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Vary vs Adapt - What's the difference?

vary | adapt |

In transitive terms the difference between vary and adapt

is that vary is to make of different kinds; to make different from one another; to diversity; to variegate while adapt is to make by altering or fitting something else; to produce by change of form or character: as, to bring out a play adapted from the French; a word of an adapted form.

In intransitive terms the difference between vary and adapt

is that vary is to be or act different from the usual while adapt is to change oneself so as to be adapted.

As a noun vary

is alteration; change.

As an adjective adapt is

adapted; fit; suited; suitable.

vary

English

Verb

(en-verb)
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • * Waller
    • Gods, that never change their state, / Vary oft their love and hate.
  • * Dryden
    • We are to vary the customs according to the time and country where the scene of action lies.
  • Not to remain constant: to change with time or a similar parameter.
    • His mood varies by the hour.
    The sine function varies between &
  • x2212;1 and 1.
  • * Addison
    • While fear and anger, with alternate grace, / Pant in her breast, and vary in her face.
  • (of the members of a group) To display differences.
    • ''The sprouting tendency of potatoes varies between cultivars, years and places of growing.
  • 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 diversity; to variegate.
  • * Sir Thomas Browne
    • God hath varied their inclinations.
  • * Milton
    • God hath here / Varied his bounty so with new delights.
  • (music) To embellish; to change fancifully; to present under new aspects, as of form, key, measure, etc. See variation .
  • (obsolete) To disagree; to be at variance or in dissension.
  • * Webster (1623)
    • the rich jewel which we vary for

    Noun

    (-)
  • (obsolete) Alteration; change.
    • (Shakespeare)

    Related terms

    * variability * variable * variance * variant * variation * varied * variety * various

    External links

    * *

    Anagrams

    * ----

    adapt

    English

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To make suitable; to make to correspond; to fit or suit; to proportion.
  • To fit by alteration; to modify or remodel for a different purpose; to adjust: as, to adapt a story or a foreign play for the stage; to adapt an old machine to a new manufacture.
  • To make by altering or fitting something else; to produce by change of form or character: as, to bring out a play adapted from the French; a word of an adapted form.
  • To change oneself so as to be adapted.
    • They could not adapt to the new climate and so perished.

    Derived terms

    * adaptable * adaptation * adaptative * adapter * adaption * adaptitude * adaptly * adaptness * adaptor

    Related terms

    * adaptational * adaptatively * adaptativeness * adaptedness * adaptability * adaptableness * adaptably * adaptional * adaptive * adaptively * adaptiveness * adaptorial

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Adapted; fit; suited; suitable.
    • (Jonathan Swift)

    References

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