waylay

American  

[wey-ley, wey-ley] / ˈweɪˌleɪ, weɪˈleɪ /

verb (used with object)

waylaid, waylaying

1. to intercept or attack from ambush, as in order to rob, seize, or slay.

2. to await and accost unexpectedly.

   The actor was waylaid by a swarm of admirers.

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waylay British  

/ weɪˈleɪ /

verb

1. to lie in wait for and attack

2. to await and intercept unexpectedly

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Other Word Forms

• waylayer noun

Etymology

Origin of waylay

First recorded in 1505–15; way ¹ + lay ¹, after Middle Low German, Middle Dutch wegelagen “to lie in wait,” derivative of wegelage “a lying in wait”

Example Sentences

National Aeronautics and Space Administration leaders said the agency disregarded crew safety by pushing ahead with the failed Starliner mission in 2024, which waylaid astronauts for months at the International Space Station.

From The Wall Street Journal

In reality, the combination proved to be a distraction, and much of the effort was waylaid as Tesla struggled with producing its first mainstream car.

From The Wall Street Journal

Most projects take years to complete, hindered by the pendulum swings of available money, so Brewster tempers her frustration at having to waylay them mid-planning until she can find enough cash.

From The Wall Street Journal

“It is the stolen velocipede that has waylaid Mr. Harley-Dickinson, I am certain of it. He must have been stopped by a police officer, for why else would he not be here as planned?”

From Literature

McLean, a 32-year-old data analyst in Chicago, was monitoring his wife’s scheduled United flight to New York on a hunch it would be waylaid by the shutdown and a coming snowstorm.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• accost