- The definition of tarry is of, looking like or covering in tar.
An example of something tarry is a creature that has just crawled out of a tar-filled pit.
- Tarry is defined as to delay, be late or wait.
An example of to tarry is to be 20 minutes late to a wedding ceremony.
intransitive verbtarried, tarrying
- to delay, linger, be tardy, etc.
- to stay for a time, esp. longer than originally intended; remain temporarily
- to wait
Origin of tarryMiddle English tarien, to delay, vex, hinder ; from Old English tergan, to vex, provoke, probably influenced, influence by Middle English targen, to retard ; from Old French targer ; from Vulgar Latin an unverified form tardicare ; from Classical Latin tardare, to delay ; from tardus, slow from source tardy
verbtar·ried, tar·ry·ing, tar·ries
- To delay or be late in going, coming, or doing something: “O let us be married! Too long we have tarried!” (Edward Lear).
- To wait or stay temporarily: tarried after the show to chat with friends. See Synonyms at stay1.
verb, transitive Archaic
Origin of tarryMiddle English tarien.
(third-person singular simple present tarries, present participle tarrying, simple past and past participle tarried)
- (intransitive) To delay; to be late or tardy in beginning or doing anything.
- It is true that the Messiah will come, though he may tarry. (Hitchens quoting translated Maimonides)
- (intransitive) To linger in expectation of something or until something is done or happens.
- (intransitive) To abide, stay or wait somewhere, especially if longer than planned.
- (intransitive) To stay somewhere temporarily; to sojourn.
- To wait for; to stay or stop for.
- A sojourn.
From Middle English tarien, terien (â€œto vex, harass, cause to hesitate, delayâ€), from Old English tirian, tirgan, tergan (â€œto worry, exasperate, pain, provoke, exciteâ€), from Proto-Germanic *terganÄ…, *targijanÄ… (â€œto pull, tease, irritateâ€), from Proto-Indo-European *deregÊ°- (â€œto pull, tug, irritateâ€). Cognate with Dutch tergen (â€œto provokeâ€), German zergen (â€œto vex, irritate, provokeâ€), Russian Ð´ÐµÑ€Ð³Ð°Ñ‚ÑŒ (dergat', â€œto pull, yank, jerk, pluck upâ€).
(comparative tarrier, superlative tarriest)
- Resembling tar.
- Covered with tar.
tar +â€Ž -y