delay
A period of time before an event occurs; the act of delaying; procrastination; lingering inactivity.
Noun 4 meanings
A period of time before an event occurs; the act of delaying; procrastination; lingering inactivity.
“the delay before the echo of a sound”
An audio effects unit that introduces a controlled delay.
Synonym of promise (“object representing delayed result”).
An amount of time provided on each move before one's clock starts to tick; a less common time control than increment.
Verb 2 meanings
To put off until a later time; to defer.
To wait, hesitate, tarry.
“Don't delay; this special offer ends at midnight!”
Etymology
From Middle English delaien, borrowed from Anglo-Norman delaier, Old French deslaier, from des- + Old French laier (“to leave”), a conflation of Old Frankish *lattjan ("to delay, hinder"; from Proto-Germanic *latjaną (“to delay, hinder, stall”), from Proto-Indo-European *leh₁d- (“to leave, leave behind”)), and Old Frankish *laibijan ("to leave"; from Proto-Germanic *laibijaną (“to leave, cause to stay”), from Proto-Indo-European *leyp- (“to remain, continue”)).
Similar and opposite words
DELAY at a glance
DELAY has 5 letters and scores 9 points in Scrabble (D 2 + E 1 + L 1 + A 1 + Y 4) and 9 in Words With Friends, before board bonuses. It ranks #3,549 by how often it appears in everyday English. It is valid in ENABLE, NWL2023, Collins/SOWPODS.
Rhymes with delay
All rhymes- PLAY9
- DISPLAY13
- CLAY9
- GAMEPLAY16
- RELAY8
- REPLAY11
- SCREENPLAY17
- COSPLAY14
- SLAY7
- OVERLAY13
- INTERPLAY14
- FOREPLAY16
One letter away
- RELAY8
- DECAY11
- BELAY10
- DELLY9
- DERAY9
- DENAY9
Keep going
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