Word forms: 3rd person singular presenttense tarries, present participle tarrying, past tense, past participle tarriedpronunciation note: The verb is pronounced (tæri). The adjective is pronounced (tɑːri).
1. verb
If you tarry somewhere, you stay there longer than you meant to and delay leaving.
[old-fashioned]
Two old boys tarried on the street corner, discussing cattle. [VERB]
Synonyms: linger, remain, loiter, wait More Synonyms of tarry
2. adjective
If you describe something as tarry, you mean that it has a lot of tar in it or is like tar.
I smelled tarry melted asphalt.
...cups of tarry coffee.
More Synonyms of tarry
tarry in British English
(ˈtærɪ)
verbWord forms: -ries, -rying or -ried
1. (intransitive)
to delay in coming or going; linger
2. (intransitive)
to remain temporarily or briefly
3. (intransitive)
to wait or stay
4. (transitive) archaic or poetic
to await
nounWord forms: plural-ries
5. rare
a stay
Derived forms
tarrier (ˈtarrier)
noun
Word origin
C14 tarien, of uncertain origin
tarry in American English1
(ˈtæri)
verb intransitiveWord forms: ˈtarried or ˈtarrying
1.
to delay, linger, be tardy, etc.
2.
to stay for a time, esp. longer than originally intended; remain temporarily
3.
to wait
verb transitive
4. Archaic
to wait for
noun
5. Rare
a sojourn; stay
SIMILAR WORDS: stay
Derived forms
tarrier (ˈtarrier)
noun
Word origin
ME tarien, to delay, vex, hinder < OE tergan, to vex, provoke, prob. infl. by ME targen, to retard < OFr targer < VL *tardicare < L tardare, to delay < tardus, slow > tardy
tarry in American English2
(ˈtɑri)
adjectiveWord forms: ˈtarrier or ˈtarriest
1.
of or like tar
2.
covered or smeared with tar
Derived forms
tarriness (ˈtarriness)
noun
Examples of 'tarry' in a sentence
tarry
'We'll tarry here a moment while my windvoice announces our arrival, then welcome an escort.
Julian May IRONCROWN MOON: PART TWO OF THE BOREAL MOON TALE (2004)
1 (verb)
Definition
to delay or linger
Two old boys tarried on the street corner discussing cattle.
Synonyms
linger
Customers are welcome to linger over coffee until midnight.
remain
He remained at home with his family.
loiter
unemployed young men loitering at the entrance to the factory.
wait
I waited at the corner for the lights to go green.
delay
If he delayed any longer, the sun would be up.
pause
He paused briefly before answering.
hang around (informal)
lose time
bide
dally
He did not dally long over his meal.
take your time
dawdle
They dawdled arm in arm past the shopfronts.
drag your feet or heels
Opposites
rush
,
move on
,
hurry
,
hasten
,
scoot
,
step on it (informal)
2 (verb)
Definition
to stay briefly
Synonyms
stay
Hundreds of people defied army orders to stay at home.
rest
They rested only once that morning.
lodge
She lodged with a farming family.
dwell (formal, literary)
He dwells in the mountains.
abide
sojourn
Additional synonyms
in the sense of abide
Definition
to live
Synonyms
stay,
live,
stop,
wait,
rest,
lodge,
linger,
dwell (formal, literary),
reside (formal),
sojourn,
tarry
in the sense of dally
Definition
to waste time or dawdle
He did not dally long over his meal.
Synonyms
waste time,
delay,
fool (about or around),
linger,
hang about,
loiter,
while away,
dawdle,
fritter away,
procrastinate,
tarry,
dilly-dally (informal),
drag your feet or heels
in the sense of dawdle
Definition
to walk slowly or lag behind
They dawdled arm in arm past the shopfronts.
Synonyms
waste time,
potter,
trail,
lag,
idle,
loaf,
hang about,
dally,
loiter,
dilly-dally (informal),
drag your feet or heels
Nearby words of
tarry
target something at something or someone
tariff
tarnish
tarry
tart
tart something up
tart yourself up
Synonyms of 'tarry'
tarry
Explore 'tarry' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of delay
Definition
to deliberately take longer than necessary to do something
If he delayed any longer, the sun would be up.
Synonyms
linger,
lag,
loiter,
dawdle,
tarry,
dilly-dally (informal),
drag your feet or heels (informal)
in the sense of dwell
Definition
to live as a permanent resident
He dwells in the mountains.
Synonyms
live,
stay,
reside (formal),
rest,
quarter,
settle,
lodge,
abide,
hang out (informal),
sojourn,
establish yourself
in the sense of lodge
Definition
to live temporarily in rented accommodation
She lodged with a farming family.
Synonyms
stay,
room,
stop (British, informal),
board,
reside (formal),
sojourn
in the sense of loiter
Definition
to stand or wait aimlessly or idly
unemployed young men loitering at the entrance to the factory.
Synonyms
linger,
idle,
loaf,
saunter,
delay,
stroll,
lag,
dally,
loll,
dawdle,
skulk,
dilly-dally (informal),
hang about or around
in the sense of pause
Definition
to hesitate
He paused briefly before answering.
Synonyms
stop briefly,
delay,
hesitate,
break,
wait,
rest,
halt,
cease,
interrupt,
deliberate,
waver,
take a break,
discontinue,
desist,
have a breather (informal)
in the sense of remain
Definition
to stay behind or in the same place
He remained at home with his family.
Synonyms
stay behind,
wait,
delay,
stay put,
tarry
in the sense of rest
Definition
to cease or cause to cease from motion or exertion
They rested only once that morning.
Synonyms
stop,
have a break,
break off,
take a breather (informal),
stay,
halt,
cease,
discontinue,
knock off (informal),
desist,
come to a standstill
in the sense of wait
Definition
to stay in one place or remain inactive in expectation of something
I waited at the corner for the lights to go green.