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Foible vs Vagary - What's the difference?

foible | vagary |

As nouns the difference between foible and vagary

is that foible is a quirk, idiosyncrasy, or mannerism; unusual habit or way (usage is typically plural), that is slightly strange or silly while vagary is an erratic, unpredictable occurrence or action.

As an adjective foible

is (obsolete) weak; feeble.

foible

English

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • (obsolete) Weak; feeble.
    • (Lord Herbert)

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A quirk, idiosyncrasy, or mannerism; unusual habit or way (usage is typically plural), that is slightly strange or silly.
    • Try to look past his foibles and see the friendly fellow underneath.
  • * 1915 ,
    • They made up for the respect with which unconsciously they treated him by laughing at his foibles and lamenting his vices.
  • * 1959 , Meriden Record, " An ounce of prevention", July 24 issue
    • Final fillip in the Vice-President's study has been a boning up]] on Premier Khrushchev's favorite foible , proverbs. The bibulous Russian leader likes to throw out homely [[homily, homilies in his speeches and conversations..
  • (fencing) Part of a sword between the middle and the point, weaker than the forte.
  • A weakness or failing of character.
  • * 1932 , , by William Floyd
    • Jesus is reverenced as the one man who has lived unspotted by the world, free from human foibles , able to redeem mankind by his example.

    Synonyms

    * (a weakness or failing of character) fault

    Related terms

    * feeble

    vagary

    English

    Noun

    (vagaries)
  • An erratic, unpredictable occurrence or action.
  • * 1871 , , At Last: A Christmas In The West Indies , ch. 8:
    • It now turns out that the Pitch Lake, like most other things, owes its appearance on the surface to no convulsion or vagary at all, but to a most slow, orderly, and respectable process of nature, by which buried vegetable matter, which would have become peat, and finally brown coal, in a temperate climate, becomes, under the hot tropic soil, asphalt and oil.
  • An impulsive or illogical desire; a caprice or whim.
  • * 1905 , , War of the Classes , Preface:
    • And then came the day when my socialism grew respectable,—still a vagary of youth, it was held, but romantically respectable.

    Derived terms

    * vagarity * vagarious

    See also

    * vaguery