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vague

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vague

[veyg] ,
–adjective, va⋅guer, va⋅guest.
1. not clearly or explicitly stated or expressed: vague promises.
2. indefinite or indistinct in nature or character, as ideas or feelings: a vague premonition of disaster.
3. not clear or distinct to the sight or any other sense; perceptible or recognizable only in an indefinite way: vague shapes in the dark; vague murmurs behind a door.
4. not definitely established, determined, confirmed, or known; uncertain: a vague rumor; The date of his birth is vague.
5. (of persons) not clear or definite in thought, understanding, or expression: vague about his motives; a vague person.
6. (of the eyes, expression, etc.) showing lack of clear perception or understanding: a vague stare.

Origin:
1540–50; (< MF) < L vagus wandering


vaguely, adverb
vagueness, noun


1. unspecific, imprecise. 3. obscure, hazy, shadowy.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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vague   (vāg)   
adj.   vagu·er, vagu·est
  1. Not clearly expressed; inexplicit.

  2. Not thinking or expressing oneself clearly.

  3. Lacking definite shape, form, or character; indistinct: saw a vague outline of a building through the fog.

  4. Not clear in meaning or application. See Synonyms at ambiguous.

  5. Indistinctly felt, perceived, understood, or recalled; hazy: a vague uneasiness.


[French, from Old French, wandering, from Latin vagus.]
vague'ly adv., vague'ness n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

vague 
1548, from M.Fr. vague, from L. vagus "wandering, rambling, vacillating, vague," of unknown origin.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Legal Dictionary

Main Entry: vague
Pronunciation: 'vAg
Function: adjective
: characterized by such a lack of precision that a person of ordinary intelligence would have to guess if particular conduct is being proscribed : characterized by a failure to describe forbidden conduct in terms sufficient to provide fair warning vague law> —see also VOID-FOR-VAGUENESS DOCTRINE —compare OVERBROADvague·ly adverbvague·ness noun
Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law, © 1996 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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