Also 4–6 tary, 6 tarie, Sc. tairrie. [f. TARRY v.]
† 1. The act of tarrying; spending or loss of time; delay, procrastination. Obs.
c. 1375. Sc. Leg. Saints, xxvii. (Machor), 485. Þane machore … reprowyt þe mastir man of his tary & his slawnes.
1451. Capgrave, Life St. Gilbert (E.E.T.S.), 113. He, with-oute ony tary, mad calle all þe court of Rome.
c. 1510. Barclay, Mirr. Gd. Manners (1570), E v. In tary is no trust, but ieopardy mortall.
1562. Sir R. Maitland, Poems (1830), 17. To cheis and tak ane husband without tarie.
a. 1578. Lindesay (Pitscottie), Chron. Scot. (S.T.S.), I. 142. The king determinat to compell them that was within the house, be lang tairrie to rander and gif it ower.
1745. Wright, in N. Eng. Hist. & Gen. Reg. (1848), II. 207. We made no tarry but set forward for Fort Dummer.
2. Temporary residence, sojourn; a ‘stay.’ Now chiefly U. S.
c. 1375. Sc. Leg. Saints, xviii. (Egipciane), 1372. Vith hym na langer tary scho vald ma.
1516. Allen, in Lodge, Illustr. Brit. Hist. (1791), I. 11. He sayth his tarry is but short her.
1589. Reg. Privy Council Scot., IV. 425. In cais our tary sal happin … to be langair.
1786. M. Cutler, in Life, etc. (1888), II. 273. To … make provisions for a much longer tarry.
1817. London Courier, 7 July. The Duke of Wellington was on his arrival received by a guard of honour, and the band of the 88th continued to play during his Grace’s tarry.
1866. Whittier, Marg. Smith’s Jrnl., Pr. Wks. 1889, I. 89. He is to make some little tarry in this town.
