Tardy ordering tale (4)
I believe the answer is:
late
'tardy' is the definition.
(I know that tardy can be written as late)
'ordering tale' is the wordplay.
'ordering' indicates anagramming the letters.
'tale' anagrammed gives 'LATE'.
(Other definitions for late that I've seen before include "No longer alive; tardy" , "Dead or behind time" , "Behindhand" , "Having bought it" , "Unpunctual or dead (4)" .)