chary

Even if she wanted to pursue an exemption, the Lord Advocate would be chary of inciting the home secretary's ire.

From BBC ● Sep. 1, 2025

Beautiful is a strong word, and artists, critics and scholars are chary of it.

From Washington Post ● Nov. 3, 2021

He looks chary, and I know perfectly well why.

From The Guardian ● Apr. 21, 2019

But Mr Richardson is a bit chary nonetheless when he holds the newspaper—perhaps due to its age and fragility, or perhaps in memory of those poisoned printers.

From Economist ● May 23, 2018

There was a spoon oar, with a ring lock, under the thwarts, but I was somewhat chary of using it since its mate had snapped with me below Rock Island Rapids.

From Down the Columbia by Lewis R. (Lewis Ransome) Freeman

She was more and more masterful, quicker with her orders, charier of her smiles, shorter of speech and temper.

From Hidden Creek by Katharine Newlin Burt

He belonged to the new scientific school which studies and co-relates, but is chary of affirmations, and charier still of denials.

From The Side Of The Angels A Novel by Basil King

I have grown charier of the word ‘impossible’ now.

From The Daughters of Danaus by Mona Caird

While Rasselwitz grew continually sulkier and charier of his words, and at last became downright sleepy, Tausdorf's spirits were more and more awakened and joyful.

From Specimens of German Romance Vol. I. The Patricians by Carl Franz van der Velde

“An I had thought ye were so angry I would ’a’ been charier of crossing you. 

From The Black Arrow by Robert Louis Stevenson

Shall we not revise Shakespeare: The chariest maid is prodigal enough If she unmask her beauty on the Boul.

From The So-called Human Race by Bert Leston Taylor

The chariest maid is prodigal enough, If she unmask her beauty to the moon: Virtue itself 'scapes not calumnious strokes.

From Characteristics of Women Moral, Poetical, and Historical by Mrs. (Anna) Jameson