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waylay

[ wey-ley, wey-ley ]
/ ˈweɪˌleɪ, weɪˈleɪ /
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See synonyms for: waylay / waylaid on Thesaurus.com
verb (used with object), way·laid [wey-leyd, wey-leyd], /ˈweɪˌleɪd, weɪˈleɪd/, way·lay·ing.
to intercept or attack from ambush, as in order to rob, seize, or slay.
to await and accost unexpectedly: The actor was waylaid by a swarm of admirers.
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Origin of waylay

First recorded in 1505–15; way1 + lay1, after Middle Low German, Middle Dutch wegelagen “to lie in wait,” derivative of wegelage “a lying in wait”

OTHER WORDS FROM waylay

waylayer, noun

Words nearby waylay

wayfaring tree, waygoing, waygoing crop, waylaid, Wayland, waylay, wayleave, wayleggo, wayless, waymark, waymarked
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Words related to waylay

accost, ambuscade, assail, attack, box, bushwhack, catch, jump, lurk, prowl, skulk, slink, surprise, hold up, lay for, lie in wait, set upon

How to use waylay in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for waylay

waylay
/ (weɪˈleɪ) /
verb -lays, -laying or -laid (tr)
to lie in wait for and attack
to await and intercept unexpectedly

Derived forms of waylay

waylayer, noun

Word Origin for waylay

C16: from way + lay 1
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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