Tarry
[TEHR-ee]
Part of speech: verb
Origin: Middle English, late 1200s
1.
Stay longer than intended; delay leaving a place.
Examples of Tarry in a sentence
"The cottage was so cozy that the travelers tarried their departure."
"Since classes were cancelled, Kyle had time to tarry."
About Tarry
While tarry can be traced back to Middle English in the late 1200s and early 1300s, both its origins and original meaning are uncertain.
Did you Know?
While to tarry describes staying longer than intended or delaying leaving a place, sometimes people purposely try to delay something. The word that describes this is “stall.” While someone might accidentally tarry, someone trying to stall is trying to extend the amount of time they have before something occurs, such as a particularly anxiety-inducing live performance.
