[f. TAR sb. + -Y.]
1. Consisting or composed of tar; of the natare of tar.
1552. Huloet, Tarrye, or of tarre, piceus.
1782. J. Trumbull, M‘Fingal, 65.
| From nose and chin’s remotest end, | |
| The tarry icicles depend. |
1841. Civil Eng. & Arch. Jrnl., IV. 12/1. Its change from … a solid to that of a tarry, viscous, semifluid.
1899. Allbutt’s Syst. Med., VIII. 517. All tarry and resinous substances absorb oxygen rapidly or slowly.
b. Resembling tar; having the consistence, color, or flavor of tar.
1880. M. Mackenzie, Dis. Throat & Nose, I. 154. The blood [of the heart] is [in certain cases of diphtheria] fluid and tarry.
1896. C. E. Ryan, With Ambulance thro’ Franco-German War, v. 63. A small patch of blood-stained earth beside him—not red, but tarry-black.
1904. Daily News, 27 Dec. 10. The Souchong teas … have a special flavour … which the trade describe as ‘tarry.’
2. Covered, smeared, soiled, or impregnated with tar; tarred; black as if smeared with tar.
a. 1585. Polwart, Flyting w. Montgomerie, 745. Tary tade [= toad], thous defate.
1641. Best, Farm. Bks. (Surtees), 23. Such [locks of wool] as are hairy and tarry.
1686. Lond. Gaz., No. 2201/4. [He] had … an old black Tarrey Hat on his head.
1753. N. Jersey Archives, XIX. 283. A Pair of tarry Duck Trowsers.
1824. McCulloch, Highl., etc. Scot., I. 382. In contact with her tarry sides.
1840. Dickens, Old C. Shop, v. Two or three tarry boys.
b. fig. Thievish. (Cf. tarry-fingered in 4.)
1822. Galt, Sir A. Wylie, II. xvii. 158. The gipsies hae tarry fingers, and ye would need an ee in your neck to watch them.
3. fig. ? Foul, unclean; ? rude, uncultured.
1579. W. Wilkinson, Confut. Familye of Loue, 57 b. Poysoned speaches, and tarrye Rhetorick.
1779. J. Adams, Diary, 11 May, Wks. 1851, III. 200. Dr. W. told me of Tucker’s rough, tarry speech about me, at the navy board.
4. Comb.: tarry-breeks (orig. Sc.), -jacket, -John, humorous nicknames for a sailor (cf. TAR sb. 3); tarry-fingered, -fisted adjs., having the fingers or hands smeared with tar; fig. thievish.
1786. Burns, Dream, xiii. Young royal *Tarry Breeks [Prince William], I learn, Ye’ve lately come athwart her.
1855. Kingsley, Westw. Ho, xxx. No old tarry-breeks of a sea-dog.
1825. Jamieson, *Tarry-fingered, Tarry-handit, dishonest, disposed to carry off by stealth.
1906. Daily Chron., 4 Aug., 8/4. All the gold that has ever been gathered by *tarry-fisted gentry of the Bragwell and Rudge order.
1822. Scott, Nigel, iv. My husband must be the slave of every *tarry jacket that wants but a pound of oakum.
1888. Stevenson, Black Arrow, IV. vi. Long-headed *tarry-Johns, that fear not fire nor water.
Hence Tarriness, tarry condition or quality.
1892. Walsh, Tea (Philad.), 193. This smokiness and ‘tarriness’ does not develop until after the teas have left China.
