tarry

[tar-ee]

See more synonyms for tarry on Thesaurus.com

verb (used without object), tar·ried, tar·ry·ing.

to remain or stay, as in a place; sojourn: He tarried in Baltimore on his way to Washington.
to delay or be tardy in acting, starting, coming, etc.; linger or loiter.
to wait.

verb (used with object), tar·ried, tar·ry·ing.

Archaic. to wait for.

noun, plural tar·ries.

a stay; sojourn.

Origin of tarry

1275–1325; Middle English taryen to delay, tary a delay < ?

Related formstar·ri·er, nounun·tar·ried, adjectiveun·tar·ry·ing, adjective

Synonyms for tarry

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1. rest, lodge, stop, abide. 3. See wait.

Antonyms for tarry

1. leave.

tarry

[tahr-ee]

adjective, tar·ri·er, tar·ri·est.

of or like tar; smeared with tar.

Origin of tarry

First recorded in 1545–55; tar¹ + -y¹

Related formstar·ri·ness, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words for tarry

temporize, rest, pause, visit, abide, procrastinate, tail, lodge, dwell, filibuster, tool, lag, stop, stay, trail, drag, poke, dally, wait, linger

Examples from the Web for tarry

Contemporary Examples of tarry

They were all made by monks, and from memory; for the monks did not tarry.
Twain's Conversations with Satan
Mark Twain
April 26, 2009

Historical Examples of tarry

Why should we tarry any longer to see everything moiled and set at nought?
The Armourer's Prentices
Charlotte M. Yonge
Chip, knowing that his turn had come, and come to tarry, found nothing to say.
Chip, of the Flying U
B. M. Bower
Can we not tarry here a little longer while you find the rest you need?
The Last of the Mohicans
James Fenimore Cooper
Do you think I could not be permitted to tarry one week longer?
Clarissa, Volume 2 (of 9)
Samuel Richardson
But perchance the tide was favourable, and you could not tarry.
Micah Clarke
Arthur Conan Doyle

British Dictionary definitions for tarry

tarry

verb -ries, -rying or -ried

(intr) to delay in coming or going; linger
(intr) to remain temporarily or briefly
(intr) to wait or stay
(tr) archaic, or poetic to await

noun plural -ries

rare a stay

Derived Formstarrier, noun

Word Origin for tarry

C14 tarien, of uncertain origin

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for tarry

early 14c., "to delay, retard," of uncertain origin. Some suggest a connection to Latin tardare "to delay," or Old English tergan "to vex, irritate." Intransitive meaning "to linger" is attested from late 14c.