tardiness

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tar·dy

(tär′dē)

adj. tar·di·er, tar·di·est

1. Occurring, arriving, acting, or done after the scheduled, expected, or usual time; late.

2. Moving or progressing slowly; sluggish: walking at a tardy pace.

[Alteration of Middle English tardive, slow, from Old French tardif, from Vulgar Latin *tardīvus, from Latin tardus.]

tar′di·ly adv.

tar′di·ness n.

Synonyms: tardy, late, overdue
These adjectives mean not arriving, occurring, acting, or done at the scheduled, expected, or usual time: tardy in making a dental appointment; late for the plane; an overdue bus.

Antonym: prompt

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

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Noun 1. tardiness - the quality or habit of not adhering to a correct or usual or expected time

timing - the time when something happens

punctuality, promptness - the quality or habit of adhering to an appointed time

tardiness

noun

1. lateness, dilatoriness, unpunctuality His legendary tardiness left audiences waiting for hours.

2. delay, slowness, procrastination, belatedness his tardiness in giving talented players international experience

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

tardiness

noun

The quality or condition of not being on time:

belatedness, lateness.

Translations

lenteur

tardiness

[ˈtɑːdɪnɪs] N (frm) (= lateness) → tardanza f; (= slowness) → lentitud f

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

tardiness

(of person) → Säumigkeit f (geh)

(US: = lateness) → Zuspätkommen nt; (of train etc) → Verspätung f

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

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References in classic literature ?

The agonizing condition of suspense she had passed in Moscow, the tardiness and indecision of Alexey Alexandrovitch, her solitude--she put it all down to him.

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"Under such a government," says the Abbe Mably, "the Union could never have subsisted, if the provinces had not a spring within themselves, capable of quickening their tardiness, and compelling them to the same way of thinking.

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Muttering a curse upon his tardiness, Sikes pushed Oliver before him; and they entered a low dark room with a smoky fire, two or three broken chairs, a table, and a very old couch: on which, with his legs much higher than his head, a man was reposing at full length, smoking a long clay pipe.

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"And do you," said Valentine, "depend on me to stimulate the tardiness and arouse the memory of grandpapa?"

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Tess, though flattered, had never quite got over her original mistrust of him, and, despite their tardiness, she preferred to walk home with the work-folk.

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She was quite pained by the severity of his father's reproof, which seemed disproportionate to the offence; and much was her concern increased when she found herself the principal cause of the lecture, and that his tardiness was chiefly resented from being disrespectful to her.

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Richard gave vent to his reproaches at the tardiness of the pedestrians, when all the turbulent passions of the party were succeeded by a calm, as mild and as placid as that which prevailed over the beautiful sheet of water that they were about to rifle of its best treasures.

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Looking back I am astonished, and can in no way account for the tardiness of my discovery that here, in this far-away corner, was my kingdom of heaven.

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"If such be your opinions of confinement, honest friend, you had better manifest the same, by putting us at liberty with as little delay as possible," said Middleton, who, like his companion, began to find the tardiness of his often-tried companion quite as extraordinary as it was disagreeable.

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Traffic noises will convince your boss your tardiness was unavoidable.

Audio alibi

The problem of inadequate funding is compounded by the tardiness with which the VA appropriation has been approved.

Mandatory funding for VA healthcare

A pattern of tardiness in submitting reports may mean unfavorable credit decisions for your client and potentially higher interest rates.

A relationship to bank on: knowing your client's banker can help elevate your status as a financial adviser