vaguevague /veɪɡ/ ●●○ S3 adjective 
Word Origin
The governor gave only a vague outline of his tax plan.vague about Julia was vague about where she had been and what she had been doing.2have a vague idea/feeling/recollection etc (that) to think that something might be true or that you remember something, although you cannot be sure: Larry had the vague feeling he’d done something embarrassing the night before.3not having a clear shape or form SYN indistinct: The vague shape of a figure loomed through the mist.—vagueness noun [uncountable]COLLOCATIONS– Meaning 2adjectivesa vague idea/notion· The students only had a vague idea of what they were supposed to do.a vague sense/feeling· She had a vague feeling that she had let something important slip away.a vague recollection/memory· I have only a vague recollection of what the house looked like.a vague impression· Everything happens so quickly, though, that all you are left with is a vague impression.a vague suspicion· A vague suspicion began to tug at Benny's mind.a vague unease/dread· I felt a vague unease.
Word OriginWORD ORIGINvague
ExamplesOrigin:
1500-1600 French, Latin vagus ‘wandering, vague’EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
Thesaurus- vague promises of support
- a vague smile
- Dave's instructions were rather vague.
- He was rather vague about the reasons why he never finished school.
- I've only got a vague idea of what he wants for this project.
- I had heard vague rumours that they were getting married.
- I only had a vague idea of where the place was.
- Officials were vague about the number of weapons that were uncovered.
- The doctor's vague explanations only increased Clara's fears.
- There have been vague rumours of a coup.
- There were vague shapes of hills in the distance.
- A Wellesley College spokeswoman was spectacularly vague.
- Its regulations must be reasonable and not too vague.
- None of these writers looks at housework satisfaction; the notion of feminine domesticity is undefined and usually rather vague.
- She floated near but outside her own body, feeling vague and intense at the same time.
- They stood, she thought, the quintessential family, looking out from their sanctuary into the vague but hopeful unknown.
Longman Language Activatornot clear► unclear/not clear
Collocations · It is unclear how the man died.· The instructions aren't very clear.· The terms of our tenancy agreement are somewhat unclear.· The reasons for his resignation are still not clear.unclear/not clear about · His ideas are good, but he's very unclear about how he's going to achieve them.unclear/not clear whether/what/why etc · It's not clear why Parks didn't go straight to the police.· It is unclear whether the she will agree to the new arrangements.
► ambiguous having more than one possible meaning and therefore confusing and unclear: · The document's ambiguous wording makes it very difficult to follow.deliberately ambiguous (=intended to be difficult to understand): · The last part of her letter was deliberately ambiguous.
► imprecise words or statements that are imprecise are unclear because they do not describe or explain something in an exact way when this is necessary: · Many of the terms used in this book are imprecise.· She gave me directions to the hotel, but they were, shall we say, somewhat imprecise.
► vague unclear, especially because not enough details are given: · There have been vague rumours of a coup.vague idea: · I only had a vague idea of where the place was.vague about: · He was rather vague about the reasons why he never finished school.
► confusing a confusing situation, story, explanation, etc is difficult to understand because there does not seem to be any clear pattern or order to it: · The kidnappers issued a series of confusing demands.· I found the book really confusing. I kept forgetting who the characters were.· Cricket can be a pretty confusing game for non-players.
► muddled/garbled if something that someone tells you is muddled or garbled , it is very unclear and confusing because they themselves have not really understood it very well: · I heard a garbled version of the story from one of my students.· Conroy made some muddled statement about how company policy has to be observed in these situations.· The old woman's directions were so garbled that I just rolled up the window and drove on.
► unintelligible unintelligible speech or writing is impossible to understand, for example because the words are not clear or it is written very badly: · Her note was practically unintelligible.· I liked the music but the lyrics were completely unintelligible.
not containing enough details► vague something that is vague is not clear because it does not provide enough details: · Dave's instructions were rather vague.· I had heard vague rumours that they were getting married.
► sketchy something that is sketchy is not thorough or complete enough because it lacks details: · It would be very unwise to change our policy on the basis of such a sketchy report.· I'm afraid my knowledge of the subject is rather sketchy.
► thin a piece of information or a description that is thin is not detailed enough to be useful or effective: · I was disappointed with your history essay, it seemed a little thin in terms of content.· I'm afraid the evidence is really too thin as it stands. We need to investigate further.
not exact► rough not exact, or not containing exact details: · He gave us a rough outline of the course.rough estimate/guess: · I've got a rough estimate here of what it might cost.rough idea: · She had a rough idea of where Harry lived, but she didn't know the exact street.
