- chary
- chary (adj.) O.E. cearig "sorrowful" (see CARE (Cf. care)). Sense evolved 16c. from "full of care" to "careful." Cognate with O.S. carag, O.H.G. charag "sorrow, trouble, care."
Etymology dictionary. 2014.
chary
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Chary — Char y (ch[^a]r [y^] or ch[=a] r[y^]; 277), a. [AS. cearig careful, fr. cearu care. See {Care}.] 1. Careful; wary; cautious; not rash, or reckless; as, the latest internet IPO s were shunned by investors made chary by the poor performance of the… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
chary — [cher′ē, char′ē] adj. charier, chariest [ME chari, concerned, sorrowful < OE cearig, sorrowful < cearu, caru, CARE; change of sense by assoc. with care] 1. not taking chances; careful; cautious [to be chary of offending others] 2. not… … English World dictionary
chary — chary; un·chary; … English syllables
chary — ► ADJECTIVE (charier, chariest) ▪ cautiously reluctant: leaders are chary of reform. ORIGIN Old English, «sorrowful, anxious» … English terms dictionary
chary — index circumspect, discreet, frugal, guarded, leery, parsimonious, penurious, provident (showing foresight), pru … Law dictionary
Chary — Nom porté en Lorraine (54, 57), en Saône et Loire et en Normandie (76). Il semble que ce soit un toponyme (nom de divers lieux dits dans l Est). Voir aussi Charry … Noms de famille
chary — *cautious, circumspect, wary, calculating Analogous words: prudent, discreet, provident (see under PRUDENCE): *sparing, economical, frugal, thrifty: reluctant, hesitant, loath, *disinclined … New Dictionary of Synonyms
chary — [adj] careful, cautious cagey, calculating, canny, circumspect, considerate, constrained, discreet, economical, fastidious, frugal, gingerly, guarded, heedful, hesitant, inhibited, leery, loath, miserly, particular, prudent, reluctant, restrained … New thesaurus
chary — adj. 1) chary about (chary about doing smt.) 2) chary of (chary of strangers) * * * [ tʃe(ə)rɪ] chary about (chary about doing smt.) chary of (chary of strangers) … Combinatory dictionary
chary — charily, adv. /chair ee/, adj., charier, chariest. 1. cautious or careful; wary: He was chary of investing in oil wells. 2. shy; timid. 3. fastidious; choosy: She is excessively chary about her friends. 4. sparing (often fol. by of): chary of his … Universalium
