tarry

UK: /ˈtærɪ/ US: /ˈtæri/ ,(v., n. tar′ē; adj. tär′ē)

Inflections of 'tarry' (adj):

tarrier

adj comparative

tarriest

adj superlative

Inflections of 'tarry' (n): npl: tarries

Inflections of 'tarry' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

tarries

v 3rd person singular

tarrying

v pres p

tarried

v past

tarried

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

tar•ry¹ /ˈtæri/   v. [no object] , -ried, -ry•ing. 

1. to stay in a place;
   delay in acting, starting, etc.;
   linger.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

tar•ry¹  (tar′ē), v., -ried, -ry•ing, n., pl. -ries. 
v.i. 

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

v.t. 

4. [Archaic.] to wait for.

n. 

5. a stay;
   sojourn.

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

tar′ri•er, n. 
Synonyms

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

Antonyms

• 1. leave.

tar•ry²  (tär′ē), adj., -ri•er, -ri•est. 

1. of or like tar;
   smeared with tar.

• tar¹ + -y¹ 1545–55

tar′ri•ness, n. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

tarry / ˈtærɪ/ verb ( -ries, -rying, -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) to await

Etymology: 14th Century tarien, of uncertain origin

ˈtarrier noun