► approximate formal an approximate number, amount, or time is close to the true number, amount, or time but does not need to be completely correct: · Our approximate time of arrival will be 10.30.· Please state on the form the approximate value of all your household goods.
► vague an explanation, promise, reason etc that is vague is not exact, but you think that it should be: · The doctor's vague explanations only increased Clara's fears.· I've only got a vague idea of what he wants for this project.be vague about (=explain something in a vague way): · Officials were vague about the number of weapons that were uncovered.
► hazy a hazy memory, understanding, idea etc is not clear and not exact: · She had a hazy recollection of being carried out of the room. · The details are still a little hazy.
► loose: loose translation/interpretation/sense etc a record, explanation etc of something that includes parts that are not exactly like what was said, written, or decided originally: · This is only a loose translation of the original paper.· A looser interpretation of the law would lead to more convictions.
to remember something with difficulty► vaguely remember if you vaguely remember something, you can remember it slightly but not all the details are clear: · She still vaguely remembered her father, a distant figure who was barely ever there.vaguely remember that: · I do vaguely remember, now that Kerry mentions it, that Pete was at the party.vaguely remember what/how/who etc: · Bob, who'd been a vet in the army, vaguely remembered how to use a tourniquet.vaguely remember doing something: · He vaguely remembered meeting her in a club the night of the concert.
► have a hazy/vague recollection to be able to remember that something happened but not be able to remember the details clearly, especially because you did not notice the details at the time: · I do sort of remember meeting him, but I have only a hazy recollection.have a hazy/vague recollection of: · Davis claims he has only a vague recollection of the rape.have a hazy/vague recollection of doing something: · The next day she had a hazy recollection of getting drunk and dancing in a fountain.
► be on the tip of your tongue if a name or word is on the tip of your tongue , you usually know it but have difficulty remembering it at the present moment: · His name's on the tip of my tongue. I'll think of it in a minute.· What was that place where they'd had dinner? It was on the tip of her tongue.
► ring a bell if something, especially a name, rings a bell , you remember that you have seen or heard it before but you are now not sure of the details: · The name rings a bell, but I can't place it at the moment.ring a bell with: · "Gentle Ben's Brewing Company" will ring a bell with anyone who has lived in Arizona.
WORD SETS► Shapes/Patternsarabesque, nounarc, nounarch, nounball, nounball, verbbar, nouncheck, nouncheckered, adjectivechevron, nouncoil, nounconical, adjectivecorrugated, adjectivecrescent, nouncrisscross, verbcrosswise, adverbcruciform, adjectivecube, nouncurl, verbcurl, nouncurvature, nouncurved, adjectivecurvy, adjectivecylinder, nouncylindrical, adjectivediagonal, adjectivediamond, noundisc, noundome, noundouble helix, nounellipse, nounelliptical, adjectivefloral, adjectiveformation, nounformless, adjectivegeometric, adjectiveglobe, nounglobular, adjectiveharlequin, adjectiveheart, nounhemisphere, nounheptagon, nounhexagon, nounhoneycomb, nounhooked, adjectivehump, noun-iform, suffixlattice, nounMaltese Cross, nounmoon, nounmottled, adjectiveoblong, adjectiveoctagon, nounoval, nounovoid, adjectiveparallelogram, nounpeak, nounpentagon, nounpentagram, nounperimeter, nounpointed, adjectivepyramid, nounquadrangle, nounquadrilateral, nounradial, adjectiverectangle, nounrectangular, adjectiverectilinear, adjectiveregular, adjectivereticulated, adjectiverhomboid, nounrhomboid, adjectiverhombus, nounroll, nounround, adjectiveround, nounround, verbrounded, adjectivesemicircle, nounsolid, nounspatial, adjectivesphere, nounspiral, nounspotted, adjectivesquare, adjectivesquared, adjectivestar, nounstripe, nounstriped, adjectivestripy, adjectivesymmetrical, adjectivesymmetry, nountabular, adjectivethree-cornered, adjectivethree-dimensional, adjectivetrapezium, nountrapezoid, nountrefoil, nountriangle, nountriangular, adjectivetubular, adjectiveundulate, verbvague, adjectiveveined, adjectiveV-formation, nounwavy, adjectivewhorl, nounwiggly, adjectivezigzag, noun
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY Meaning 2adjectives► a vague idea/notion
Phrases· The students only had a vague idea of what they were supposed to do.
