. Commw., III. lxxxvi. 150. The sentiment of the nation at large … acts but slowly in restraining the vagaries … of one particular State.
b. A caprice or trick of fortune, fancy, the brain, a malady, etc.
1717. Dennis, Remarks Pope’s Homer, Pref. A. A vagary of fortune who is sometimes pleased to be frolicsome.
1840. Hood, Up the Rhine, 27. The vagaries of the perspective, originating in such an arrangement, were rather amusing.
1862. Burton, Bk. Hunter (1863), 17. I must yet notice another and a peculiar vagary of his malady.
1871. Napheys, Prev. & Cure Dis., I. iv. 123. To follow the vagaries of fashion.
5. An erratic play of fancy; a fantastic, eccentric, or extravagant idea or notion. (Cf. 2.)
1753. Richardson, Grandison (1781), VI. xxxii. 218. These ideal vagaries, which, for the time, realize pain or pleasure to us.
1771. Gray, in Corr. w. Nicholls (1843), 137. But by all means curb these vagaries and wandering imaginations.
a. 1806. H. K. White, To Contemplation, Rem. (1825), 384. I alone, A wayward youth, misled by Fancy’s vagaries, Remain’d unsettled.
1856. Dove, Logic Chr. Faith, I. § 2. 77. Every system that would land in such a conclusion is a mere logical vagary.
1882. Farrar, Early Chr., II. 270, note. But it is worse than useless to record the vagaries of Apocalyptic interpretation.
