Forms: 4–7 varie, 5–6 varye (5 varyen, -yn), 5– vary (5–6 Sc. wary); 6 varrie, varry, varrey. [ad. OF. (also mod.F.) varier, or L. variāre, f. vari-us VARIOUS a. Cf. Sp. and Pg. variar, It. variare.]
I. intr. 1. Of things: To undergo change or alteration; to pass from one condition, state, etc., to another, esp. with frequent or ready change or difference within certain limits.
c. 1369. Chaucer, Dethe Blaunche, 802. For al my werkes were flyttyng That tyme, and al my thought varyeng.
1412–20. Lydg., Chron. Troy, IV. 1725. I not what doth enclyne Ȝoure worþines sodeinly to varie.
c. 1440. Pallad. on Husb., III. 116. For they [sc. the vines] from fruit to bareynesse wol vary When they be sette.
1508. Dunbar, Poems, iv. 9. The stait of man dois change & vary, Now sound, now seik, now blyth, now sary.
1608. Shaks., Pericles, III. Prol. 47. Their vessel shakes On Neptune’s billow;… but fortune’s mood Varies again.
1617. Moryson, Itin., IV. V. i. (1903), 461. The first hower after the Sunne is sett, strikes one, the Noone or midday varyeth daily as the Sunne doth his setting.
1726. Shelvocke, Voy. round World, 436. We met with black dismal weather, with tempestuous winds, varying all around the Compass.
1791. Mrs. Radcliffe, Rom. Forest, vi. La Motte’s complexion varied to every sentence of his speech.
1828. Duppa, Trav. Italy, etc., 21. The view [along this road] is constantly varying.
1859. Darwin, Orig. Spec., i. 7. When the organisation has once begun to vary, it generally continues to vary for many generations.
1880. Geikie, Phys. Geog., ii. 46. The quantity of water-vapour in the air varies from day to day, and, indeed, from hour to hour.
b. Const. from or between (specified limits).
1828. Duppa, Trav. Italy, etc., 128. During this week the thermometer varied only from 60° to 62° of Fahrenheit.
1843. Sir C. Scudamore, Med. Visit Gräfenberg, 31. The very large number of patients on his list, varying from two to five hundred.
1852. H. Rogers, Ecl. Faith (1853), 380. Men’s Gods have varied between the infinite Creator and a monkey.
c. To break off by change.
1881. Tylor, Anthropol., i. (1904), 10. No other explanation is possible but that an ancient parent language gave rise to them all, they having only varied off from it in different directions.
2. To differ, to exhibit or present divergence, from something else.
c. 1400. Rom. Rose, 6213. For varie her wordis fro her deede They thenke on gile without dreede.
1490. Caxton, Eneydos, Prol. 2. And certaynly our langage now vsed varyeth ferre from that whiche was vsed and spoken whan I was borne.
1544. trans. Littleton’s Tenures (1574), 56 b. An other particion may be made betweene parceners, that varieth from the particions aforesayde.
1598. Grenewey, Tacitus, Ann., VI. vii. (1622), 131. That that bird [the Phœnix] … differeth in the beake, and varieth of feathers from other birds.
1600. Fairfax, Tasso, XIX. lxxxix. Those feigned armes he forst me to deuize, So that from yours but small or nought they varrie [rhyme carrie].
1823. H. J. Brooke, Introd. Crystallogr., 189. Other oblique rhombic prisms, varying from the primary.
1842. Gwilt, Archit., § 2104. Rebate planes vary from bench planes in having no tote or handle [etc.].
1891. Law Times, XCII. 96/1. This edition varies very little from its predecessor published in 1887.
b. Without const.
1530. Palsgr., 765/1. I dare promesse you our bookes vary nat.
1564. Day, trans. P. Martyr’s Comm. Bk. Judges, 175. Yet was not god chaunged, but the condicion of men varyed.
1597. Hooker, Eccl. Pol., V. lxvii. 181. Howsoeuer mens opinions doe otherwise varie, neuerthelesse touching Baptisme … we may with consent of the whole Christian world conclude [etc.].
1611. Bible, 1 Esdr. v. 9, marg. Nehem. 7. 9, where … looke for the true numbers:… here they vary much.
1815. Stephen, in Shaw’s Gen. Zool., IX. I. 17. This bird is said to vary very much, and Marcgrave mentions one which had the wing-coverts plain brown.
1854. Ronalds & Richardson, Chem. Technol. (ed. 2), I. 8. The specific gravity of wood has been observed to vary in the same variety:… it is not even the same in different parts of the same tree.
