delayed - Master This Word
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delayed Word Meanings
- to make something happen later than planned
- a period of waiting
- to postpone an event
delayed Example Sentences
Example sentences are the start of understanding. Don't rush to memorize. First feel how the word works in a sentence.
delayed Phonetic & Pronunciation
UK
/dɪˈleɪ/
US
/dɪˈleɪ/
delayed Word Etymology
de- = away + lay = to put down. Origin: Latin 'differre' → Old French 'delaier' → English 'delay'. Imagine someone laying down a path for you but taking their time to clear the way, creating a delay.
Note 1: These definitions and etymologies are not standard dictionary definitions, but extended explanations provided to help with memorization and understanding of the actual application of words. Through this background information, we strive to make words more vivid and easier to understand, and help you remember their meanings in real life.
Note 2: LexiTalk designs the learning flow around the linguistics principle of “Comprehensible Input.” When learners encounter material that is slightly above their level but still understandable from context, the brain naturally absorbs the language. That’s why we keep every word inside authentic contexts, using examples and associations to help you understand it and use it flexibly.
Read the FAQ explanation of Comprehensible InputEnglish Brain Route
I reach for the clock and move the minute hand a notch, feeling the day slow down. I push back a meeting, shift a task to later, and hold still for a moment to weigh the options. The effort to adjust is real, fingers tightening as I set a new time and let the plan stretch into the future. Delay becomes not a pause but a small choice I make to keep things moving with care.
Real Context
Delay means to cause something to happen later than planned, or to cause someone to wait. You can use it as a noun for the period of waiting, or as a verb meaning to put off a scheduled event. Common collocations include delay a flight, delay the start, experience a delay, or incur a delay due to traffic. In formal writing, postpone is often used for planned rescheduling, while delay emphasizes a disruption or unplanned hold-up. People sometimes confuse delay with defer, which can imply putting something off indefinitely. The concept of delay also appears in phrases like cause a delay, suffer delays, or face a lengthy delay, highlighting timing issues in travel, projects, and decisions.
Usage Reminders
- Use delay for unplanned hold-ups
- Use postpone for planned rescheduling
- Delay can be a noun or a verb
- Explain the cause of the delay (weather, traffic)
- In travel, you can say 'the flight is delayed' rather than 'the flight is postponed'
- Check the context: business vs everyday speech
Common Misconceptions
- Delay always means a planned change (it doesn't).
- Delay and postpone are interchangeable (not: delay is often unplanned; postpone is planned).
- A delay is only about time; it can describe people or things causing it.
- You can’t say 'delay the flight' unless you’re the issuer of the delay.
- Confusing delay with linger or wait (linger is about staying, not rescheduling).
Thinking Differences
English tends to use delay as a flexible label for unplanned timing issues; learners often think delay is almost always caused by someone or something specific and may misplace it with postpone.
Learning Tips
- Practice with travel contexts (flights, trains, weather).
- Distinguish delay as unplanned vs postpone as planned.
- Use 'is delayed' for passive descriptions of things affected by delays.
- Pair with common causes: weather, traffic, technical issues.
- Watch for noun vs verb forms: a delay vs to delay.
- Compare with defer in formal contexts.
Related Listening
🌱 Lite (Beginner)
🔥 Advanced
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