delay
Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.
Also seen as: delays · delaying · delayed
Sense 1
A period of time before an event occurs; the act of delaying; procrastination; lingering inactivity.
Noun
Examples
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).
Sense 2
An audio effects unit that introduces a controlled delay.
Bộ hiệu ứng âm thanh tạo độ trễ được kiểm soát
Machine-translated — suggest a fix
Noun
Examples
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).
Sense 3
To put off until a later time; to defer.
Verb
Examples
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).
Sense 4
To retard; to temporarily stop, detain, or hinder.
Verb
Examples
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “delay” mean?
A period of time before an event occurs; the act of delaying; procrastination; lingering inactivity.
Is “delay” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.