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Halt vs Tarry - What's the difference?

halt | tarry |

In intransitive terms the difference between halt and tarry

is that halt is to stop either temporarily or permanently while tarry is to stay somewhere temporarily; to sojourn.

In transitive terms the difference between halt and tarry

is that halt is to cause to discontinue while tarry is to wait for; to stay or stop for; to allow to linger.

halt

English

(wikipedia halt)

Etymology 1

From (etyl) (m), from (etyl) . English usage in the sense of 'make a halt' is from the noun. Cognate with North Frisian (m), Swedish (m).

Verb

(en verb)
  • (label) To limp; move with a limping gait.
  • (label) To stand in doubt whether to proceed, or what to do; hesitate; be uncertain; linger; delay; mammer.
  • * Bible, 1 Kings xviii. 21
  • How long halt ye between two opinions?
  • (label) To be lame, faulty, or defective, as in connection with ideas, or in measure, or in versification.
  • Etymology 2

    From (etyl) (m), from (etyl) . More at (l).

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • (lb) To stop marching.
  • (lb) To stop either temporarily or permanently.
  • *
  • *:And it was while all were passionately intent upon the pleasing and snake-like progress of their uncle that a young girl in furs, ascending the stairs two at a time, peeped perfunctorily into the nursery as she passed the hallway—and halted amazed.
  • (lb) To bring to a stop.
  • (lb) To cause to discontinue.
  • :
  • Noun

    (en noun)
  • A cessation, either temporary or permanent.
  • * Clarendon
  • Without any halt they marched.
  • A minor railway station (usually unstaffed) in the United Kingdom.
  • Etymology 3

    (etyl) healt (verb (healtian)), from (etyl) . Cognate with Danish halt, Swedish halt.

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • (archaic) Lame, limping.
  • * 1526 , William Tyndale, trans. Bible , Mark IX:
  • It is better for the to goo halt into lyfe, then with ij. fete to be cast into hell [...].
  • * Bible, Luke xiv. 21
  • Bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt , and the blind.

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To limp.
  • * 1610 , , act 4 scene 1
  • Do not smile at me that I boast her off,
    For thou shalt find she will outstrip all praise,
    And make it halt behind her.
  • To waver.
  • To falter.
  • Noun

    (en noun)
  • (dated) Lameness; a limp.
  • Anagrams

    * English ergative verbs ----

    tarry

    English

    Alternative forms

    * (l) (Scotland)

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl) tarien, .

    Verb

    (en-verb)
  • To delay; to be late or tardy in beginning or doing anything.
  • It is true that the Messiah will come, though he may tarry . ( Hitchens quoting translated Maimonides)
  • To linger in expectation of something or until something is done or happens.
  • To abide, stay or wait somewhere, especially if longer than planned.
  • To stay somewhere temporarily; to sojourn.
  • To wait for; to stay or stop for; to allow to linger.
  • * Shakespeare
  • He that will have a cake out of the wheat must needs tarry the grinding.
  • * Sir Walter Scott
  • He plodded on, tarrying no further question.
    Synonyms
    * (stay or wait, especially longer than planned ): hang about, hang around, linger, loiter * (stay somewhere temporarily ): sojourn, stay, stay over, stop, stop over

    Noun

    (tarries)
  • A sojourn.
  • Synonyms
    * (sojourn ): stay, stop, stop-over

    Etymology 2

    Adjective

    (er)
  • Resembling tar.
  • Covered with tar.
  • Synonyms
    * (resembling tar) pitchy * (covered with tar) bituminized (treated with tar ), pitchy

    References

    * * English heteronyms