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delay

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To delay is defined as to postpone, make late or stop for awhile.

(verb)

An example of to delay is a snow storm making a flight late.

See delay in Webster's New World College Dictionary

transitive verb

to put off to a future time; postpone
to make late; slow up; detain

Origin: ME delaien < OFr delaier < de-, intens. + laier, to leave, let, altered (? after conjugation of faire) < laissier < L laxare: see relax

intransitive verb

to stop for a while; linger

noun

a delaying or being delayed
the period of time for which something is delayed

Related Forms:

delayer noun

See delay in American Heritage Dictionary 4

verb de·layed, de·lay·ing, de·lays

verb, transitive

To postpone until a later time; defer.
To cause to be later or slower than expected or desired: Heavy traffic delayed us.

verb, intransitive

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

noun

The act of delaying; postponement: responded without delay.
The condition of being delayed; detainment.
The period of time during which one is delayed.
The interval of time between two events.

Origin:

Origin: Middle English delaien

Origin: , from Anglo-Norman delaier

Origin: , from Old French deslaier

Origin: : des-, de-

Origin: + laier, to leave

Origin: , of Germanic origin; see leip- in Indo-European roots

Related Forms:

de·layˈer noun

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