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VARANIAN.
who 6ed from the yoke of the Norman conqueror. 1831
Scott Ct. Rod. u, Ine passengers ob5er>-ed to each other,
that the stranger was a Varangian. 1S36 Partington's Brit.
CfcL^ Lit. etc III. 501/r The Varangians, a race of bold
pirates who infested the coasts of the Baltic. 1889 Baring-
Gould (7nr/^irxliii.379 The company called the Varangians,
who acted as a bodyguard to the Emperor.
2. The language spoken by these. rare~^.
1831 Scott Ct. Rob. iii. Mustering what few words of
Varangian he possessed, which he eked out with Greek.
B. adj. Of or pertaining to the Varangians;
cota posed of Varangians, etc.
1788 GisBON Decl. f( F. Iv. V. 563 The primitive subjects
of the Varangian chief. 1831 Scon Ct. Rob. xxx, They
were to mount on horseback at the sounding of the great
Varangian trumpet, ism Hecto« H. Munro Rist Ruts.
Ewtfirt ii. 17 A Varangian power.. had sprung up among
the tribes of the Slavic hinterland.
b. Varangian Guard, the bodyguard of the
Byzantine emperors, formed of Varangians.
1831 ScoTT Ct. Rob. ii, Thb account of the Varangian
Guard is strictly historical. 184S Encycl. Metrop. XI. 788/2
The valour of the Varangian, or Anglo-Saxon and Danish
guards, ever the firmest support of the Byzantine throne.
1889 Baring-Gol'LU Grtttir:^m. 380 The order came to the
Varangian quard that [etc.],
Varanian (var^'"nian), sb. and a. Zool. [f.
mod.L. Varan-US Varan -h -IAN.]
A. sb. A lizard belonging to the family Varanidm
of scaled sanrians ; a monitor or varan.
i8fi Penny Cycl. XX. 460/2 The Varanians form a
family of scaled Saurians, including the Monitors of the
Old World. 1847 T. R. Jones in TodJ's Cycl. Anat. IV.
288/1 In the Geckos, Agamians, and Varanians, the base of
the tooth is imbedded in a shallow socket.
B. adj. Belonging to or characteristic of the
varans or monitors.
1840 Owr-N Odontogr. I. 263 The Varanian family of
squamate Saurians . . includes the Monitors of the old world.
1841 Penn^ Cycl. XX. 460/2 Allied in the form of the teeth
to the typical Varanian Monitors.
VaTanid. Zool. [ad. mod.L. Varanid-se, f.
Varaniu Vakan.] = Varanian sb.
1896 tr. Boas' Text Bk. Zool. 422 Allied [to the lizards]
are the Varanids {Varanus\ large, tropical, old.world forms
with long bifid tongue.
VarDle, obs. f. Warble sb. Vard, obs. So. f.
Ward sb. and v. Vardan(e, -en, obs. Sc. ff.
Warden. Vardanry, obs. Sc. f. Wardenry.
Varde, southern ME. var. Ferd sb^ Vardel,
-il, obs. Sc. ff. World. Varden, southern dial,
var. Farthing ; obs. Sc. f. Warden. Varder,
southern dial. var. Farther ; var. Verdor Obs.
tVardingale. Obs. Forms: a. 6 verdynggale,
6-7 verdingale, -all, $. 6-8 vardingale
(6 Se. ward-). 7. 6 vardingard. [ad. obs. F.
verdugale, vertugale, vertugade (16th c), ad. Sp.
verdtigado, f. verdugo rod, stick. See also Ver-
DUCAL.] A framework of hoops formerly used by
Vfomen to extend their skirts ; = Farthingale.
a. 155a [see Farthingale). 1597 J. King Oh Jonas (1618)
478 Fashion brought-in the verdingale, and carried out the
verdingale, and hath againe reuiued the verdingale.., and
placed it behinde, like a rudder. 1609 Rowley Search/or
Monty (Percy Soc.) 23 Wee have verdingales to beare up
our tends, as they had to support their loose britches.
fi.}^Acc.Ld.U. Treas. Scot.Xl. 163 Foranewardingale
to hir. 1574 in Feuillerat Revels Q. Eliz. (1908) 240 A hamper
to pack the vard(ijngales in. 1603 Dekkek Wonderful
Yeare Wks. (Grosart) I. 157 The meanest that was there.,
was in.. her vardingale, her turkie grograin kirtle. 1614
Sylvester Bethulia's Rescue v. 219 From Vardingale to
Vardingale, hee fiyes His brave Lievtenant, lest Hee him
surprise. 1673, 1753 [see Farthingale].
y. 1578 Inv.R. Wardr. (1815) 230 Ane vardingard of blak
taffetie the foirskirt of satine pasmentit with gold.
trans/. i.ai/ig. 1590 R. W[ilson) Three Lords * Ladies
London (Roxb.) 295 Thou from Dissimulation art sent. And
bring'st a gown of glosing, . . A vardingale of vaine boast.
iS9a Greene Def. Conny Catching Wks. (Grosart) XI. 96
Blest be the French sleeues & breech verdingales, that
grants them liberty to conny-catch so mightily.
Vardite, -ditt, dial, or obs. forms of Verdict.
Vardle. dial. Also 6 verdoll. [Alteration
of OF. vervelU or vtrt{f)velU in the same sense
cf. Vartiwell, Varvel.] (See later quots.)
JjaS in Archaeologia XXV. 47B For hengells, verdolls, &
hoks, hcspes & staples, for ye same heme, vi s. vij d. 1787
W. H. Marshall Rur. Econ. E. Anglia Gloss., Vardle, a
common eye or thimble of a gate, with a spike only, 1893
Cozens-Hardy Broad Norfolk 86 Vardle, bottom hinge of
agate.
vardlie, obs. Sc. form of Worldly a.
tVardo. Cant. Obs. (Seequot.) Aho allrib.
1811 J. H. Vaux Flash Diet., Vardo, a waggon. Hid.,
Vardo-gill, a waggoner.
Vardour, variant of verdour Verdor Obs.
Vardy. Now dial. Also 8 vardl, 9 vardie.
[CoUoq. or dial. var. of verdit, obs. f. Verdict.]
Opinion, judgement, verdict.
1731-8 Swift />o/,teC««z..i. i^LordSp. Well, I fear Lady
Answerall can t live long % she has so much wit. Nev. No,
she can t live.. .Z-arfy Am. Ol Miss, you must give your
Vardi too I 1796 Grose's Diet. Vulgar T. (ed. 3) s v To
give one's vardy J i.e. verdict or opinion. i8as- in dial,
glossaries (N. Cy., Line, Vorks).
Vardytt, obs. form of Verdict.
tVarel Obs, Also 7 varre. [ad. Sp. i'a;-a
Vara.]
a
uu.
46
1. =Vara.
1545 Rates ofCustoms d iiij b. The Vares of Spayne : . . ix.
Vares makithe .viii. yardes Englysshe. 1588 Parke tr.
Memioza's Hist. China 175 Certain peeces of blacke silke
of twelue vares long a peece. 1599 Hakluyt Voy. II. i. 273
The other measure is called a vare, . . which measure is of 5
Palmes or spans, and is one code and two third parts, 1604
E. G[rimstoneJ D'Acosta's Hist. Indies iv. xl. 240 It extendes
above foure score Varres or yardes in length.
2. A rod, staff, or wand, esp. as a symbol of
judicial office or authority.
1578 T. N. tr. Cong. IV. India 357 He tooke the Vares of
Justice from the Judges and Sargeants, and incontinent
restored tbem againe. c 164s Howell Lett. i. in. xxxii, If
an Alguazil. .show him his vare, that is a little white stafTe
he carryeth as badge of his ofiice. 1660 F. Brooke tr. Le
Blatu's Trav. 48 Imposing my hand upon a Crosse held
out to me upon the end of a Vare, or wand. x68z Drvden
Abs. sed similitude about
the head to a Weesel, which is denominated Vare.
fVarewort. (?fo.-' In 3 uarewtirt. A plant
of doubtful identity.
c 126s Voc. Plants in Wr.-Wiilcker 557 Eptaphilos, salerne,
uarewurt.
