Word Study
chary
CIDE DICTIONARY
chary, a. [AS. cearig careful, fr. cearu care. See Care.].
- Careful; wary; cautious; not rash, or reckless; as, the latest internet IPO's were shunned by investors made chary by the poor performance of the first wave of companies that went public. [1913 Webster]"His rising reputation made him more chary of his fame." [1913 Webster]
- Saving; frugal; sparing; not spendthrift; -- often used with
of ; as, chary of his praise. [1913 Webster] - Fastidious; picky; choosy. [PJC]
OXFORD DICTIONARY
chary, adj. (charier, chariest)
1 cautious, wary (chary of employing such people).
2 sparing; ungenerous (chary of giving praise).
3 shy.
1 cautious, wary (chary of employing such people).
2 sparing; ungenerous (chary of giving praise).
3 shy.
Derivative
charily adv. chariness n.
Etymology
OE cearig
THESAURUS
chary
Scotch, cagey, calculating, canny, careful, cheeseparing, circumspect, conserving, considerate, constrained, discreet, disinclined, distrustful, economic, economical, economizing, forehanded, frugal, gingerly, guarded, hesitant, inhibited, labor-saving, leery, loath, mistrustful, money-saving, parsimonious, penny-wise, provident, prudent, prudential, reluctant, restrained, safe, saving, scrimping, shy, skimping, spare, sparing, suspecting, suspicious, thrifty, time-saving, unwasteful, waryROGET THESAURUS
chary
Economy
N economy, frugality, thrift, thriftiness, care, husbandry, good housewifery, savingness, retrenchment, savings, prevention of waste, save-all, cheese parings and candle ends, parsimony, cost-cutting, cost control, economical, frugal, careful, thrifty, saving, chary, spare, sparing, parsimonious, underpaid, sparingly, ne quid nimis, adde parvum parvo magnus acervus erit, magnum est vectigal parsimonia.Parsimony
N parsimony, parcity, parsimoniousness, stinginess, stint, illiberality, tenacity, avarice, greed, miser, niggard, churl, screw, skinflint, crib, codger, muckworm, scrimp, lickpenny, hunks, curmudgeon, Harpagon, harpy, extortioner, Jew, usurer, Hessian, pinch fist, pinch penny, parsimonious, penurious, stingy, miserly, mean, shabby, peddling, scrubby, penny wise, near, niggardly, close, fast handed, close handed, strait handed, close fisted, hard fisted, tight fisted, tight, sparing, chary, grudging, griping, illiberal, ungenerous, churlish, hidebound, sordid, mercenary, venal, covetous, usurious, avaricious, greedy, extortionate, rapacious, with a sparing hand, desunt inopioe multa avaritiae omnia, hoards after hoards his rising raptures fill, the unsunn'd heaps of miser's treasures.Caution
N caution, cautiousness, discretion, prudence, cautel, heed, circumspection, calculation, deliberation, foresight, vigilance, warning, coolness, self-possession, self-command, presence of mind, sang froid, well-regulated mind, worldly wisdom, Fabian policy, cautious, wary, guarded, on one's guard, cavendo tutus, in medio tutissimus, vigilant, careful, heedful, cautelous, stealthy, chary, shy of, circumspect, prudent, discreet, politic, sure-footed, unenterprising, unadventurous, cool, steady, self-possessed, overcautious, cautiously, Int, have a care!, timeo Danaos, festina lente, ante victoriam ne canas triumphum, don't sing out victory before the triumph, give, every man thine ear but few thy voice, he who laughs last laughs best, il rit bien qui rit le dernier, ni firmes carta que no leas ni bebas agua que no v, nescit vox missa reverti, love all, trust a few, noli irritare leones, safe bind safe find, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.For further exploring for "chary" in Webster Dictionary Online