delay

 Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 5++朗文当代英语 5++LDOCE 5++朗文 5++de·lay1 /dɪˈleɪ/ ●●○ W3 noun  1  [countable]DELAY when someone or something has to wait, or the length of the waiting time 延误，耽搁；耽搁的时间 Sorry for the delay, Mr Weaver. 韦弗先生，很抱歉耽搁了一些时间。delay in Why was there a delay in warning the public? 为什么不及时向公众发出警告？delay of a delay of about an hour 大约一小时的延误long/considerable/slight etc delay Long delays are expected on the motorways. 高速公路上估计会有长时间的耽搁。2  [uncountable]DELAY when something does not happen or start when it should do 推迟〔指某事没有按时发生或开始〕without delay They must restore normal services without delay. 他们必须马上恢复正常服务。 There can be no excuse for any further delay. 没有理由继续拖延。n COLLOCATIONSADJECTIVES/NOUN + delay a slight/short delayThere was a slight delay in the departure of the plane.a long/lengthy delayPatients often face long delays in getting the treatment they need.a considerable/serious delay (=very long)After a considerable delay, the report was finally published.a 20-minute/6-month/4-week etc delayA train had broken down, causing a two-hour delay.traffic delaysThe roadworks are likely to cause serious traffic delays.flight delaysUnfortunately flight delays do sometimes occur.verbscause/lead to a delayThe bad weather caused a three-hour delay in sending out rescue helicopters.experience delaysPeople are experiencing considerable delays in receiving their mail.face delays (=be likely to experience them)Commuters face long delays as a result of the rail strikes.reduce delays (=make them shorter and less frequent)The new rules should reduce delays in bringing prisoners to trial.phrasesa series of delays (=a number of delays)After a series of delays and setbacks, the project was finally approved.

Examples from the Corpus

delay• We went to the court and asked for a delay to continue preparing our defense.• There have been a lot of complaints about delays in issuing passports.• Any delay in the production process is costly to a company.• The strike is causing long delays at the airport• After three months' delay, work finally began on the new building.• Darlington Community Health Council yesterday discussed the problem of delays in reaching patients who live in the more remote areas of Teesdale.• This is done by deliberately putting delays into the circuitry.• There is a seven-second delay between transmission of the radio signal and when it can be heard on computer.• Well, he'd see to that presently, after he'd explained the delay.• Cleveland Police have apologised to 73-year-old Bessie Marron for the delay.• The reason for the delay became apparent in Angell and Pownall's report.• Voice over Nuclear Electric were making light of the delay and praised the way the mock emergency was being handled.delay of• Delays of two hours or more are not uncommon.without delay• The crew and passengers were keen to get airborne without further delay.• If you lose your passport, you should contact the embassy without delay.• You need to get those vegetables planted without delay.delay2 ●●○ W3 verb  1  [intransitive, transitive]POSTPONE/DO LATER to wait until a later time to do something 推迟，延期〔做某事〕 Don’t delay – send off for the information now. 别犹豫——即刻去函索取信息。 He delayed his decision on whether to call an election. 在是否宣布举行选举一事上，他推迟作出决定。delay something until something The opening of this section of the road is delayed until September. 这一路段推迟到9月份启用。delay something for something Our meeting was delayed for ten minutes. 我们的会议推迟了十分钟。delay doing something Big companies often delay paying their bills. 大公司常常会拖延支付账单。2  [transitive]DELAY to make someone or something late 耽误，耽搁seriously/badly/slightly etc delayed The flight was badly delayed because of fog. 该航班因雾而长时间延误。 —delayed adjective THESAURUSdelay to wait until a later time to do something 推迟,延期〔做某事〕He decided to delay his decision until he had seen the full report. 他决定推迟作出决定,直至看到完整的报告。postpone to change an event to a later time or date 推迟〔活动〕The meeting was postponed. 会议推迟了。put off to delay doing something. Put off is less formal than delay or postpone, and is the usual phrase to use in everyday English 推迟〔与delay和postpone相比不那么正式,常用于日常英语〕I used to put off making difficult decisions. 我过去常常在要作困难的决定时拖拖拉拉。The game has been put off till next week. 比赛推迟到下周举行。hold off to delay doing something, especially while you are waiting for more information or for something else to happen 〔尤在等待更多信息或某事发生的同时〕推迟House buyers seem to be holding off until interest rates drop. 房屋买家似乎在等利率下跌后再出手。defer formal to delay doing something until a later date, usually because something else needs to happen first 〔通常因其他事需要先发生而〕延期,推迟〔做某事〕The decision had been deferred until after a meeting of the directors. 这个决定被延至董事会议之后作出。nShe decided to defer her university application for a year so that she could go travelling.procrastinate /prəˈkræstəneɪt/ formal to delay doing something that you ought to do 延期,推迟〔应该做的事情〕Don’t procrastinate – make a start on your assignments as soon as you get them. 别拖延——接到任务要马上开始。→ See Verb table

