char·y

[chair-ee]
adjective, char·i·er, char·i·est.
1.
cautious or careful; wary: He was chary of investing in oil wells.
2.
shy; timid.
3.
fastidious; choosy: She is excessively chary about her friends.
4.
sparing (often followed by of ): chary of his praise.

Origin:
before 1000; Middle English; Old English cearig sorrowful (c(e)ar(u) care + -ig -y1); cognate with Old Saxon karag, Old High German karag (German karg scanty, paltry)

char·i·ly, adverb
un·char·y, adjective


1. circumspect. 4. frugal.


1. trustful. 2. confident. 3. uncritical. 4. lavish.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Chary is a GRE word you need to know.
So is turncoat. Does it mean:
a person who changes to the opposite party or faction, reverses principles, etc.; renegade.
to depart in a sudden and secret manner, esp. to avoid capture and legal prosecution:
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World English Dictionary
chary (ˈtʃɛərɪ) [Click for IPA pronunciation guide]
 
adj , charier, chariest
1.  wary; careful
2.  choosy; finicky
3.  shy
4.  sparing; mean
 
[Old English cearig; related to carucare, Old High German charag sorrowful]

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History

chary
O.E. cearig "sorrowful" (see care). Sense evolved 16c. from "full of care" to "careful."
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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Example sentences
But even while they were covering the event, some at the networks were chary.
Americans have traditionally been chary about intellectual-property rights.
He also seems chary of sharing credit with scientists who have also labored to
  set the record straight on chimpanzee intelligence.
As he had no idea of deceiving her, and always desired to please her, he was
  thus made chary of launching into expense.
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