chary — cautious and wary about giving or sharing something; sparing or careful
Part of speech: ADJECTIVE
Definition: cautious and wary about giving or sharing something; sparing or careful
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈtʃeri/
Example Sentences
- My grandmother is chary with her secret cookie recipe - she's never shared it with anyone!
- The cat was chary of the new vacuum cleaner, eyeing it suspiciously from across the room.
- He's chary of making promises he can't keep.
chary
ADJECTIVE[/ˈtʃeri/]
cautious and wary about giving or sharing something; sparing or careful
The old merchant is chary of strangers offering deals too good to be true.
Stay chary when things look scary, be wary of what's unwary!
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
From Old English 'cearig' meaning anxious or sorrowful, sharing the same root as the word 'care.' Over time, it evolved to mean cautious or wary.
Breakdown
From the root 'care' + '-y' (adjective suffix meaning 'characterized by'), literally meaning 'full of care' or 'careful'
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“My grandmother is chary with her secret cookie recipe - she's never shared it with anyone!”
“The cat was chary of the new vacuum cleaner, eyeing it suspiciously from across the room.”
“He's chary of making promises he can't keep.”
“The teacher was chary of giving out A+ grades, making them truly special when earned.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
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