Examples from the Corpus

delay• Rodman had been waiting to sign the contract because of pneumonia that forced him to delay a team physical.• We cannot delay any longer.• The President's visit had to be delayed because of security problems.• Our flight was delayed by bad weather.• The plane's departure was delayed by mechanical problems.• The opening of the new bridge may be delayed for several months.• He decided to delay his departure until after he'd seen the Director.• Mr MacGregor said that he would delay introducing the scheme because of the demands made on teachers by other educational reforms.• The police delayed making any announcement until the girl's relatives had been contacted.• Present value: If you delay paying a bill, you can earn interest on the money in the meantime.• This latest terrorist attack is bound to delay the peace talks even further.• Since that time bureaucratic foot-dragging and dare it be said? politics have continued to delay the project.• Full implementation was delayed until after the Companies Act 1989 had come into effect.delayed ... decision• But what did matter was the effect of a delayed decision on his schedule.• What is particularly interesting is that the report implies that it was MI5 who endlessly delayed any decision rather than the prison authorities.• If Wieben Stock had believed otherwise, she could have delayed her decision until after the trial, attorneys pointed out.seriously/badly/slightly etc delayed• Barring another honourable war, that may yet be Grumman's fate - if slightly delayed.• If the walk was to take place, it could not be seriously delayed.• By establishing a paradigm for psychological investigation that lasted for some forty years, behaviourists seriously delayed the understanding of human cognition.Origin delay2 (1200-1300) Old French delaier, from laier “to leave”

de·lay1 noun →n COLLOCATIONS1delay2 verb →THESAURUS1LDOCE OnlineChineseSyllable  

to wait, or when or Corpus something someone has

delay

I

de‧lay¹ W3 /dɪˈleɪ/ noun
1. [countable] when someone or something has to wait, or the length of the waiting time:
    Sorry for the delay, Mr Weaver.
    delay in
    Why was there a delay in warning the public?
    delay of
    a delay of about an hour
    long/considerable/slight etc delay
    Long delays are expected on the motorways.
2. [uncountable] when something does not happen or start when it should do
    without delay
    They must restore normal services without delay.
    There can be no excuse for any further delay.
     

COLLOCATIONS

■ ADJECTIVES/NOUN + delay
   ▪ a slight/short delay There was a slight delay in the departure of the plane.
   ▪ a long/lengthy delay Patients often face long delays in getting the treatment they need.
   ▪ a considerable/serious delay (=very long) After a considerable delay, the report was finally published.
   ▪ a 20-minute/6-month/4-week etc delay A train had broken down, causing a two-hour delay.
   ▪ traffic delays The roadworks are likely to cause serious traffic delays.
   ▪ flight delays Unfortunately flight delays do sometimes occur.
■ verbs
   ▪ cause/lead to a delay The bad weather caused a three-hour delay in sending out rescue helicopters.
   ▪ experience delays People are experiencing considerable delays in receiving their mail.
   ▪ face delays (=be likely to experience them) Commuters face long delays as a result of the rail strikes.
   ▪ reduce delays (=make them shorter and less frequent) The new rules should reduce delays in bringing prisoners to trial.
■ phrases
   ▪ a series of delays (=a number of delays) After a series of delays and setbacks, the project was finally approved.

II

delay² W3 verb1. [intransitive and transitive] to wait until a later time to do something:
    Don’t delay – send off for the information now.
    He delayed his decision on whether to call an election.
    delay something until something
    The opening of this section of the road is delayed until September.
    delay something for something
    Our meeting was delayed for ten minutes.
    delay doing something
    Big companies often delay paying their bills.
2. [transitive] to make someone or something late
    seriously/badly/slightly etc delayed
    The flight was badly delayed because of fog.
—delayed adjective
     

THESAURUS

   ▪ delay to wait until a later time to do something: He decided to delay his decision until he had seen the full report.
   ▪ postpone to change an event to a later time or date: The meeting was postponed.
   ▪ put off to delay doing something. Put off is less formal than delay or postpone, and is the usual phrase to use in everyday English: I used to put off making difficult decisions. | The game has been put off till next week.
   ▪ hold off to delay doing something, especially while you are waiting for more information or for something else to happen: House buyers seem to be holding off until interest rates drop.
   ▪ defer formal to delay doing something until a later date, usually because something else needs to happen first: The decision had been deferred until after a meeting of the directors. | She decided to defer her university application for a year so that she could go travelling.
   ▪ procrastinate /prəˈkræstəneɪt, prəˈkræstɪneɪt/ formal to delay doing something that you ought to do: Don’t procrastinate – make a start on your assignments as soon as you get them.