different between loiter vs tardy

English

Etymology

From Middle English loitren, from Middle Dutch loteren (“to shake, wag, wobble”), ultimately connected with a frequentative form of Proto-Germanic *l?tan? (“to bend, stoop, cower, shrink from, decline”), see lout. Cognate with Dutch leuteren (“to dawdle”), Alemannic German lottern (“to wobble”), German Lotterbube (“rascal”). More at lout, little.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /?l??t?(?)/
• (US) IPA^(key): /?l??t?/, [?l?j??]
• Rhymes: -??t?(r)

Verb

loiter (third-person singular simple present loiters, present participle loitering, simple past and past participle loitered)

1. To stand about without any aim or purpose; to stand about idly.

   Synonyms: (Malaysia, Singapore) lepak, linger, hang around

2. To remain at a certain place instead of moving on.
3. (military, aviation) For an aircraft to remain in the air near a target.

Derived terms

• loiter time

Translations

Noun

loiter (plural loiters)

1. A standing or strolling about without any aim or purpose.
   • 1865, Edward Spooner, Parson and People (page 125)

     Oh, Sir, we just got up in the morning and had a loiter and a pipe on the green; then we got our breakfasts; […]

Anagrams

• Loiret, Lortie, toiler, triole

English

Etymology

From an earlier tardive, from French tardif, ultimately from Vulgar Latin *tardivus, from Latin tardus (“slow”, “sluggish”), of obscure origin.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?t??di/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /?t??di/
• Rhymes: -??(?)di

Adjective

tardy (comparative tardier, superlative tardiest)

1. Late; overdue or delayed.
   • c. 1597, William Shakespeare, Henry IV, Part 3, Act IV, Scene 3,^[1]

     When everything is ended, then you come.

     These tardy tricks of yours will, on my life,

     One time or other break some gallows’ back.

   • 1795, Isaac D’Israeli, An Essay on the Manners and Genius of the Literary Character, London: T. Cadell Jr. and W. Davies, Chapter 9, p. 122,^[2]

     Men of genius anticipate their contemporaries, and know they are such, long before the tardy consent of the public.

   • 1914, Saki, “The Stake” in Beasts and Super-Beasts, London: John Lane, pp. 202-203,^[3]

     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.

   • 1963, James Baldwin, “Down at the Cross: Letter from a Region in My Mind” in The Fire Next Time, New York: Dial, p. 87,^[4]

     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.

2. Moving with a slow pace or motion; not swift.
   • c. 1595, William Shakespeare, Richard II, Act II, Scene 1,^[5]

     […] fashions in proud Italy,

     Whose manners still our tardy apish nation

     Limps after in base imitation.

   • 1638, George Sandys, “To the Prince” in A Paraphrase upon the Divine Poems, London,^[6]

     Nor should their Age by Yeares be told:

     Whose Souls, more swift then Motion, clime;

     And check the tardy Flight of Time.

   • 1700, Matthew Prior, “Carmen Seculare, For the Year 1700. To the King” in Poems on Several Occasions, London: Jacob Tonson, 2nd edition, 1709, p. 151,^[7]

     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.

   • 1839, Charles Dickens, Nicholas Nickleby, Chapter 49,^[8]

     […] 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.

   • 1926, Hope Mirrlees, Lud-in-the-Mist, Millenium, 2000, Chapter 19,^[9]

     These berries […] are a deadly and insidious poison, though very tardy in their action, often lying dormant in the blood for many days.

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).
   • c. 1592,, William Shakespeare, Richard III, Act IV, Scene 1,^[10]

     Be not ta’en tardy by unwise delay.

   • 1663, Samuel Butler, Hudibras, London, Canto 3, p. 104,^[11]

     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,

5. (obsolete) Criminal; guilty.

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Collier to this entry?)

Usage notes

• The term suggests habitual lateness.
• Somewhat dated in the United Kingdom.

Synonyms

• (late; overdue; not on time): belated, delayed

Translations

Noun

tardy (plural tardies)

1. (US) A piece of paper given to students who are late to class.

2. (US) An instance of a student being marked as tardy by a teacher on their attendance sheet.

See also

• tardy slip

Verb

tardy (third-person singular simple present tardies, present participle tardying, simple past and past participle tardied)

1. (obsolete, transitive) To make tardy.

Anagrams

• Darty