Word
delay
Phoneticsde·lay, stress on the second syllable
US/dɪˈɫeɪ/
UK/dɪlˈeɪ/
Definitions
01a period of waiting
B1 · Intermediate Countable noun
n. a period of time when you must wait because something is late.
n. a period of time by which something is late or postponed.
日本語:遅れ※
“The heavy snow caused a long delay at the airport.”
“Commuters faced a significant delay this morning after a signalling failure disrupted the main line into the city centre.”
02audio effect
C1 · Advanced Uncountable noun Music Technical
n. an electronic effect that repeats a sound shortly after it happens.
n. an audio signal processing technique or device that records an input signal and plays it back after a period of time.
“The guitarist used a delay pedal to create a dreamy sound.”
“The producer applied a subtle tape delay to the vocal track to give it more depth and a vintage character.”
Synonyms
03to make something late
B1 · Intermediate
v. to make something happen at a later time than planned.
v. to make someone or something late; to slow down progress or movement.
“The bad weather will delay our flight by at least two hours.”
“Unexpected legal complications have delayed the construction of the new stadium until early next year.”
Pitfall
The rain delayed to start the match.
The rain delayed the start of the match.
The verb 'delay' is transitive and usually takes a noun or a gerund (-ing) as an object, not an infinitive.
04to wait or hesitate
B2 · Upper Intermediate
v. to wait before doing something, often because you are not ready.
v. to linger or procrastinate before taking action. Often used without a direct object.
“Do not delay — send your application in today.”
“The general decided not to delay, ordering the troops to move forward before the enemy could regroup.”
Synonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “delay” in context.
Verb
01. apologize for the delay
“We would like to apologize for the delay in responding to your email.”
verb + prep + noun
02. cause a delay
“The technical fault caused a significant delay in the production line.”
verb + noun
03. experience a delay
“Passengers may experience a delay of up to two hours due to the heavy snowfall.”
verb + noun
Adjective
04. lengthy delay
“After a lengthy delay, the judge finally delivered the verdict.”
adj + noun
05. unexpected delay
“An unexpected delay at the border meant we missed our connecting flight.”
adj + noun
Noun
06. flight delay
“Frequent flight delays have made traveling for business very stressful lately.”
noun + noun
Preposition
07. due to a delay
“The meeting was rescheduled due to a delay in the manager's schedule.”
prep + noun
08. without delay
“Please return the signed documents to our office without delay.”
prep + noun
Real-World Examples
“And most hospitals will have an eye doctor on call."
Because of the delay in symptoms developing it is not yet possible to say if anyone has experienced any damage to their eyes.” “So why is it taking so long for the government to decide what to do, and what are the consequences of delay?” “The policy has repeatedly been delayed, but the cost for farmers is already adding up.” “It was, they both said, much better than the one they saw in New York in April 2024 - and well worth delaying their journey home for.” 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”)). Doublet of dally. Akin to Old English latian (“to delay, hesitate”), Old English latu (“a delay, a hindrance”), Old English lǣfan (“to leave”). More at let (to hinder), late, leave.
From Middle English delaien, from Old French delaiier, a variant of delaissier.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Related words
Domains
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- B2 · Upper IntermediateOxford
- Updated
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「日本語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0