1868. Lockyer, Elem. Astron., § 22. The first thing which strikes us when we look at the stars is, that they vary very much in brightness.
c. ellipt. To deviate from the true North.
1669. Sturmy, Mariner’s Mag., II. VI. 67. The upper Compass doth represent the true Compass that never varieth, whereby you have a most necessary Instrument to rectifie the Compass.
3. Of persons: To differ, diverge or depart, in respect of practice or observance (from some standard). Also const. † of.
c. 1380. Wyclif, Wks. (1880), 301. Þe secte of macamethe takiþ meche of cristis secte, but it varieþ in som rewele & in cloþis. Ibid., Sel. Wks., III. 345. Þes newe ordris … varien in Goddis office fro þat þat Crist bad his preestis do.
c. 1384. Chaucer, H. Fame, II. 299. And who so seyth of trouthe I varye Bid hym proven the contrarye.
c. 1400. Maundev. (Roxb.), xiii. 60. In many poyntes þai vary fra vs and fra oure faith.
c. 1430. Lydg., Min. Poems (Percy Soc.), 131. Suche folke whiche … Dare to theyr wyfes be nat contrarye, Ne from theyr lustes dare not varye.
1533. J. Heywood, Pardoner & Friar, A j. Knyfe nor staffe may we none cary, Except we shulde from the gospell vary.
a. 1548. Hall, Chron., Hen. VIII., 227. He was forced … to lyue in a straunge lande among people that … varyed from his maners.
1621. T. Williamson, trans. Goulart’s Wise Vieillard, A 4 b. I hope I haue hit of his meaning, though I vary from his wordes, as all Translators must doe.
1680. W. Allen, Peace & Unity, 91. In varying from these [appointments] was the sin of those Men.
1713. M. Henry, Ord. Serm., Wks. 1857, II. 498/2. As God never varies from himself, so he never wavers in himself.
1723. Chambers, trans. Le Clerc’s Treat. Archit., I. 9. Scamozzi is the only Author who varies from the rule.
1809. Roland, Fencing, 123. Many persons … are very apt, when parrying carte and tierce, to vary from the usual parades made upon this occasion.
† b. To be deprived of something. Obs.–1
1387–8. T. Usk, Test. Love, I. ii. (Skeat) l. 194. I shal him enfourme of al the trouthe in thy love, with thy conscience; so that of his helpe thou shalt not varye at thy nede.
† c. To depart from the truth. Obs.–1
c. 1430. Lydg., Min. Poems (Percy Soc.), 131. But my foode and my cherisshynge, To telle plainly and not to varye, Is of suche folke.
d. Sc. To wander in mind; to rave. ? Obs.
1500–20. Dunbar, Poems, lxxxi. 12. This is ane felloun phary, Or ellis my witt rycht woundrouslie dois varie.
1501. Douglas, Pal. Hon., Prol. 10. My febill wit I wary, My desie heid quhome laik of brane gart vary.
a. 1500[?]. Droichis Part Play, in Dunbar’s Poems (1893), 314. Bot ȝit I trow that I vary, I am bot ane Blynd Hary, That lang hes bene with the fary.
1825. Jameson, To vary, vairie, applied to one who exhibits the first symptoms of delirium, as the effect of bodily disorder; as, ‘I observed him vairyin’ the day,’ Ettr. For[est].
† 4. To differ in respect of statement; to give a different or divergent account. Obs.
1387. Trevisa, Higden (Rolls), V. 425. Here take heed þat auctors varieþ, for William seiþ…, but Marianus and Beda telleþ [etc.].
1412–20. Lydg., Chron. Troy, II. 187. Nat purposyng to moche for to varie, Nor for to be dyuerse nor contrarie Vn-to Guydo.
c. 1450. Mirk’s Festial, 207. And scho onswerd … and tolde hym all þyng, and varyet yn no poynt.
a. 1513. Fabyan, Chron., V. (1533), 33 b. Of the firste commyng of these Saxons into great Britayn, authours in party varrey.
1529. More, Dyaloge, I. Wks. 175/1. I wil beleue him muche better than hym … if thei varyed in a tale and were contrary.
1607. Topsell, Four-f. Beasts, 477. We will … adde thereunto [the account of] Oppianus: for he doth vary in both of them.
b. Const. from (another or each other). In later use, to depart from an author by some change of statement.
a. 1513. Fabyan, Chron., II. (1811), 29. The wryters of the Story … wryten dyuersly, so that the one varyeth greatly from the other.
