delay
[dih-ley]
- to put off to a later time; defer; postpone: The pilot delayed the flight until the weather cleared.
- to impede the process or progress of; retard; hinder: The dense fog delayed the plane's landing.
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- to put off action; linger; loiter: He delayed until it was too late.
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- the act of delaying; procrastination; loitering.
- an instance of being delayed: There were many delays during the train trip.
- the period or amount of time during which something is delayed: The ballet performance began after a half-hour delay.
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Origin of delay
1225–75; Middle English delaien (v.), delai(e) (noun) < Old French delaier (v.), delai (noun)
Synonyms
See more synonyms for delay on Thesaurus.com2. slow, detain. 3. procrastinate, tarry. 4. tarrying, dawdling. 5. deferment, postponement, respite.
Synonym study
1. See defer1.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for delay
Contemporary Examples
The child almost died from the delay of an hour in seeking help.
Dr. Melson says abstinence only training shows no delay in sexual activity.
This is a case where delay is denial—with potentially deadly results.
There was, I am told, a two-hour delay caused by concerns about the temperature of the fuel.
Virgin Galactic’s Flight Path to Disaster: A Clash of High Risk and HyperboleClive Irving
November 1, 2014
But delay hurts, deprivation is unfair, and waiting (and waiting) matters.
Historical Examples
Some horrible accident might happen to delay us here thirty minutes.
The SpendersHarry Leon Wilson
Wilson, chafing under the delay, was obliged to admit to himself that it was best.
KMary Roberts Rinehart
In the making of fancies and jests he sees a chance of delay.
De ProfundisOscar Wilde
Yates did not like to ask the cause of the delay; so the three sat there silently.
In the Midst of AlarmsRobert Barr
The idea never occurred to her that there should be the slightest hindrance or the least delay.
The DreamEmile Zola
delay
- (tr) to put off to a later time; defer
- (tr) to slow up, hinder, or cause to be late; detain
- (intr) to be irresolute or put off doing something; procrastinate
- (intr) to linger; dawdle
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- the act or an instance of delaying or being delayed
- the interval between one event and another; lull; interlude
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Word Origin
C13: from Old French delaier, from des- off + laier, variant of laissier to leave, from Latin laxāre to loosen, from laxus slack, lax
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Word Origin and History for delay
n.
mid-13c., from Old French delaie, from delaiier (see delay (v.)).
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper