Emily Dickinson Lexicon

VA'RI, n.

In zoology, the Prosimia catta, a quadrumanous mammal, the ring-tailed lemur, a quadruped, having its tail marked with rings of black and white; a native of Madagascar. The vari of Buffon is the black maucauco, Prosimia nigra, with the neck bearded like a ruff. – Cyc. Ed. Encyc.

VA'RI-A-BLE, a. [Fr. See Vary.]

1. That may vary or alter; capable of alteration in any manner; changeable; as, variable winds or seasons; variable colors.
2. Susceptible of change; liable to change; mutable; fickle; unsteady; inconstant; as, the affections of men are variable; passions are variable. His heart I know, how variable and vain. – Milton.
3. In mathematics, subject to continual increase or decrease; in opposition to constant, retaining the same value.

VA'RI-A-BLE, n.

In mathematics, a quantity which is in a state of continual increase or decrease. The indefinitely small quantity by which a variable is continually increased or diminished, is called its differential, and the method of finding these quantities, the differential calculus. – Hutton.

VA'RI-A-BLE-NESS, or VA-RI-A-BIL'I-TY, n.

1. Susceptibility of change; liableness or aptness to alter; changeableness; as, the variableness of the weather.
2. Inconstancy; fickleness; unsteadiness; levity; as, the variableness of human passions.

VA'RI-A-BLY, adv.

Changeably; with alteration; in an inconstant or fickle manner.

VA'RI-ANCE, n. [See Vary.]

1. In law, an alteration of something formerly laid in a writ; or a difference between a declaration and a writ, or the deed on which it is grounded.
2. Any alteration or change of condition.
3. Difference that produces dispute or controversy; disagreement; dissension; discord. A mere variance may become a war. Without a spirit of condescension, there will be an everlasting variance. At variance, in disagreement; in a state of difference or want of agreement. #2. In a state of dissension or controversy; in a state of enmity.

VA'RI-ANT, a.

Different; diverse. – Rawle.

VA'RI-ATE, v.t.

1. To alter; to make different. – King.
2. To vary. [A bad word.]

VA-RI-A'TION, n. [Fr. from L. variatio. See Vary.]

1. Alteration; a partial change in the form, position, state, or qualities of the same thing; as, a variation of color in different lights; a variation in the size of a plant from day to day; the unceasing, though slow variation of language; a variation in a soil from year to year. Our opinions are subject to continual variations. The essences of things are conceived not capable of such variation. – Locke.
2. Difference; change from one to another. In some other places are born more females than males; which, upon this variation of proportion, I recommend to the curious. – Graunt.
3. In grammar, change of termination of nouns and adjectives, constituting what is called case, number and gender; as, the variation of words.
4. Deviation; as, a variation of a transcript from the original . – Dryden.
5. In astronomy, the variation of the moon is the third inequality in her motion; by which, when out of the quadratures, her true place differs from her place twice equated. – Cyc.
6. In geography and navigation, the deviation of the magnetic needle from the true north point; called also declination. Cyc. The variation of the needle at New Haven, in 1819, as ascertained from the mean of numerous observations made by Professor Fisher, was 4° 25' 25" west.
7. In music, the different manner of singing or playing the same air or tune, by subdividing the notes into several others of less value, or by adding graces, yet so that the tune itself may be discovered through all its embellishments . – Cyc.

VA-RI-CO-CELE, n. [L. varix, and Gr. κηλη, a tumor.]

A swelling of the veins of the spermatic cord. – Brande.

VAR-I-CO-CELE', n. [L. varix, a dilated vein, and Gr. κηλη, a tumor. A bad term, being part Greek and part Latin. Cirsocele is the correct term, and is that which is much the most commonly used.]

In surgery, a varicose enlargement of the veins of the spermatic cord; or more rarely a like enlargement of the veins of the scrotum. – Cyc.

VAR'I-COSE, or VAR'I-COUS, a. [L. varicosus, having enlarged veins.]

Preternaturally enlarged, or permanently dilated; applied only to veins.

VA'RI-ED, pp. [of Vary.]

Altered; partially changed; changed.

VA'RI-ED-LY, adv.

Diversely.

VA'RI-E-GATE, v.t. [It. varieggiare; from L. vario, varius. See Vary.]

To diversify in external appearance; to mark with different colors; as, to variegate a floor with marble of different colors. The shells are filled with a white spar, which variegates and adds to the beauty of the stone. – Woodward. Ladies like variegated tulips show. – Pope.

VA'RI-E-GA-TED, pp.

Diversified in colors or external appearance. Variegated leaves, in botany, are such as are irregularly marked with white or yellow spots. – Cyc.

VA'RI-E-GA-TING, ppr.

Diversifying with colors.

VA-RI-E-GA'TION, n.

The act of diversifying, or state of being diversified by different colors; diversity of colors.

VA-RI'E-TY, n. [Fr. varieté; L. varietas, from vario, to vary.]

1. Intermixture of different things, or of things different in form; or a succession of different things. Variety is nothing else but a continued novelty. – South. The variety of colors depends on the composition of light. – Newton.
2. One thing of many which constitute variety. In this sense, it has a plural; as, the varieties of a species.
3. Difference; dissimilitude. There is a variety in the tempers of good men. – Atterbury.
4. Variation; deviation; change from a former state. – Hale.
5. Many and different kinds. The shopkeeper has a great variety of cottons and silks. He wants to do a variety of good things. – Law.
6. In natural history, a difference not permanent or invariable, but occasioned by an accidental change; as, a variety of any species of plant. Naturalists formerly erred very much in supposing an accidental variety of plants, animals or minerals, to be a distinct species. Ray has established a good test for varieties in botany. A plant is distinct, which propagates itself in its own form by its seed; but when the difference disappears in the new plant, it is only a variety. Variety then is a difference between individuals, not permanent nor important; such as in size, fullness, curling, &c.
7. Different sort; as, varieties of soil or land.

VA'RI-FORM, a.

Having different shapes or forms.

VA'RI-FORM-ED, a.

Formed with different shapes.

VA'RI-FORM-ING, ppr.

Making of different forms.

VA'RI-O-LITE, n. [L. varius and Gr. λιθος, stone.]

In mineralogy, a kind of porphyritic rock, in which the imbedded substances are imperfectly crystalized, or are rounded, giving the stone a spotted appearance. – Cyc. Variolites are fragments of primitive glandular rocks. – Dict. Nat. Hist.

VA'RI-O-LOID, n. [L. variolæ and Gr. ειδος, form.]

A name recently given to a particular variety of the small pox.

VA-RI'O-LOUS, a. [L. variolæ, from vario, to diversify.]

Pertaining to or designating the small pox.