tardy Hear it!

tardy Definition

tardy (tär′dē)

adjective -·dier, -·di·est

  1. slow in moving, acting, etc.
  2. behind time; late, delayed, or dilatory

Etymology: LME tardyve < OFr tardif < VL *tardivus < L tardus, slow, prob. < IE base *ter-, delicate, weak > Gr terēn, tender

tardy Related Forms

tar′·dily adverb tar′·di·ness noun

tardy Synonyms

tardy

modif.

overdue, too late, behindhand; see late 1, slow 2, 3.

tardy Usage Examples

Modifies a noun

  • response: Contacted for an explanation of their tardy response to the disaster, Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott issued the following statement.
  • arrival: I let the Montrose go ( she is heading across toward Wemyss Bay ) and await the tardy arrival of Saint Columba.
  • attempt: His speech at Marburg on June 17th 1934 was a tardy attempt to halt a process, which he had helped to start.
  • update: Recently I've been a busy bunny, hence the tardy update of the web site.
  • job: The objectives considered are average tardiness and the number of tardy jobs.
  • process: This can be a tardy process but on average it is all completed by lunchtime on the day of completion.

Modifying Another Word

  • little: They were just a little tardy in their administration.
  • so: Sorry I have been so tardy in sending my thanks for the lovely Sennheisers.
  • rather: Again, I've been rather tardy in explaining.
  • extremely: This wasn't helped by an extremely tardy over rate by the opposition, who bowled their penultimate hour 18 overs in 1hr 15mins.