TARRY (tarried)

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

Irregular inflected form: tarried   

 Dictionary entry overview: What does tarry mean? 

• TARRY (adjective)
  The adjective TARRY has 1 sense:

1. having the characteristics of pitch or tar

  Familiarity information: TARRY used as an adjective is very rare.

• TARRY (verb)
  The verb TARRY has 2 senses:

1. be about

2. leave slowly and hesitantly

  Familiarity information: TARRY used as a verb is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• TARRY (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Having the characteristics of pitch or tar

Synonyms:

pitchy; resinous; resiny; tarry

Similar:

adhesive (tending to adhere)

• TARRY (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they tarry    ... he / she / it tarries   
Past simple: tarried   
Past participle: tarried   
-ing form: tarrying   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Be about

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

Synonyms:

footle; hang around; lallygag; linger; loaf; loiter; lollygag; lounge; lurk; mess about; mill about; mill around; tarry

Context example:

Who is this man that is hanging around the department?

Hypernyms (to "tarry" is one way to...):

be (have the quality of being; (copula, used with an adjective or a predicate noun))

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "tarry"):

lurch; prowl (loiter about, with no apparent aim)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s PP

Sense 2

Meaning:

Leave slowly and hesitantly

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Synonyms:

linger; tarry

Hypernyms (to "tarry" is one way to...):

go away; go forth; leave (go away from a place)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s PP

Derivation:

tarriance (the act of tarrying)

 Context examples 

For God’s sake, come at once, when this reaches you, to Cliffe Royal, and tarry as little as possible upon the way.

(Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Abnormally dark tarry feces containing blood, usually from gastrointestinal bleeding.

(Melena, NCI Thesaurus)

It tarried, however: days and weeks passed: I had regained my normal state of health, but no new allusion was made to the subject over which I brooded.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

He was dizzy, sick, faint, but he must not die, and he must not tarry, for his life meant many lives that day.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Abnormally dark tarry feces containing blood, usually due to gastrointestinal bleeding or swallowed maternal blood in neonates.

(Melena Neonatorum, NCI Thesaurus)

The tarry liquid obtained by distallation of the wood of Juniperus oxycedrus.

(Juniper Tar, NCI Thesaurus)

Signs of bleeding in the upper digestive tract include: • Bright red blood in vomit • Vomit that looks like coffee grounds • Black or tarry stool • Dark blood mixed with stool

(Gastrointestinal Bleeding, NIH: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases)

The water you seek springs from a well in an enchanted castle; and, that you may be able to reach it in safety, I will give you an iron wand and two little loaves of bread; strike the iron door of the castle three times with the wand, and it will open: two hungry lions will be lying down inside gaping for their prey, but if you throw them the bread they will let you pass; then hasten on to the well, and take some of the Water of Life before the clock strikes twelve; for if you tarry longer the door will shut upon you for ever.

(Fairy Tales, by The Brothers Grimm)

Overcoming a strong repugnance, I tore open his shirt at the neck, and there, sure enough, hanging to a bit of tarry string, which I cut with his own gully, we found the key.

(Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson)

We cannot tarry, said Sir Nigel, riding towards the town, with the mayor upon his left side; the Prince awaits us at Bordeaux, and we may not be behind the general muster.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)