/chary/definition

chary

-) Adjective.

-) Pronunciation and accent: tʃɛərɪ.

-) Comparative form: charier.

-) Superlative form: chariest. 

-) Etymology: from Old English cearig (= careful), from cearu, caru (= care). Walter Skeat: chary is the adjective of care, and partakes of its double acceptation: sorrow, heedfulness.

-) 1. Obsolete and pristine acceptations: a. Causing sorrow. b. Feeling sorrow.

-) 2. Archaic acceptation: kept or preserved carefully as an object of affection.

-) 3. Current acceptation: (the subject: an animated being) careful, cautious; caring much.

-) Synonyms: wary, cautious, circumspect, careful, prudent, heedful, concerned, interested, mindful, attentive, solicitous, regardful.

-) Antonyms: reckless, careless, rash, heedless, unconcerned; not caring; uninterested; indifferent, regardless, unattending, inattentive, unmindful, unsolicitous, unheedful, incautious, unchary.

[…] the importance of being chary of one's steed on the prairies.

Irving… A Tour on the Prairies 1835

a. Specially: careful in the selection of what one eats; fastidious: 

Another [eagle], which is rather smaller, not so powerful, […] is either for the land or water, hunting or fishing […]; not inhabiting so wild places, nor quite so chary in its food as the former […]

Robert Mudie… The feathered tribes… 1834

b. Specially: careful in eschewing; who abstains carefully from doing something; who cautions himself/herself from something; charily reluctant. It is usually construed with the prepositions of, in. Less usually about.

-) Translation: curioso en la abstención de algo, in Spanish; soigneux de s’abstenir de quelque chose, in French; attento ad astenersi da qualcosa, in Italian.

There is a coarser variety of this fish […] that is not so chary in taking the bait.

The Sporting magazine, 1840

It appears that the populace, having become somewhat chary in their belief in astrologers, conjurors, and mountebanks, were more loth than before to part with their money to such worthies.

London, vol. 1-2, edited by Charles Knight 1842

She was on all occasions chary of opening the street door.

Dickens… Martin Chuzzlewit 1844

[…] his habitual reserve often concealed feelings that he was chary of displaying.

John Stepney… Leaves from the diary 1854

He looked habitually on the ground when he conversed, was chary of speech, embarrassed.

John Motley… The Rise of the Dutch Republic 1855

[…] Elizabeth, who began to realise the awkwardness of being the recipient of so many tokens of affections from a lady she was holding in durance, gradually became more chary in her expressions of gratification.

Thomas Henderson… Mary Queen of Scots 1905

The sheriff's name was O'Malley, which is reason enough why Luis was chary of confiding Mexican secrets to his keeping.

Bower… Starr… 1917

-) b. Specially: careful to keep or preserve something; careful in conservation; charily conservative. It is usually construed with the preposition of.

-) Translation: curioso en la conservación de algo, in Spanish; soigneux de conserver quelque chose, in French; attento a conservare qualcosa, in Italian.

The ancient Persians, as well as the Parthians, esteemed water the best drink: for, we are told of their kings, that they drank nothing but water; of which they were very chary, as well as cautious in their choice.

Charles Lucas… An essay on waters 1756

The Literary Club […] had now been in existence several years. Johnson was exceedingly chary at first of its exclusiveness, and opposed to its being augmented in number.

Irving… Oliver Goldsmith 1832

Fortunately, however chary the Indians might be of their horses, they were liberal of their dogs.

Irving… Astoria 1836

At five o'clock in summer, at seven in winter (for Miss Honeyman, a good economist, was chary of candlelight), Hannah woke up little Sally, and these three women rose.

Thackeray… The Newcomes 1854

My father sits […] in his chair all day, more chary of speech than ever, more irritable, and with look more vacant.

Robinson… The House of Elmore 1855

[Gustave] haunted the dull salon, dim and dreary in the twilight; for Madame Magnotte was chary of lamps and candles, and prolonged to its utmost limits the pensive interval between day and night.

Elizabeth Braddon… Charlotte's Inheritance 1868

I have other things that I care more to write to you about than politics, and am chary of my space, because, though I can cross my letter, I can only have one sheet of paper.

Frances Kemble… Records of a Girlhood 1878

-) English words derived from chary: unchary, charily, chariness.