1577. Holinshed, Chron., I. 116/2. William Malmes, wryting of this Vortimer … varyeth in a maner altogither from Geffrey of Monmouth.
1653. W. Ramesey, Astrol. Restored, 315. I have in … other places varied somewhat from him.
1700. Dryden, Pref. Fables, Poet. Wks. (1910), 275. I durst not make thus bold with Ovid; lest some future Milbourn should arise, and say, I varied from my Author, because I understood him not.
1826. Southey, Vind. Eccl. Angl., 256. Later writers, therefore, found it expedient to vary from him in describing the catastrophe.
† 5. To differ in opinion, to disagree (about, for, in or of something); to dissent from another. Obs.
1428[?]. Rec. St. Mary at Hill (1905), 13. Yf the said parsons, wardeyns & iiij parisshens of the said Chirch … varye of their said chosyng of the same preest … & can nat accorde.
c. 1430. Lydg., Min. Poems (Percy Soc.), 28. Remembre wele on olde January,… and how Justyne did vary Fro placebo.
1516. Sel. Cases Star Chamb. (Selden), II. 108. The seid parties haue varied also in the namyng of Auditours for heryng and takyng of accomptes.
1527. Gardiner, Lett. Wolsey, in Strype, Eccl. Mem. (1721), I. App. 71. At these words the Popes Ho. casting his armes abrode, bad us put in the words we varyed for.
1579. W. Wilkinson, Confut. Fam. Love, A iiij. Where about men presently so greatly strive and varie.
1608. Topsell, Serpents, 68. Which sound, whether it proceedeth from the mouth, or from the motion of their winges: Aristotle and Hesychius do much vary and contend.
1657. S. Purchas, Pol. Flying-Ins., 55. Give mee leave to vary from so learned an Author, and diligent observer.
† b. To disagree seriously, to discord or quarrel; to fall at variance. Obs.
c. 1440. Alph. Tales, 118. Þer was ij brether þat dwelte samen many yeris, & þai varid neuer nor neuer was wrothe.
c. 1500. Communycacyon (W. de W.), C j. And yf thou be a lytell dyspleased Thou cursed & varyest bothe nyght & daye.
1525. Ld. Berners, Froiss., II. ccx. [ccvi.] 650. They never varyed nor their people toguyder, therfore they reigned in great puissaunce.
1577. Hanmer, Anc. Eccl. Hist. (1619), 350. Men fell out among themselues. Wherefore, how, when, and vpon what occasion they varied, I am now about to declare.
† c. To quarrel or be at strife with, to contend against, another. Obs.
1496. Cov. Leet Bk., 581. That no maner persone … vexe, troble, assaute nor varie with eny his Neighbours.
1525. Ld. Berners, Froiss., II. cxcv. [cxci.] 598. If euer Flaunders and Brabant shulde vary agaynst the crowne of Fraunce.
a. 1529. Skelton, Dk. Albany, 341. If our moost royall Harry Lyst with you to varry, Full soone ye should miscary.
1559. Mirr. Mag., Jas. I. Scot., vii. We wer driuen to the English coast, Which realme with Skotland at that time did vary.
† d. spec. In University use: (see quot. 1749).
1680. Wood, Life (O.H.S.), II. 490. July 8, Th., Mr. [John] Conant varied. A great entertainment in the gallery. Ibid. (1685), 23 July. Mr. Slatter varied, being put off till that time because he had got a mischance.
1749. Pointer, Oxon. Acad., 18. The Master-Fellows are oblig’d by their Statutes to take their turns, every Year about the Act Time, or at least before the 1st Day of August, to vary,… i. e. to perform some publick Exercise in the Common-Hall, the Variator opposing Aristotle, in three Latin Speeches.
6. † a. To be uncertain; to hesitate. Obs.–1
c. 1477. Caxton, Jason (1913), 53. Thus in varyieng in this doubte she approched the loggyse.
b. To change or alter in respect of conduct. † Also with inf.
1481. Caxton, Godfrey, lxxix. (chapter heading), How the duc that was at Rages varyed for to holde this that he had promysed to Bawdwyn.
1523. Ld. Berners, Froiss., I. ccxviii. 278. All they of his counsaile coude not make hym to vary fro that pourpose.
c. 1586. C’tess Pembroke, Ps. LXXI. viii. As for me, resolv’d to tary In my trust, and not to vary, I will heape thy praise with praise.
1780. J. Moore, View Soc. Fr., I. i. Our young friend seemed confirmed in his resolutions and gave me fresh assurances … that he never would vary.
c. To move in different ways or directions.
