I. di-ˈlā, dē- noun
Date: 13th century
1.
a. : the act of delaying : the state of being delayed
get started without delay
b. : an instance of being delayed
2. : the time during which something is delayed
a delay of 30 minutes
II. verb
Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French delaier, from de- + laier to leave, from lai-, present and future stem of lesser, laisser to leave, from Latin laxare to slacken, from laxus loose — more at slack
Date: 14th century
transitive verb
1. : put off , postpone
delay a departure
2. : to stop, detain, or hinder for a time
the mails were delay ed by heavy snows
3. : to cause to be slower or to occur more slowly than normal
delay a child's development
intransitive verb
: to move or act slowly ; also : to cause delay
• de·lay·er noun
Synonyms:
delay , retard , slow , slacken , detain mean to cause to be late or behind in movement or progress. delay implies a holding back, usually by interference, from completion or arrival
bad weather delayed our arrival
retard suggests reduction of speed without actual stopping
language barriers retarded their progress
slow and slacken also imply a reduction of speed, slow often suggesting deliberate intention
medication slowed the patient's heart rate
slacken an easing up or relaxing of power or effort
on hot days runners slacken their pace
detain implies a holding back beyond a reasonable or appointed time
unexpected business had detained her
Synonyms:
delay , procrastinate , lag , loiter , dawdle , dally mean to move or act slowly so as to fall behind. delay usually implies a putting off (as a beginning or departure)
we cannot delay any longer
procrastinate implies blameworthy delay especially through laziness or apathy
procrastinates about making decisions
lag implies failure to maintain a speed set by others
lagging behind in technology
loiter and dawdle imply delay while in progress, especially in walking, but dawdle more clearly suggests an aimless wasting of time
loitered at several store windows
children dawdling on their way home from school
dally suggests delay through trifling or vacillation when promptness is necessary
stop dallying and get to work