a symbol (like x or y) that is used in mathematical or logical expressions to represent a variable quantity
something that is likely to vary; something that is subject to variation; "the weather is one variable to be considered"
(used of a device) designed so that a property (as e.g. light) can be varied; "a variable capacitor"; "variable filters in front of the mercury xenon lights"
liable to or capable of change; "rainfall in the tropics is notoriously variable"; "variable winds"; "variable expenses"
likely to change frequently often without apparent or cogent reason; variable; "inconstant affections"; "an inconstant lover"; "swear not by...the inconstant moon"- Shakespeare
having variety of character or form or components; or having increased variety; "a diversified musical program ranging from classical to modern"; "diversified farming"; "diversified manufacturing"; "diversified scenery"; "diversified investments"
marked by lack of definite plan or regularity or purpose; jumping from one thing to another; "desultory thoughts"; "the desultory conversation characteristic of cocktail parties"
ambiguous (especially in the negative); "she spoke in no uncertain terms"
not established beyond doubt; still undecided or unknown; "an uncertain future"; "a manuscript of uncertain origin"; "plans are still uncertain"; "changes of great if uncertain consequences"; "without further evidence his story must remain uncertain"
lacking or indicating lack of confidence or assurance; "uncertain of his convictions"; "unsure of himself and his future"; "moving with uncertain (or unsure) steps"; "an uncertain smile"; "touched the ornaments with uncertain fingers"
not certain to occur; not inevitable; "everything is uncertain about the army"; "the issue is uncertain"
not consistent or dependable; "an uncertain recollection of events"; "a gun with a rather uncertain trigger"
physically and forcibly separated into pieces or cracked or split; "a broken mirror"; "a broken tooth"; "a broken leg"; "his neck is broken"
(especially of promises or contracts) having been violated or disregarded; "broken (or unkept) promises"; "broken contracts"
not continuous in space, time, or sequence or varying abruptly; "broken lines of defense"; "a broken cable transmission"; "broken sleep"; "tear off the stub above the broken line"; "a broken note"; "broken sobs"
lacking a part or parts; "a broken set of encyclopedia"
discontinuous; "broken clouds"; "broken sunshine"
out of working order (`busted' is an informal substitute for `broken'); "a broken washing machine"; "the coke machine is broken"; "the coke machine is busted"
destroyed financially; "the broken fortunes of the family"
weakened and infirm; "broken health resulting from alcoholism"
thrown into a state of disarray or confusion; "troops fleeing in broken ranks"; "a confused mass of papers on the desk"; "the small disordered room"; "with everything so upset"
imperfectly spoken or written; "broken English"
subdued or brought low in condition or status; "brought low"; "a broken man"; "his broken spirit"
topographically very uneven; "broken terrain"; "rugged ground"
tamed or trained to obey; "a horse broken to the saddle"; "this old nag is well broken in"
liable to sudden unpredictable change; "erratic behavior"; "fickle weather"; "mercurial twists of temperament"; "a quicksilver character, cool and willful at one moment, utterly fragile the next"
likely to perform unpredictably; "erratic winds are the bane of a sailor"; "a temperamental motor; sometimes it would start and sometimes it wouldn't"; "that beautiful but temperamental instrument the flute"- Osbert Lancaster
having no fixed course; "an erratic comet"; "his life followed a wandering course"; "a planetary vagabond"
determined by chance or impulse or whim rather than by necessity or reason; "a capricious refusal"; "authoritarian rulers are frequently capricious"; "the victim of whimsical persecutions"
changeable; "a capricious summer breeze"; "freakish weather"
capable of or tending to change in form or quality or nature; "a mutable substance"; "the mutable ways of fortune"; "mutable weather patterns"; "a mutable foreign policy"