I. ˈrē-ˌlā noun
Etymology: Middle English, set of fresh hounds, from relayen
Date: 1651
1.
a. : a supply (as of horses) arranged beforehand for successive relief
b. : a number of persons who relieve others in some work
worked in relay s around the clock
2.
a. : a race between teams in which each team member successively covers a specified portion of the course
b. : one of the divisions of a relay
3. : an electromagnetic device for remote or automatic control that is actuated by variation in conditions of an electric circuit and that operates in turn other devices (as switches) in the same or a different circuit
4. : servomotor
5. : the act of passing along (as a message or ball) by stages ; also : one of such stages
II. ˈrē-ˌlā, ri-ˈlā transitive verb
( re·layed ; re·lay·ing )
Etymology: Middle English, to release a set of fresh hounds, take a fresh horse, from Middle French relaier, from re- + laier to let go, leave — more at delay
Date: 1788
1.
a. : to place or dispose in relays
b. : to provide with relays
2. : to pass along by relays
news was relay ed to distant points
3. : to control or operate by a relay
III. (ˌ)rē-ˈlā transitive verb
( re·laid -ˈlād ; -lay·ing )
Etymology: re- + lay (I)
Date: 1757
: to lay again
relay track