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Vary vs Motley - What's the difference?

vary | motley |

As nouns the difference between vary and motley

is that vary is (obsolete) alteration; change while motley is an incongruous mixture.

As a verb vary

is to change with time or a similar parameter.

As an adjective motley is

comprising greatly varied elements, to the point of incongruity; heterogeneous.

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

    * ----

    motley

    English

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Comprising greatly varied elements, to the point of incongruity; heterogeneous.
  • *
  • *:Carried somehow, somewhither, for some reason, on these surging floods, were these travelers,. Even such a boat as the Mount Vernon offered a total deck space so cramped as to leave secrecy or privacy well out of the question, even had the motley and democratic assemblage of passengers been disposed to accord either.
  • Having many colours; variegated.

    • Noun

    (en noun)
  • An incongruous mixture.
  • A jester's multicoloured clothes.
  • (by extension) A jester; a fool.
  • * 1598 , , III. iii. 71:
    • Will you be married, motley ?
  • * 1609 , :
    • Alas, 'tis true, I have gone here and there, / And made myself a motley to the view,