► a vague sense/feeling· She had a vague feeling that she had let something important slip away.
► a vague recollection/memory· I have only a vague recollection of what the house looked like.
► a vague impression· Everything happens so quickly, though, that all you are left with is a vague impression.
► a vague suspicion· A vague suspicion began to tug at Benny's mind.
► a vague unease/dread· I felt a vague unease.
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES► an ambiguous/vague concept (=one that is not clear or is hard to define)· Creativity is an ambiguous concept.
► a vague hint (=one that is not specific enough to understand)· In his article, he gave only vague hints as to what he had actually done.
► a vague impression (=not very clear)· Dave only had a vague impression of the man who had attacked him.
► a vague memory (=not clear)· I have a vague memory of visiting them when I was small.
► a vague notion (=an unclear idea)· He had only a vague notion of what might happen next.
► a vague/dim outline (=difficult to see)· I could just make out a vague outline of a barn.
► a vague promise (=not definite)· Larry made some vague promises to leave his wife.
► a vague/slight sense of something (=not very strong)· There was a slight sense of embarrassment.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADVERB► deliberately· There had been a deliberately vague telephone call.· But they are deliberately vague because there are great problems with the dream of a tax form that fits on to a postcard.· The language of these guides is often deliberately vague, to accommodate different approaches to a subject.
► only· In most cases, however, such well-defined features do not remain and only vague areas of earthworks are visible.· These are hard questions with only vague answers.
► rather· So, as well as being probably infinite in length, the list of conditional observation statements was probably rather vague in content.· Both were rather vague about details.· What we have are some rather vague hints in later sources.· In particular, the positions of each gear are rather vague and more-than-average effort is needed to shift from one to another.· None of these writers looks at housework satisfaction; the notion of feminine domesticity is undefined and usually rather vague.· This line of thought seems to be promising, but it is rather vague.· Now I come to think of it, she was rather vague regarding his exact position with the company.· He was rather vague about that, so my Hon. Friend asked him more questions.
► so· Of course, the mortgage market today is neither so generous nor so vague.· His principles are so vague that even his intimates seem unable to put them into words.· How on earth could she be so vague about some one he loved, some one she loved, in spite of Sheila Howarth.· Here was the man who could answer all those questions Leila was so vague about.· Many of their propositions seem to critics to be so vague that they are almost tautologous.· It comforted him to have some definite complaint against her; everything else he felt was so vague and somehow shameful.
► somewhat· However, the notion of service development remains somewhat vague.· This approach, though somewhat vague, is none the less important.· The definition had been left somewhat vague in the legislation, though it was intended to embrace all matters relevant.· The early history of madeira wine is somewhat vague.· Even Fielding seems somewhat vague on the question.· This role was initially left somewhat vague until Anthony Coburn advanced the suggestion she should be the Doctor's granddaughter.· Their intentions were oblique and somewhat vague, but Klein already had a good idea about the subject to be discussed.
► too· Self-actualisation is too vague a concept to usefully inform managers. 5.· Critics say the ratings are too vague and are inconsistently applied.· Guidelines that are too vague are not guidelines at all.· This might be a place to start, but for our purposes it is too vague.· Sorry about this, Mr Bence, but do you not agree that sometimes your answers are just too vague?· Its regulations must be reasonable and not too vague.· Greenpeace has described the guidelines' description of sustainable management as too vague.· Somehow she seemed too gentle, too vague to perpetrate such a brutal crime.
► very· To begin with, that is a very vague concept.· He thought of her being somewhere very vague, in a room with curtains, never moving from the chair.· Mrs T also tried to work with her, but found her very vague.· I could make out the very vague shapes of trees in the starlight.· Indeed, he had been very vague about his student activities, describing himself as a mature student in marketing studies.· Herbert Cranko, like his son, was often very vague about dates.· My memory gets very vague here.· At present, as indicated, central policy is often very vague and control over detail too meticulous.
NOUN► concept· To begin with, that is a very vague concept.· Deviance Deviance is a much wider and more vague concept than is crime, and is therefore less easy to define.
