Showing results for "relay"

• a variation of re-lay.

relay

¹ American  

[ree-lay, ree-lay, ri-lay] / ˈri leɪ, ˈri leɪ, rɪˈleɪ /

noun

• relays
  plural

1. a series of persons relieving one another or taking turns; shift.

2. a fresh set of dogs or horses posted in readiness for use in a hunt, on a journey, etc.

3. Sports.

   1. relay race.

   2. a length or leg in a relay race.

4. Machinery. an automatic control device in which the settings of valves, switches, etc., are regulated by a powered element, as a motor, solenoid, or pneumatic mechanism actuated by a smaller, sensitive element.

5. Electricity. a device, usually consisting of an electromagnet and an armature, by which a change of current or voltage in one circuit is used to make or break a connection in another circuit or to affect the operation of other devices in the same or another circuit.

6. (initial capital letter) one of an early series of experimental low-altitude, active communications satellites.

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verb (used with object)

relayed, relaying

1. to carry forward by or as if by relays.

   to relay a message.

2. to provide with or replace by fresh relays.

3. Electricity. to retransmit (a signal, message, etc.) by or as if by means of a telegraphic relay.

verb (used without object)

relayed, relaying

1. Electricity. to retransmit a signal or message electronically.

relay ² American  

[ree-lay] / riˈleɪ /

verb (used with object)

relaid, relaying

1. re-lay.

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relay British  

noun

1. a person or team of people relieving others, as on a shift

2. a fresh team of horses, dogs, etc, posted at intervals along a route to relieve others

3. the act of relaying or process of being relayed

4. 1. short for relay race

   2. one of the sections of a relay race

5. an automatic device that controls the setting of a valve, switch, etc, by means of an electric motor, solenoid, or pneumatic mechanism

6. electronics an electrical device in which a small change in current or voltage controls the switching on or off of circuits or other devices

7. radio

   1. a combination of a receiver and transmitter designed to receive radio signals and retransmit them, in order to extend their range

   2. ( as modifier )

      a relay station

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verb

1. to carry or spread (something, such as news or information) by relays

2. to supply or replace with relays

3. to retransmit (a signal) by means of a relay

4. to broadcast (a performance) by sending out signals through a transmitting station

   this concert is being relayed from the Albert Hall

relay Scientific  

/ rē′lā /

1. An electrical switch that is operated by an electromagnet, such as a solenoid. When a small current passes through the electromagnet's coiled wire, it produces a magnetic field that attracts a movable iron bar, causing it to pivot and open or close the switch.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• relays
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of relay

First recorded in 1375–1425; (for the verb) late Middle English relaien “to unleash fresh hounds in a hunt,” from Middle French relaier, Old French: “to leave behind, release,” from re- re- + laier “to leave” (dialectal variant of laissier, from Latin laxāre; see relax); (for the noun) late Middle English relai “set of fresh hounds,” from Middle French, derivative of relaier

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Explanation

If you relay something, you pass it to another person. When you relay the information that your pet monkey is known to attack people to your neighbors, you should bring a basket of muffins. Relay comes from the French relayer, which means "to change hounds on a hunt." It still has that sense of something passed in motion. You might run a relay race — each team member carries a baton part-way, then passes it on. We relay news, as when you take a message from Sally and relay it to Harry. A fresh work crew is a relay, and so is an electrical switch that can turn a second circuit on.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

relay relays relaid relayed relaying

Getting to finalize major touchpoints such as the torch relay, the mascot and the medal designs while preparing to makeover existing venues signal excitement and confidence in the organization’s process.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 29, 2026

In other cases, he said, Navatek’s lobbyists would relay a request from an intermediary for a specific dollar amount.

From Salon ● Sep. 23, 2026

"This is called back-energy transfer: it means that the energy that would have been emitted by the erbium ions as green light instead gets bounced back to the ytterbium relay and never reaches the surface."

From Science Daily ● Sep. 20, 2026

Justice Department said several companies used crypto exchange Binance to relay payments for black-market Iranian oil from Chinese buyers, as part of a scheme to finance Iran’s military in violation of sanctions.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 15, 2026

I relay it through printed words on crumpled newsprint, words that they can read again and again, returning to the circus whenever they wish, regardless of time of day or physical location.

From "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern

In town, a crusty denizen relays to Sung-ae what he saw days ago in the forest, along with its digestive distress.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 11, 2026

He relays a story about his time as chief secretary to the Treasury in 2007 when he was told: "No project in the north passed the Green Book, Minister."

From BBC ● Jul. 17, 2026

Laser reception requires fewer relays and can be located at the data center, rather than relayed from a special antenna.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 12, 2026

"We found that activating this pathway excites the part of the spinal cord that relays touch and pain to the brain, causing touch to now be perceived as pain as well," said Ball.

From Science Daily ● Apr. 27, 2026

I join the pre-meet Liberty huddle, then stay infield to cheer on runners in the 4x100-meter relays and the 1600-meter runs.

From "The Running Dream" by Wendelin Van Draanen

"We think it paid for a huge renovation project here at that time," says the Very Reverend Philip Hesketh, Dean of Rochester, pointing out the quire paving that was relaid.

From BBC ● Jun. 18, 2026

The field has been belatedly relaid because there were concerts staged at the stadium last weekend.

From Seattle Times ● May 27, 2022

The pitch was a problem too, sodden following a day’s downpour and patchy having been relaid at 5am on Tuesday after a series of Taylor Swift concerts.

From The Guardian ● Jul. 25, 2018

My cousins and I hope there will be a time when the debris is cleared away, roads relaid and bridges rebuilt so that we might visit the hills where our grandmother raised our fathers.

From Washington Post ● Oct. 6, 2017

At other times there is need for much digging, and the turf with which the carpet is to be relaid may have to be carried to the spot from a considerable distance.

From The Complete Golfer by Harry Vardon

In a phone call that evening, Karpenko relayed his conditions.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026

One of the family's lawyers, Bertrand Wattez, said the boy, Evan, denied the police account, relayed by prosecutors, that he had tried to pick up the grenade when it went off on October 5.

From Barron's ● Oct. 14, 2026

"Come on, it was our moment," was the response relayed back to him.

From BBC ● Oct. 4, 2026

In an interview with David Rosenberg of Rosenberg Research, Gundlach relayed the story of a 100-year-old silver maple at his house in Buffalo, N.Y., that lost a giant limb, nearly hitting the chimney.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 1, 2026

He quickly relayed his father’s message and watched as the doctor and staff began to bustle about.

From "Finding Junie Kim" by Ellen Oh

"In the circumstances, the prosecution suggest the communication that took place is evidence they were all involved in relaying information to and from Mr Baker whilst he was in custody," Tully said.

From BBC ● Sep. 30, 2026

Martin, Tennessee, is a small, out-of-the-way town that is ultimately best explained to strangers by relaying its travel time from Memphis.

From Salon ● Aug. 19, 2026

People in towns and villages around Madrid have been relaying their experiences of escaping the fires, some with just the clothes they were wearing.

From Barron's ● Jul. 25, 2026

"There's a commander within them -- BC6 -- that leads them in relaying signals to the downstream target."

From Science Daily ● Jul. 14, 2026

Two of the men looked so alike that she grew confused for a moment, thinking that two sets of moths were relaying her the same information.

From "Strange the Dreamer" by Laini Taylor

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Related Words

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