tarry

¹ American  

[tar-ee] / ˈtær i /

verb (used without object)

tarried, tarrying

1. to remain or stay, as in a place; sojourn.

   He tarried in Baltimore on his way to Washington.

   Synonyms:

   abide, stop, lodge, rest

   Antonyms:

   leave

2. to delay or be tardy in acting, starting, coming, etc.; linger or loiter.

3. to wait.

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verb (used with object)

tarried, tarrying

1. Archaic. to wait for.

noun

plural

tarries

1. a stay; sojourn.

tarry ² American  

[tahr-ee] / ˈtɑr i /

adjective

tarrier, tarriest

1. of or like tar; smeared with tar.

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tarry British  

/ ˈtærɪ /

verb

1. (intr) to delay in coming or going; linger

2. (intr) to remain temporarily or briefly

3. (intr) to wait or stay

4. archaic (tr) to await

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noun

1. rare a stay

Related Words

See wait.

Other Word Forms

• tarrier noun
• tarriness noun
• untarried adjective
• untarrying adjective

Etymology

Origin of tarry¹

First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English taryen “to delay,” tary “a delay”; origin unknown

Origin of tarry²

First recorded in 1545–55; tar ¹ + -y ¹

Example Sentences

In the western province of Alberta, where many ferocious wildfires burned, huge deposits of thick crude oil, mixed with tarry sand, sit beneath the forest and near the snaking Athabasca River.

From Washington Times • Nov. 9, 2023

But thick mats of tarry petroleum asphalt cover portions of sandbars, oil-speckled rocks and bushes line the shore and the wreckage of a tank car juts from the middle of the river.

From Seattle Times • Aug. 24, 2023

Federal Reserve to tame inflation are driving down U.S. economic activity while China continues to tarry in returning to pre-pandemic levels, said John Kilduff, partner at Again Capital LLC.

From Reuters • Aug. 21, 2023

As the big cat pounces, its quarry bolts forward into a tarry pool.

From Science Magazine • Aug. 16, 2023

“There will be regular patrols round the perimeter of the building to ensure that civilians do not tarry overlong in conversation with the prisoners.”

From "Chains" by Laurie Halse Anderson