delay
Forms
- Plural
- delays
- present (v1)
- delay
- past (v2)
- delayed
- past participle (v3)
- delayed
- present participle
- delaying
- 3rd person singular
- delays
Definitions
1.An amount of time provided on each move before one's clock starts to tick; a less common time control than increment.
2.A period of time before an event occurs; the act of delaying; procrastination; lingering inactivity.
- Without any delay, on the morrow I sat on the judgment seat.
- The government ought to be settled without the delay of a day.
- In this article I'm thinking about the big delays, over two hours. While rare, they make the news and help to deter people from future rail travel, both travellers and news viewers.
3.An audio effects unit that introduces a controlled delay.
4.Synonym of promise (“object representing delayed result”).
1.To put off until a later time; to defer.
- My lord delayeth his coming.
2.To retard; to temporarily stop, detain, or hinder.
- The mail is delayed by a heavy fall of snow.
3.To wait, hesitate, tarry.
- Don't delay; this special offer ends at midnight!
Frequency
Overall
Uncommon· #3499
By learning goal
- Everyday conversation
- Rare
- General reading & writing
- Uncommon
- Academic
- Rare
- Literature
- Rare
Related words
Word family
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.