delay: Meaning and Definition of

de•lay

Pronunciation: (di-lā'), [key]
— v.t.
  1. to put off to a later time; defer; postpone: The pilot delayed the flight until the weather cleared.
  2. to impede the process or progress of; retard; hinder: The dense fog delayed the plane's landing.
—v.i.
  1. to put off action; linger; loiter: He delayed until it was too late.
—n.
  1. the act of delaying; procrastination; loitering.
  2. an instance of being delayed: There were many delays during the train trip.
  3. the period or amount of time during which something is delayed: The ballet performance began after a half-hour delay.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
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