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Posted By: Capital Kiwi Tarry (a while) - 12/14/00 08:45 AM
Hi all ... a question about today's word, tarry.

I've tarried from time to time - probably in every sense that Anu's definition lays out - but I've never seen it used as a noun.

Do you have a tarry?
Do you do a tarry?
Do you receive a tarry?

Seems strange to me! And it's not listed as a noun in COD. Perhaps someone should ask John Simpson about it on December 19.

Posted By: TEd Remington Re: Tarry (a while) - 12/14/00 10:25 AM
Cap:

It's listed as an obsolete noun in OED: to do an action "without tarry." In the back of my mind I've got a feeling that it might also be one of those state of the art words in the legal profession, meaning the same thing.

Posted By: Capital Kiwi Re: Tarry (a while) - 12/14/00 10:59 AM
TEd offered: It's listed as an obsolete noun in OED: to do an action "without tarry." In the back of my mind I've got a feeling that it might also be one of those state of the art words in the legal profession, meaning the same thing.

Oh, I see. Silly me. Of course, I should have realised that it wasn't something you have, it's something you don't have. What's more, if you did have it, it would necessarily (and by OED definition) be obsolete.

I won't comment on its use in the legal profession. I've never met a lawyer who considered him/herself obsolete, or being a tarry. What's worse, they confuse fees with phone numbers.

Thanks, TEd

Posted By: Bridget Re: Tarry (a while) - 12/17/00 06:01 AM
>It's listed as an obsolete noun in OED<

Not sure when it went obsolete then! In my Shorter Oxford (1969), no obsolescence is shown. In fact, it even has two meanings:
1. The act of tarrying, spending or loss of time; delay, procrastination
2. Sojourn; a 'stay'. Now chiefly US.

Posted By: tsuwm Re: Tarry (a while) - 12/17/00 07:06 AM
In reply to:

Not sure when it went obsolete then! In my Shorter Oxford (1969), no obsolescence is shown. In fact, it even has two meanings:
1. The act of tarrying, spending or loss of time; delay, procrastination
2. Sojourn; a 'stay'. Now chiefly US.

these are, in fact, the 2 senses given in the OED (1989); the first is now tagged obs -- the latest citation is dated "1745 Wright in N. Eng. Hist. & Gen. Reg. (1848) II. 207 We made no tarry but set forward for Fort Dummer."


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