English Explanatory Dictionary

delay

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. A period of time before an event occurs; the act of delaying; procrastination; lingering inactivity.
  2. An audio effects unit that introduces a controlled delay.
  3. Synonym of promise (“object representing delayed result”).
  4. An amount of time provided on each move before one's clock starts to tick; a less common time control than increment.
verb
  1. To put off until a later time; to defer.
  2. To retard; to temporarily stop, detain, or hinder.
  3. To wait, hesitate, tarry.
  4. To allay; to temper.
verb
  1. To dilute, temper.
  2. To assuage, quench, allay.
name
  1. A surname.

Pronunciation

/dɪˈleɪ̯/ [dɪˈleɪ̯] En-us-delay.ogg /dəˈleɪ̯/ [dəˈleɪ̯]

Word forms

delay delays delaying delayed

Etymology

From Middle English delaien, borrowed from Anglo-Norman delaier, Old French deslaier, from des- + Old French laier (“to leave”), a conflation of Old Frankish *lattjan ("to delay, hinder"; from Proto-Germanic *latjaną (“to delay, hinder, stall”), from Proto-Indo-European *leh₁d- (“to leave, leave behind”)), and Old Frankish *laibijan ("to leave"; from Proto-Germanic *laibijaną (“to leave, cause to stay”), from Proto-Indo-European *leyp- (“to remain, continue”)). Doublet of dally. Akin to Old English latian (“to delay, hesitate”), Old English latu (“a delay, a hindrance”), Old English lǣfan (“to leave”). More at let (to hinder), late, leave.

Synonyms

hold-up deferment delay dilation detain hinder hesitance hesitancy hesitation holdoff postponement prorogation respite retard cunctation promise forslow get in the way of hold up impede moderate quell adjourn defer penelopize postpone put off put on ice suspend waive belate procrastinate calm

Related words

delayed pause wait

Derived words

broadcast delay call delay danger in delay delay differential equation delay line delay slot delay tactic delay time language delay multidelay predelay profanity delay propagation delay rain delay round-trip delay time Shapiro delay tape delay time-delay time delay delayability delayable delayal delayed critical delayed criticality delayed ejaculation delayed miscarriage delayed neutron delayed-onset muscle soreness delayed onset muscle soreness delayed puberty delayed sleep phase disorder delayer delayingly delaying tactic delayism delay no more justice delayed is justice denied nondelaying redelay undelaying
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