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delay

 - 3 dictionary results

de⋅lay

  [di-ley]
–verb (used with object)
1. to put off to a later time; defer; postpone: The pilot delayed the flight until the weather cleared.
2. to impede the process or progress of; retard; hinder: The dense fog delayed the plane's landing.
–verb (used without object)
3. to put off action; linger; loiter: He delayed until it was too late.
–noun
4. the act of delaying; procrastination; loitering.
5. an instance of being delayed: There were many delays during the train trip.
6. the period or amount of time during which something is delayed: The ballet performance began after a half-hour delay.
Use delay in a Sentence
Origin:
1225–75; ME delaien (v.), delai(e) (n.) < OF delaier (v.), delai (n.)

Related forms:
de⋅lay⋅a⋅ble, adjective
de⋅lay⋅er, noun
de⋅lay⋅ing⋅ly, adverb

Synonyms:
1. See defer 1 . 2. slow, detain. 3. procrastinate, tarry. 4. tarrying, dawdling. 5. deferment, postponement, respite.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2010.
Cite This Source Link To delay
de·lay   (dĭ-lā')   
v.   de·layed, de·lay·ing, de·lays

v.   tr.

  1. To postpone until a later time; defer.

  2. To cause to be later or slower than expected or desired: Heavy traffic delayed us.

v.   intr.
To act or move slowly; put off an action or a decision.
n.  

  1. The act of delaying; postponement: responded without delay.

  2. The condition of being delayed; detainment.

  3. The period of time during which one is delayed.

  4. The interval of time between two events.


[Middle English delaien, from Anglo-Norman delaier, from Old French deslaier : des-, de- + laier, to leave, of Germanic origin; see leip- in Indo-European roots.]
de·lay'er n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

delay 
c.1275, from O.Fr. delaier, from de- "away, from" + laier "leave, let," probably a variant of L. laissier, from L. laxare "slacken, undo."
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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