Tarry: meaning, definitions and examples
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tarry
[ ˈtɛri ]
delay, linger
To tarry means to delay or be slow in leaving a place. It often implies a sense of lingering or staying longer than necessary.
Synonyms
dawdle, delay, linger, procrastinate.
Examples of usage
- We tarried at the park, enjoying the sunset.
- Don't tarry too long if you want to catch the bus.
- She often tarries over breakfast, savoring her coffee.
hesitant, slow
As an adjective, tarry describes something that is slow or sluggish, often used in a figurative sense.
Synonyms
Examples of usage
- The tarry smoke lingered in the air.
- His response was tarry, showing his hesitation.
- The tarry pace of the traffic made us late.
Etymology
The word 'tarry' originates from the Middle English term 'tarien', which in turn comes from the Old English 'terrian', meaning 'to delay' or 'to remain'. This is believed to be derived from a combination of the Proto-Germanic root '*tarōną', which implies 'to delay', and is related to words in other Germanic languages that similarly denote the act of stopping or remaining. Over the centuries, 'tarry' shifted from predominantly meaning to linger or delay in departure to encompassing a broader context of hesitation or slow action. By the 14th century, it was commonly used in English literature to imply not just physical delay, but also emotional or figurative hesitance. It has maintained its relevance in modern English, often used in literary contexts or poetic expressions.