tardy
Definition from Wiktionary, the free dictionary
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English [edit]
Etymology [edit]
From an earlier tardive, from Old French tardif, from Vulgar Latin *tardivus, from Latin tardus (“slow”, “sluggish”).
Pronunciation [edit]
Adjective [edit]
tardy (comparative tardier, superlative tardiest)
- Late; overdue or delayed.
- He yawned, then raised a tardy hand over his mouth.
- ineffectual; slow witted, slow to act, or dullard
- His tardy performance bordered on incompetence.
Synonyms [edit]
Usage notes [edit]
- The term suggests habitual lateness.
- Somewhat dated.
Translations [edit]
later in relation to the proper time
ineffectual; slow witted, slow to act, or dullard
Noun [edit]
tardy (plural tardies)
- (US) A piece of paper given to students who are late to class.
- The teacher gave her a tardy because she did not come into the classroom until after the bell.
See also [edit]
Verb [edit]
tardy (third-person singular simple present tardies, present participle tardying, simple past and past participle tardied)
- (obsolete, transitive) To make tardy.
- (Can we find and add a quotation of Shakespeare to this entry?)