# delay

/dɪˈɫeɪ/ (US) · /dɪlˈeɪ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/delay
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. a period of waiting

noun · CEFR B1

a period of time when you must wait because something is late.

For teachers: a period of time by which something is late or postponed.

- 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.

### 2. audio effect

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

an electronic effect that repeats a sound shortly after it happens.

For teachers: 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.

### 3. to make something late

verb · CEFR B1

to make something happen at a later time than planned.

For teachers: 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.

### 4. to wait or hesitate

verb · CEFR B2

to wait before doing something, often because you are not ready.

For teachers: 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.

## Examples

- There is a long delay at the airport today.
- The heavy snowfall caused a significant delay in the morning train schedule, leaving hundreds of commuters stranded.
- The guitarist used a digital delay pedal to create a rhythmic echo effect that filled the empty spaces between the notes of the melody.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.