► feeling· I had a vague feeling he'd been an electrician.· Instead, I was a pliable, compliant inhabitant of a world of vague feelings and limited comprehension.· In the peculiar circumstances of the 1930s vague feelings of unrest with the Party crystallized into something more concrete.· He smiles slightly at the vague feeling of hope he now feels.
► hint· The brain drifts back to full consciousness now that there is a vague hint of light spreading across the eastern sky.· What we have are some rather vague hints in later sources.· Homemade pizzas often lack even a vague hint of authenticity.· Vincent had up to then only given vague hints about his relationship with Sien.
► idea· But it was a vague idea, little more, Neville remembers, than an inchoate impulse.· They have only a vague idea about the unique culture around them.· They had a vague idea where the place was.· She had only a vague idea of how money was to be attracted.· For example, two individuals enter marriage with a vague idea about the roles of husband and wife.· You saw that logo, and you had a vague idea of what the sound and the content were going to be.· I had only a vague idea where the circle was, but nevertheless set off towards it.· Mary had some vague idea that Adam's parents might suspect he was down here and come to see him.
► impression· I had a vague impression of their father but he had spent most of the time with his head in his hands.· Several of them have a vague impression of a coin-like disc near the base.· Overall Engels seems to go much further in this enthusiasm for Morgan than the generally vague impression we get from Marx.· He had the vague impression that the face was of an oriental and was beautiful in a strange way.
► memory· She had vague memories, only, to build on.· He had a vague memory of that point in his life when a year was a long time.· He had vague memories of a brother who apparently did not exist any more.· I've a vague memory of a plump wee lass at a cousin's wedding three or four years back.
► notion· She had no paper qualifications, no special skills and only a vague notion that she wanted to work with children.· Most of us maintain vague notions of justice, but its precise meaning escapes us until we are deprived of it.· In which case a researcher's task is to translate this rather abstract and vague notion into some operational form.· He must have harbored the vague notion that I could reassure him.· Gradually vague notions of a career in journalism were forming in my head.· He finds himself evaluated by the correspondingly vague notion of competence.· At least the first time, she'd only a vague notion of what might lie ahead.· He'd only a vague notion of what was going to happen after this.
► promise· The politicians made vague promises about independence.
► sense· In this vague sense animals likewise choose, and are aware and intelligent by our definitions.· So too did Communism, in the vague sense of economic and social equality.· So what was this vague sense of excitement that seemed to be stirring within her?· I too have a vague sense that something is wrong because Beate never mentions her husband, Uldis, when we talk.· The vague sense of depression that had settled over her in the library began to slip away.· There was a vague sense of anticlimax mingled with her vast feeling of freedom.
► shape· It still burned with a harsh, blinding glare and through it she could see vague shapes, presumably the others.· There was a mountain pass, vague shapes of hills beside the highway.· Much of the room was reflected in a silvered one-way window behind which a vague shape loomed.· I could make out the very vague shapes of trees in the starlight.· I rubbed a patch clear and looked out hopefully; saw stone walls, the vague shapes of silver birch and larch.· I could see a vague shape behind it.· He paused at the bedroom door but the vague shape amid the bedclothes did not speak or stir.
► way· They are in a vague way in debt to society or the state.· Loewenthal knew that the San Francisco Chronicle was, in a vague way, on to the same story.· In a vague way, I thought, he had reminded me of Derry Welfram.· You must pardon me, by the way, for speaking to you in this vague way.
PHRASES FROM THE ENTRY► have a vague idea/feeling/recollection etc (that)
1unclear because someone does not give enough detailed information or does not say exactly what they mean: - I can remember nothing of them, but I have a vague feeling of having been well cared for.
The governor gave only a vague outline of his tax plan.vague about Julia was vague about where she had been and what she had been doing.2have a vague idea/feeling/recollection etc (that) to think that something might be true or that you remember something, although you cannot be sure: Larry had the vague feeling he’d done something embarrassing the night before.3not having a clear shape or form SYN indistinct: The vague shape of a figure loomed through the mist.—vagueness noun [uncountable]COLLOCATIONS– Meaning 2adjectivesa vague idea/notion· The students only had a vague idea of what they were supposed to do.a vague sense/feeling· She had a vague feeling that she had let something important slip away.a vague recollection/memory· I have only a vague recollection of what the house looked like.a vague impression· Everything happens so quickly, though, that all you are left with is a vague impression.a vague suspicion· A vague suspicion began to tug at Benny's mind.a vague unease/dread· I felt a vague unease.