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Great Expectations vocabulary
361 vocabulary words, including people, places, music, artists, etc.
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chary
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► definition
Definition:careful; wary
► uses
Uses:
Influence in society, however, is a capital which has to be economized if it is to last. Prince Vasili knew this, and having once realized that if he asked on behalf of all who begged of him, he would soon be unable to ask for himself, he became chary of using his influence.
Leo Tolstoy. War and Peace: With bonus material from Give War and Peace A Chance by Andrew D. Kaufman
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You have made so large proffer of your service, and so fair promises of fidelity, that were I not over-chary of my honesty, you would inveigle me to shake hands with chastity.
John Lyly. Euphues: The Anatomy of Wit (1578)
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The ancients were particularly chary of allowing mere novices to botch their work.
Sunzi. The Art of War
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The chariest maid is prodigal enough / If she unmask her beauty to the moon
William Shakespeare; Hamlet
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In fact, he had found that his fads added to his reputation as a pudd'nhead; there, he was growing chary of being too communicative about them.
Mark Twain. The Tragedy of Pudd'nhead Wilson (1894)
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I should have been chary of discussing my guardian too freely even with her;
Charles Dickens. Great Expectations (1861)
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We don't want to change. Ever change is a menace to stability. That's another reason why we're so chary of applying new inventions.
Aldous Huxley. Brave New World, p.153 (1932)
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