vary
verb
- to occur in more than one form or state
Wiktionary
Pronunciation: /ˈvɛəɹi/ / /ˈvɛːɹɪj/ / /ˈvæɹi/
noun
Etymology: From Middle English varien, from Old French varier, from Latin variō (“to change, alter, make different”), from varius (“different, various”); see various.
- alteration; change.
“With euery gall, and varry of their Masters,”
verb
Etymology: From Middle English varien, from Old French varier, from Latin variō (“to change, alter, make different”), from varius (“different, various”); see various.
- To change with time or a similar parameter.
“He varies his magic tricks so as to minimize the possibility that any given audience member will see the same trick twice.”
“We are to vary the customs according to the time and country where the scene of action lies.”
- To institute a change in, from a current state; to modify.
“You should vary your diet. Eating just bread will do you harm in the end.”
“a. 1687, Edmund Waller, to Phyllis Gods, that never change their state, / Vary oft their love and hate.”
- Not to remain constant: to change with time or a similar parameter.
“His mood varies by the hour.”
“The sine function varies between −1 and 1.”
- To display differences.
“The sprouting tendency of potatoes varies between cultivars, years and places of growing.”
“In the new layout, it is proposed to provide three island platforms with six platform faces varying from 1,075 to 1,290 ft. in length and including bays.”
- To be or act different from the usual.
“I'm not comfortable with 3.Nc3 in the Caro-Kann, so I decided to vary and play exd5.”
- To make of different kinds; to make different from one another; to diversify; to variegate.
“God hath[…] varied their inclinations.”
“God hath here / Varied his bounty so with new delights.”
- To embellish; to change fancifully; to present under new aspects, as of form, key, measure, etc. See variation.
- To disagree; to be at variance or in dissension.
“the rich jewel which we vary for”