1667. Milton, P. L., IX. 516. As when a Ship … Veres oft, as oft so steers, and shifts her Saile; So varied hee.
7. a. To be inconsistent in one’s statements; to introduce a difference or discrepancy.
1557. Seager, Sch. Virtue, 526, in Babees Bk. See here he [sc. Aristotle] doth vary. Refuse not his councell, Nor his wordes dispise.
1560. Daus, trans. Sleidane’s Comm., 139. They had alledged … that the byshop Clement varied in his sentence, and had declared to the Frenche king in priuate talke, what he thought.
1637. Prynne, Documents (Camden), 79. For drawing wittnesses to varie from their former depositions.
1639. S. Du Verger, trans. Camus’ Admir. Events, 329. She is examined hereupon, and varies in her first answer, being pressed further she acknowledgeth it in her second.
1706. Phillips (ed. Kersey), To Vary,… to falter in one’s Answers; to disagree with, or differ from one’s self.
b. Law. To make a departure in pleading.
1642. trans. Perkins’ Prof. Bk., ii. § 121. 54. The plaintiffe shall take nothing by his writ, because he cannot varie from the place dated in the obligation.
II. trans. 8. To cause to change or alter; to introduce changes or alterations into (something); in later use freq., to adapt to certain circumstances or requirements by appropriate modifications.
1340–70. Alex. & Dind., 200. We han, ludus, of ȝour lif listned ful ofte, Þat michil ben ȝour manerus from oþur men varied.
1382. Wyclif, Ecclus. xxxviii. 28. Whyche grauede grauen broochis, and the bysynesse of hym varieth the peynture.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., III. xxiv. (W. de W., 1495), 73. Hote ayre and colde and drye and temperate varye and chaunge the pulse.
1486. Bk. St. Albans, Her. (Dallaway), p. lxxxvii. The bordir of thys cros is variet as well from the coloure of the cros as fro the coloure of the felde.
1591. Spenser, M. Hubberd, 118. Shall we varie our deuice at will, Euen as new occasion appeares?
1614. Selden, Titles Honor, 252. The name of Vigniers … is the same with Vicarij, both but varying the word Vicecomes.
1653. W. Ramesey, Astrol. Restored, 227. Your rules being varied according to art and discretion.
1697. Dryden, Virg. Georg., IV. 595. But thou, the more he varies Forms, beware To strain his Fetters with a stricter Care.
1725. De Foe, Voy. round World (1840), 331. They had not varied their course in the dark.
1782. Priestley, Corrupt. Chr., I. I. 150. Words … we can twist and vary as we please.
1802. Paley, Nat. Theol., I. i. § 1 (1819), 4. Nor can I perceive that it varies at all the inference.
1865. Dickens, Mut. Fr., I. v. He had never varied his ground an inch.
1891. Act 54 & 55 Vict., c. 66 § 16. The court, after such notice,… may vary such order in such manner … as it may think fit.
† b. To change the form of (a word) grammatically. Obs.
1648. Gage, West Ind., 214. So likewise are varied or declined Abix, signifying a plantation, Acal earth.
c. To dispose, obtain, occupy, in a manner characterized by variety or variation.
1697. Dryden, Virg. Georg., I. 609. The setting Sun survey,… If dusky Spots are vary’d on his Brow [etc.].
1748. Anson’s Voy., I. vi. 59. We varied our depths from fifty to eighty fathom.
1758. Johnson, Idler, No. 7, ¶ 9. To vary a whole week with joy, anxiety, and conjecture.
† 9. To express in different words. Obs.
1580. G. Harvey, in Spenser’s Wks. (1912), 626. I gaue him this Theame out of Ouid, to translate, and varie after his best fashion.
1588. Shaks., L. L. L., I. i. 294. Clo. This was no Damosell neyther sir, shee was a Virgin. Fer. It is so varried to, for it was proclaimed Virgin. Ibid. (1599), Hen. V., III. vii. 35. The man hath no wit, that cannot … varie deserued prayse on my Palfray.
1667. Milton, P. L., V. 184. Let your ceasless change Varie to our great Maker still new praise.
1682. Flavel, Fear, 8. They are at their wits end,… or as it is varied in the margin all wisdom is swallowed up.
absol. 1583. Lyly, in T. Watson, Poems (Arb.), 30. In that so aptly you haue varied vppon women,… confesse I must [etc.].
† 10. To set at variance. Obs.–1
1795. Burke, Corr., Wks. 1842, II. 240. When his Grace … brought out the vapid stuff, which had varied the clubs and disgusted the courts.