Varge, obs. or dial, variant of Verge.
t Vargeous, a. Obs.—^ [f. F. verge :-L. virga
rod, wand.] Resembling a rod ; rod-like.
1779 Phil. Trans. LXVIII. 988 The same thing holds for
the measure of the vargeous palets [F. palettes de verges],
the balance wheel [etc.).
Varges, -is, etc., variant of Verjdice, etc.
Vargood, dial, variant of Fabgood.
II Vari. [The first part of the Malagasy name
varikandaiia or varianda. Cf. varikosy the broadnosed
lemur.] The ruffed lemur, Lemur varius.
1774 Goldsm. Nat. Hist. (1776) IV. 241 The Vari is much
larger than either of the former [i. e. mococo and mongoz] . .
;
it has a kind of ruff round the neck, consisting of very long
hair. 1785 Smellie Buffon's Nat. Hist. (1791) VII. 228 The
vari is larger, stronger, and more ferocious than the
maucauco. 1839 Penny Cycl. XIII. 420/1 The Vari, to
which the name of Lemur MaccKO has been applied by
modern authors, is given by Linnxus as Var[iety] d. of that
species.
Vari, II pi. of Varus.
Variability (ve>riabi-liti). [f. next -^ -ity, or
a. F. variabilis, = It. variabilis, Sp. variabilidad,
Pg. -idade.]
1. The fact or qtlality of being variable in some
respect ; tendency towards, capacity for, variation
or change.
1771 Mrs. Griffith Hist. Lady Barton I. 29 In her outward
appearance there is a variability, that renders it almost
impossible to draw an exact resemblance of her. 1796
Burke Regie. Peace Wks. 1842 II. 355 His protest against
binding him to bis opinions, and his reservation of a right
VARIABLE.
to whatever opinions he pleases, remain in their full force.
This variability is pleasant, and shews a fertility of fancy.
i835> Ladv Lytton Ckeyeley III. 146 It is this atmospheric
vartability..that occasions the thousand little dissensions
that spring from love itself. 1869 Phillips Vesuvius viii,
246 Reasonings on the variability of the relative level of
land and sea. 1885 Contemp. Rev, June 901 They made too
little account of the variability of human nature and circumstances.
2. spec. a. The fact of, or capacity for, varying
in amount, magnitude^ or value.
18x6 tr. Lacroix's Dm. ^ Int. Calculus 157 From this
may be deduced the dinerential coefficient of z, relative to
the variability of :r. 1870 Phipson tr. GnilUmitts Sun 282
The variability of a certain number of stars. 1873 H.
Spencer 5tf«W.vi. 124 The variability of the ratio.. being
duly conceived in terms of lines that lengthen and shorten.
b, Biol, Capability in plants or animals of
variation or deviation from a type.
183a Lyell Princ. Geol. (1835) II. 449 Variability of a
species compared to that of an individual. 1859 Darwin
Orig. Spec, 1. 40 A high degree of variability is obviously
favourable, as freely giving the materials for selection to
work on. 1B80 Wallace Island Life iv. 58 The belief in
the variability of all animals in all their parts and organs.
Variable (ve«Tiab'l), a, and sb. Forms : 4variable
(5-6 varri-, 6 Sc. vareable), 5, Sc, 6,
-abill, Sc. 6 -abil (warieabill), 5-6 varyable, 6
-abul, 5 uaryabyl, veryabyll. [a. OF. vanable
(F., Sp., and Prov. variable^ Pg. variavel^ It. variabile),
ad, L. variabilis^ f. variare to Vary.]
A. cuij\ 1. Liable or apt to vary or change
(readily) susceptible or capable of variation
mutable, changeable, fluctuating, uncertain.
a. Of the course of events, the state of things, etc.
c 1397 Chaucer Lack Stedf. 8 What made this worlde to
be so variable But louste pat folke haue in discencion?
£'1400 Rom. Rose 5424 In a state that is not stable, But
chaungynge ay and variable. 144S-9 J. Metham Wks.
