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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. X).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Tar(r)y, Tar(r)ie, n. Also: tar(r)ye, taré, tairrie, tayrie. [Late ME and e.m.E. tary (1451), tarry (1516); Tar(r)y v.]

1. Delay, procrastination, an instance of this.(a) a1400 Leg. S. xxvii 485.
Machore … reprowyt the mastir man Of his tary & his slawnes a1500 Henr. Fab. 481.
The fox … Syne to the wode but tarie with him hyit 1477 Cal. Doc. IV 414.
The tary of payment of the moneye quhilk sulde have bene pait till ws in the moneth of Februare last past c1475 Wall. x 743.
Vpon Annand agayn returnyt thai Till Edynburgh, with outyn tary mor 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 1241.
Of all that rout was neuer a prik disioynt For all our tary 1513 Doug. xii x 25.
Heir I command no tary nor delay Be maid of my preceptis quhat I sal say 1528 Douglas Corr. 128.
Praying ȝour grace, to excuse the lang tary of this ansuer 1533 Boece 182.
The prolixt maladie and tarye of his faderis dede anoyit him mekill 1535 Stewart 7757.
He tuke no tarie that tyme to remane 1535 Stewart 20983.
Wes neuir nane that wes of Scottis blude, That tarie maid quhen that tha hard sic thing 1548 Corr. M. Lorraine 228.
Praya[n]d yowr grace to aperdon me off my lang tarry to wreitt to yowr grace 1549 Corr. M. Lorraine 319.
I besek youre graice to appardone my absence … this berair will schaw … the causis of my tarye [ed. carye] at gretter lenthe 1578–9 Waus Corr. 207.
I lukit nocht for your tare, bot that ye suld haif riddin to Sterling as ye wrait a1633 Hope Major Pract. II 25.
The clerk to the bills [is] to mak nae langer tarrie to heir any voitting or reasoneing in any cause(b) a1578 Pitsc. I 142/17.
The king determinat to compell them that was within the house, be lang tairrie to rander and gif it ower

b. Something that causes delay, a hindrance. c1475 Wall. iv 236.
A loklate bar was drawyn ourthourth the dur Bot thai mycht nocht it brek out of the waw. Wallace was grewyt quhen he sic tary saw 1513 Doug. vi Prol. 52.
Notabil histories, and diuers proverbis … Quhilkis to rehers war our prolixt a tary 1528 Lynd. Dreme 277.
To rehers thare lyffis vitious, It wer bot tarye to the auditouris 1535 Stewart 46052.
To me to tell this tyme war ouir grit tarie The fantasie and eik the ferie farye, The greit triumph [etc.] … Wes maid that tyme

2. (A) stay, sojourn. a1400 Leg. S. xviii 1272.
Vith hym na langer tary scho vald ma 1538 Acta Conc. Publ. Aff. 471.
Thai ar hartly content, to eschew the langsum tary furth of thar cuntre, to ansuer in the parliament of Paris 1579 6th Rep. Hist. MSS 697/1.
The counsall hes bene occupeit all this tyme bygane vpoun the bordour effars whilk hes bene the occasioun of langer tayrie here 1589 Bk. Carlaverock I 283.
To passe to Norroway … wher, God willinge, our tarrye shall be very short, winde and weather servinge 1589 Reg. Privy C. IV 425.
In cais our tary sal happin … to be langair