vague

CEFRB2

/veɪɡ/

adjective

Türkçe translations

Translating…

In plain English

01
adjective
Not clear, exact, or easy to understand.
02
adjective
Extra detail
Not clearly defined, grasped, or understood; indistinct; slight.

Examples

I have a very vague idea of what you are talking about.
The manager gave a vague description of the upcoming project plan.

At a glance

Sits at B2 on the CEFR scale

Senses: 5
Parts of speech: 1
Citations: 5
Synonyms: 5

Also pronounced

/væɡ/

Deep Dive

adjective

Extra meanings

Not having a precise meaning.
Not clearly expressed; stated in indefinite terms.
Not clearly felt or sensed; somewhat subconscious.

More examples

In context

This meeting is a waste of time. Everybody is just talking in vague theoretical terms.
a vague hint of a thickening waistline
only a vague notion of what’s needed

Quick test

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Nearby

Citations

The word in print, with each source given in full.

Throughout the first week of his presidency, Dulles and Bissell continued to brief Kennedy on their strategy for Cuba, but the men were vague and their meetings offered little in the way of hard facts.
2004, Chris Wallace, Character: Profiles in Presidential Courage
It follows from what has been said that a vague thought has more likelihood of being true than a precise one. To try and hit an object with a vague thought is like trying to hit the bull's eye with a lump of putty: when the putty reaches the target, it flattens out all over it, and probably covers the bull's eye along with the rest. To try and hit an object with a precise thought is like trying to hit the bull's eye with a bullet. The advantage of the precise thought is that it distinguishes between the bull's eye and the rest of the target.
1921, Bertrand Russell, The Analysis of Mind
⁠For though my nature rarely yields ⁠To that vague fear implied in death; ⁠Nor shudders at the gulfs beneath, The howlings from forgotten fields; […]
1850, [Alfred, Lord Tennyson], “Canto XL”, in In Memoriam, London: Edward Moxon, […], →OCLC, page 62
Waxed-fleshed out-patients / Still vague from accidents, / And characters in long coats / Deep in the litter-baskets […]
1962, Philip Larkin, Toads Revisited
He walked. To the corner of Hamilton Place and Picadilly, and there stayed for a while, for it is a romantic station by night. The vague and careless rain looked like threads of gossamer silver passing across the light of the arc-lamps.
1922, Michael Arlen, “Ep./1/2”, in “Piracy”: A Romantic Chronicle of These Days

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Origin

adjective

From Middle French vague, from Latin vagus (“uncertain, vague”, literally “wandering, rambling, strolling”).

Deep Dive

adjective

More examples

Related

Quick test

The student's answer was too blank— for the teacher to give any credit.

Nearby

Origin

adjective

The student's answer was too blank for the teacher to give any credit.