(E.E.T.S.) 54 Thy uaryabyl squel, ..O fortune* brent
myght be With Pluto in helle. 1483 Caxton Cato %\\\\y
For the goodes of thys worlde been varyable; now one is
ryche and now poure. 1509 Hawes Past. Pleas. 51 They
nothing thynke on fortune var[i]able. _(ZX548 Hall Ckron.,
Hen. VI (1550) ^4 The Englyshe affaires .. began to wauer,
and waxe variable. z6oq Holland Atitvi. Marcell. no
Some joining in skirmish with the enemies, fought with
variable event. x6xo — Camden's Brit. 696 They had continued
a doubifuU and variable fight a great part of the day.
b. Of feeling, conduct, etc.
c X480 Henryson Orpheus ff Eur. 287 Quhat art thou,
lufe, .. To sum constant, till othir variabil. 1555 Eden
Decades (Arb.) 114 So variable and vnconstant is the nature
of man. 1593 Shaks. Rom. f( Jul. n. ii. in O sweare not
by the Moone, . . Least that thy Loue proue likewise variable.
1596 — Merck. V. ii. viii. 13, I neuer heard a passion
so confusd, So strange, outragious, and so variable. 1667
Milton P. L. xi, 92 His heart 1 know, how variable and
vain Self-left. 1849 Ruskin Seven Lamps vii. § 7. 191 The
decorations . . might be made subjects of variable fancy. x86a
H. Spencer First Princ. i. v. §29 (1875) 102 There begins
to fade from the mind the conception of a special personaUty
to whose variable will they were before ascribed.
Comb. z6i8 Bolton Florus iv. iii. (1636) 293 While
Antonius, variable- witted, ..takes upon him to be a king.
c. In miscellaneous applications.
1509 Barclay Shypo/Folys (1874) 1, 126 By hir iyen dowdy
and varyable vysage. 1576 Fleming Panopl. Epist. 442
These beautiful! shapes,.. not varriable in time, not withering
throughe the heate of the sunne. 1590 Spenser F, Q,
m, vi. 38 For formes are variable and decay, By course of
kind, and by occasion. 2609 Wibarne A'ifWw^^^ Old Names
To K.dr. A 4 b, If I haue omitted something in a matter so
variable, 1703 Maundrell Journ. Jems. (1732) 63 Our
Course variable between East and South. 171Z ADbisoN
Sped. No. 98 P I There is not so variable a thing in Nature
as a Lady's Head-dress, 183a Lewis Use variable
and vnstedefast, trecherous and gileful. 1393 Langl. P. PL
C. XIX. 69 Somme of ows [are] sothfast and some variable.
X4oa Hoccleve Min. Poems 78 Al-be-hyt that man fynde
o woman nyce, In-constant, recheles, or varriable. 1474
Caxton Chesseu. iii. (1883) 37 So that they be not founde..
for enuye variable, a xS4a Wyatt in Tottels Misc. (Arb.)
37 My word nor I shall not be variable, But alwaies,.firme
and stable, a 1578 Lindesay (Pitscottie) Chron. Scot.
(S.T.S.) I. 13s The popularie-.ar so warieabill and faccell.
1643 Baker CArtf«. (1653) 504 Lydinglon was..a man of the
greatest understanding, . , but very variable. 1708^9 Pennsylv.
Hist. Soc. Mem. X. 313, 1 am very sensible he is a variable
man, and not.. to be entirely depended on. 1711 Addison
Sped, No. 162 P^ One of the most variable Beings of the
most variable Kind. x8o8 Scott Mann. vi. xxx, Uncertain,
coy, and hard to please, And variable as the shade By
the light quivering aspen made.
trans/. 1484 Caxton Curtail ij b. Them whom fortune the
variable hath most hyely lyfte up and enhaunsed. ^ a 1548
Hall Chron.^ Hen. VI, no b, King Charles did politiquely
consider, what a variable lady Fortune was.
b. Const, in (words, actions, etc).
i^a9 Pol. Poems (Rolls) II. 145 In thy behestes be nat
variable, a 1513 Fabvan Chron. vii. (1811) 544 See you not
howe varyable the kynge is in his wordis? 1547 Boorde
Introd. Knowl. 214 In vsyng my rayment I am not varyable.
X56a BuLLEiN Bulwarke, Bk. Vse Sickmen 55 Bee