What does tarried mean?
Tarried is the simple past tense and past participle of tarry. It describes remaining in a place or delaying departure, usually long enough to be noteworthy: “They tarried until the rain stopped.” In older and literary English, tarried has a formal or poetic quality and often carries a slight implication of lateness or delay, though the basic meaning need not be negative. Modern speakers are more likely to choose waited, stayed, lingered, or delayed. The word belongs to an older literary register, so hearing it can make a sentence feel deliberately traditional. Its history runs through Middle English taryen and Old French tarer, with its ultimate connection commonly traced to Latin tardus, meaning “slow,” linking it etymologically with words such as tardy and retard. Although tarried is an inflected form rather than a separate headword, its distinctive flavor makes it especially effective in historical narration, literary prose, and descriptions of deliberate delay.
verb (past tense and past participle of tarry)Tarried is the past tense and past participle of tarry, meaning that one stayed or delayed one's departure rather than leaving or proceeding.
- The past tense and past participle of tarry: stayed or delayed one's departure or onward journey.
"The travelers tarried in the old town until the evening bells began to ring."
"After the lecture ended, a few students tarried to ask questions."
"No one tarried long after the announcement had been made."
Tarried is the literary equivalent of “lingered,” often with the hint that someone stayed a little too long.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does tarried come from?
Tarried is the past form of tarry. The verb appeared in Middle English as taryen, borrowed from Anglo-French tarer or Old French tarier, meaning “to delay” or “to wait,” and was commonly traced through Medieval Latin to Latin tardus, meaning “slow.” This proposed connection explains its etymological relationship with forms such as tardy and retard.
Related word forms
How tarried is actually used
Chiefly literary, formal, or archaic in present-day English. It can sound deliberately traditional and may suggest lateness or an unnecessarily long delay, although its basic meaning can be neutral.
Easily confused with tarried
Tarried means that someone lingered or delayed departure, whereas tarred means that something was covered or smeared with tar.