Delay Delayed Reaction Dɪˈleɪ Delay—Call Today Longer Suffering

• don't delay—call us today!
• we can't delay much longer.
• the judge will delay his verdict until he receives medical reports on the offender.
• she's suffering a delayed reaction (= a reaction that did not happen immediately) to the shock.

delay

1. to not do something until a later time or to make something happen at a later time
• synonym defer
  https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/defer
• Don't delay—call us today!
• We can't delay much longer.
• The judge will delay his verdict until he receives medical reports on the offender.
• She's suffering a delayed reaction (= a reaction that did not happen immediately) to the shock.
• He delayed telling her the news, waiting for the right moment.
2. to make somebody late or force them to do something more slowly
• Thousands of commuters were delayed for over an hour.
• The government is accused of using delaying tactics (= deliberately doing something to delay a process, decision, etc.).
• What could have delayed him?

Extra Examples

• Mellanby’s arrival was seriously delayed by a late train.
• These drugs can significantly delay the onset of the disease.
• Don’t delay—call us today!
• She’s suffering a delayed reaction
• The conservative coalition could delay further reforms or block them altogether.
• We can’t delay much longer.
• The government is accused of using delaying tactics.
• The train had been unavoidably delayed after a small avalanche blocked the line.
• These arguments will inevitably delay the start of construction.

Verb Forms

• present simple I / you / we / they delay
• he / she / it delays
• past simple delayed
• past participle delayed
• -ing form delaying

Word Origin

• Middle English: from Old French delayer (verb).