Delay
[dɪ'leɪ] or [dɪ'le]
Definition
(noun.) the act of delaying; inactivity resulting in something being put off until a later time.
(noun.) time during which some action is awaited; 'instant replay caused too long a delay'; 'he ordered a hold in the action'.
(verb.) cause to be slowed down or delayed; 'Traffic was delayed by the bad weather'; 'she delayed the work that she didn't want to perform'.
(verb.) act later than planned, scheduled, or required; 'Don't delay your application to graduate school or else it won't be considered'.
Edited by Jeanne--From WordNet
Definition
(v.) A putting off or deferring; procrastination; lingering inactivity; stop; detention; hindrance.
(n.) To put off; to defer; to procrastinate; to prolong the time of or before.
(n.) To retard; to stop, detain, or hinder, for a time; to retard the motion, or time of arrival, of; as, the mail is delayed by a heavy fall of snow.
(n.) To allay; to temper.
(v. i.) To move slowly; to stop for a time; to linger; to tarry.
Checked by Brits
Synonyms and Synonymous
v. a. [1]. Defer, postpone, procrastinate, put off, stave off, let lie over.[2]. Detain, hinder, retard, step, impede.
v. n. Linger, tarry, stop, procrastinate.
n. [1]. Procrastination, postponement, deferring, the Fabian policy, masterly inactivity.[2]. Detention, stay, stop, hinderance.
Typist: Lolita
Synonyms and Antonyms
[See DEFER]
Editor: Timmy
Definition
v.t. (Spens.) to temper dilute weaken.
v.t. to put off to another time: to defer: to hinder or retard.—v.i. to pause linger or put off time.—n. a putting off or deferring: a lingering: hinderance:—pr.p. delay′ing; pa.p. delayed′.—n. Delay′er.—adv. Delay′ingly.
Inputed by Anna
Unserious Contents or Definition
To be delayed in a dream, warns you of the scheming of enemies to prevent your progress.
Typist: Mason
Examples
- To-morrow, loveliest and best, hope and joy of my life, to-morrow I will see thee--Fool, to dream of a moment's delay! Mary Shelley. The Last Man.
- This accident caused some delay, but the other tubes were in the meantime progressing, and the completed bridge was opened for public traffic on the 21st of October, 1850. Frederick C. Bakewell. Great Facts.
- On the 12th of February I ordered Thomas to take Dalton and hold it, if possible; and I directed him to move without delay. Ulysses S. Grant. Personal Memoirs of U. S. Grant.
- Delay an instant: lean on me, Jane. Charlotte Bronte. Jane Eyre.
- I said nothing about this difficulty until Sir Percival had been consulted on the subject of the desired delay. Wilkie Collins. The Woman in White.
- Do not suppose, however, that I wish to dictate happiness to you, or that a delay on your part would cause me any serious uneasiness. Mary Shelley. Frankenstein_Or_The Modern Prometheus.
- Many, already smitten, went home only to die: some died at the school, and were buried quietly and quickly, the nature of the malady forbidding delay. Charlotte Bronte. Jane Eyre.
- By a most fortunate chance his leaving Highbury had been delayed so as to bring him to her assistance at this critical moment. Jane Austen. Emma.
- Altogether, on the Isthmus and on the Pacific side, we were delayed six weeks. Ulysses S. Grant. Personal Memoirs of U. S. Grant.
- I had been delayed at a case, and it was a little after half-past six when I found myself in Baker Street once more. Arthur Conan Doyle. The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes.
- She had understood it was to be delayed till Colonel Campbell's return. Jane Austen. Emma.
- And in the same interests, if the coming of the physician is delayed, I will enter it again. Wilkie Collins. The Woman in White.
- It is a forlorn hope at the best, and not much the forlorner for being delayed till dark. Charles Dickens. A Tale of Two Cities.
- I don't know what would have happened, Walter, said my mother, if you had delayed much longer. Wilkie Collins. The Woman in White.
- He knew he should have to go slowly, and the instincts of his race fitted him to suffer rebuffs and put up with delays. Edith Wharton. The House of Mirth.
- The addition of the salicylic acid delays secondary fermentation in stock and export beers, which may then be kept for any length of time without becoming unsound or of unpleasant flavor. William K. David. Secrets of Wise Men, Chemists and Great Physicians.
- These delays and disappointments are quite odious. Jane Austen. Emma.
- He depended upon the country to gather his supplies, and so was not affected by delays. Ulysses S. Grant. Personal Memoirs of U. S. Grant.
- Fresh doubts, fresh difficulties, fresh delays began to open before me in interminable prospect. Wilkie Collins. The Woman in White.
- Day and night has been all the same, no delays being allowed on any account. Ulysses S. Grant. Personal Memoirs of U. S. Grant.
- Shirley, in spite of her whims and oddities, her dodges and delays, has an infatuated fondness for him. Charlotte Bronte. Shirley.
- But I am delaying you. Hemingway, Ernest. For Whom The Bell Tolls.
- He was evidently relieved at finding any excuse for delaying the business formality in the library, to which his own words had referred. Wilkie Collins. The Woman in White.
- The morning of the 12th opened foggy, delaying the start more than half an hour. Ulysses S. Grant. Personal Memoirs of U. S. Grant.
- The Prussian monarchy was simply delaying the inevitable in order to seem to achieve it in Prussian fashion. H. G. Wells. The Outline of History_Being a Plain History of Life and Mankind.
- At all events, what use was there in delaying? William Makepeace Thackeray. Vanity Fair.
- Human society began, just as herds and droves begin among animals, by the family delaying its breaking up. H. G. Wells. The Outline of History_Being a Plain History of Life and Mankind.
Typist: Ursula