Etymology From an earlier tardive, from French tardif, from Late Latin tardīvus, from Latin tardus (“slow”, “sluggish”), of obscure origin.
1
Late; overdue or delayed.
He yawned, then raised a tardy hand over his mouth.
When everything is ended, then you come. / These tardy tricks of yours will, on my life, / One time or other break some gallows’ back.c. 1596–1599 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Second Part of Henry the Fourth, […]. Epilogue.”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene iii]:
3 more examples
Men of genius anticipate their contemporaries, and know they are such, long before the tardy consent of the public.1795, Isaac D’Israeli, chapter 9, in An Essay on the Manners and Genius of the Literary Character, London: T. Cadell Jr. and W. Davies, page 122:
As a matter of fact, the luncheon fare, when it made its tardy appearance, was distinctly unworthy of the reputation which the justly-treasured cook had built up for herself.1914, Saki, “The Stake”, in Beasts and Super-Beasts, London: John Lane, pages 202–203:
And the Black Muslims, along with many people who are not Muslims, no longer wish for a recognition so grudging and (should it ever be achieved) so tardy.1963, James Baldwin, “Down at the Cross: Letter from a Region in My Mind”, in The Fire Next Time, New York: Dial, page 87:
2
Moving with a slow pace or motion; not swift.
[…] fashions in proud Italy, / Whose manners still our tardy apish nation / Limps after in base imitation.1595 December 9 (first known performance), William Shakespeare, “The Life and Death of King Richard the Second”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene i]:
Nor should their Age by Yeares be told: / Whose Souls, more swift then Motion, clime; / And check the tardy Flight of Time.1638, George Sandys, “(please specify the part or chapter)”, in A Paraphrase upon the Divine Poems, London: […] Iohn Legatt, →OCLC:
4 more examples
In various Views she tries her constant Theme; / Finds him, in Councils, and in Arms, the same: / When certain to o’ercome, inclin’d to save; / Tardy to Vengeance; and with Mercy brave.1709, Mat[thew] Prior, “Carmen Seculare, For the Year 1700. To the King”, in Poems on Several Occasions, London: […] Jacob Tonson […], →OCLC, page 151:
[…] a disease which medicine never cured, wealth never warded off, or poverty could boast exemption from; which sometimes moves in giant strides, and sometimes at a tardy sluggish pace, but, slow or quick, is ever sure and certain.1838 March – 1839 October, Charles Dickens, “Chronicles the further Proceedings of the Nickleby Family, and the Sequel of the Adventure of the Gentleman in the Small-clothes”, in The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby, London: Chapman and Hall, […], published 1839, →OCLC:
These berries […] are a deadly and insidious poison, though very tardy in their action, often lying dormant in the blood for many days.1926, Hope Mirrlees, chapter 19, in Lud-in-the-Mist, Millennium, published 2000:
After the introduction of the Highland Railway class, the progress of the 4-6-0 was tardy for some years.Then, when designers were increasingly turning to it as the answer to their growing motive power problems, production of 4-6-0s swelled into a flood tide.1954 November, Frank Hewitt, “The First Decade of British 4-6-0 Locomotives—1”, in Railway Magazine, page 747:
3
Ineffectual; slow-witted, slow to act, or dull.
His tardy performance bordered on incompetence.
4
Obsolete Unwary; unready (especially in the phrase take (someone) tardy).
Be not ta’en tardy by unwise delay.c. 1593 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedy of Richard the Third: […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene i]:
Yield, Scoundrel base (quoth she) or die; / Thy life is mine, and liberty. / But if thou think’st I took thee tardy, / And dar’st presume to be so hardy, / To try thy fortune o’re afresh, / I’le wave my title to thy flesh,1662 (indicated as 1663), [Samuel Butler], “[The First Part of Hudibras]. Canto III.”, in Hudibras. The First and Second Parts. […], London: […] John Martyn and Henry Herringman, […], published 1678; republished in A[lfred] R[ayney] Waller, editor, Hudibras: Written in the Time of the Late Wars, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire: University Press, 1905, →OCLC, page 104:
And the Franks served the Men much the same ſauce when they found them tardy, and made them run their Heats through the Streets1697, Jeremy Collier, Essays upon Several Moral Subjects:
the good mind of Camillo tardied My swift commandc. 1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Winters Tale”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene ii]:
Sitting there on the rock behind the school, I heard nothing but the occasional raised voice of some youngster tardying on his way home, and the joints in the schoolhouse squeaking from the frost.2001, Donna Morrissey, Kit's Law, page 86: