a. Obs. rare–1. [f. L. tard-us slow + loquent-em, pr. pple. of loqui to speak: cf. L. tardiloquus.] Speaking slowly, slow-speaking. So † Tardiloquy Obs. rare–0.
1623. Cockeram, Tardiloquie, slow speech.
1656. Blount, Glossogr., Tardiloquent, that speaks slowly, or draws his speech out at length.
1916. W. Caine, Bildad the Quill-driver, 308. Therefore I began to gibber and squeak in the manner of the tardiloquent Khobeib, and devoted five minutes (for dispatch was advisable) to the delivery of the following sentence:
‘By the Beard of the Prophet! I will pay thee five thousand timauns.’
