vagary

/'veigəri/

Thân thiện

The weather's vagary brought sudden sunshine after a morning of heavy rain.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • An unexpected, unpredictable, or erratic change, action, or idea: A "vagary" refers to a sudden, often inexplicable shift in a situation, a person's behavior, a mood, or a condition. It emphasizes capriciousness and a lack of obvious reason or pattern.

Usage

• vagary is typically used in the plural form vagaries.
• It is commonly followed by the preposition "of" (e.g., ).
• It describes elements that are inherently unstable, unreliable, or subject to whims.

Examples

• Noun:
  • The success of the outdoor event depends on the vagaries of the weather.
  • Investors must be prepared for the vagaries of the global market.
  • After years of marriage, he was accustomed to the vagaries of her temper.

Advanced Usage

• "to be subject to the vagaries of...": to be vulnerable to the unpredictable changes of something.
  • Agricultural yields are subject to the vagaries of climate.
• "the vagaries of fate/fortune": the unpredictable and often arbitrary nature of what happens in life.
  • The novel explores the vagaries of fortune that can bring a person from riches to rags.

Variants and Related Words

• Vagarious (adj, rare): Characterized by or subject to vagaries; capricious.
  • The vagarious nature of artistic inspiration.
• Caprice (n): A sudden and unaccountable change of mood or behavior. (A close synonym, but often implies a more personal whim.)
• Whim (n): A sudden desire or change of mind, especially one that is unusual or unexplained.

Synonyms

• Capriciousness: The quality of being given to sudden changes.
• Whimsy: Playfully quaint or fanciful behavior or humor. (Less negative than "vagary").
• Fluctuation: An irregular rising and falling in number or amount. (More neutral, less inexplicable).
• Quirk: A peculiar behavioral habit. (Often more minor and personal).

Idioms and Phrases

• "The vagaries of fashion": The unpredictable and constantly changing trends in style.
  • As a designer, she learned to navigate the vagaries of fashion.
• "The vagaries of the human heart/mind": The unpredictable and often irrational nature of human emotions or thoughts.
  • Poets have long tried to capture the vagaries of the human heart.

Học thuật

Noun

1. an unexpected and inexplicable change in something (in a situation or a person's behavior, etc.)
   • the vagaries of the weather
   • his wealth fluctuates with the vagaries of the stock market
   • he has dealt with human vagaries for many years