delay
gb/dɪlˈeɪ/ us/dɪlˈeɪ/
A2
English
~ 2900
elhalaszt, késleltet, késés, fennakadás, késedelem, halogat, vár valamivel
VERB
A2
1
Usage pattern:
to delay [something]
The heavy rain delayed the start of the game.
A heves eső késleltette a mérkőzés kezdetét.
They decided to delay the launch until next month.
Úgy döntöttek, hogy az indítást a jövő hónapra halasztják.
Traffic accidents can delay emergency services.
We must delay the project due to budget issues.
Learner examples
Bad weather delayed our trip.
A rossz idő késleltette az utazásunkat.
The bus was delayed by ten minutes.
A busz tíz percet késett.
They will delay the meeting until Friday.
The store delayed opening because of repairs.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'delay' with 'cancel'. 'Delay' means it will still happen, just later.
Meaning
Postpone or slow down an action
Collocations
delay a flight
|delay payment
|delay the meeting
|delay production
Synonyms
postpone (Implies rescheduling to a later time, often planned.)
|
defer (More formal; often used in official or academic contexts.)
Antonyms
advance (To make something happen earlier than planned.)
|
expedite (To speed up a process so it happens sooner.)
Themes
daily life
|business
|travel
|time
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To make something happen later than planned.
To make something happen at a later time than originally planned or expected.
NOUN
A2
2
There was a long delay before the concert started.
A koncert csak hosszú késéssel kezdődött el.
We apologize for the delay in responding to your email.
Elnézést kérünk, hogy késve válaszolunk az e-mailjére.
The train left after a two-hour delay.
Production delays have affected sales.
Learner examples
The plane had a two-hour delay.
A járatnak kétórás késése volt.
We had a delay at the border.
A határnál feltartottak minket.
There is a delay in the delivery.
They told us about the delay.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes say 'a delay of' without adding the time length; it's clearer to specify, e.g., 'a delay of 30 minutes'.
Meaning
Period when something is late
Collocations
flight delay
|long delay
|unexpected delay
|delay in delivery
Synonyms
postponement (Formal; emphasizes rescheduling.)
|
setback (Suggests a problem causing delay or progress loss.)
Antonyms
promptness (The quality of being on time.)
|
punctuality (Happening exactly at the planned time.)
Themes
daily life
|business
|travel
|time
|core_vocabulary
Definition
A time when something is late or does not happen when planned.
A period when something is happening later than expected or planned.
VERB
B1
3
halogat
B1
Usage pattern:
to delay [doing something]
He delayed answering her question until later.
Későbbre halogatta, hogy válaszoljon a kérdésére.
We shouldn't delay starting the repairs.
Nem szabad halogatnunk a javítások megkezdését.
She delayed telling him the news.
Learner examples
I delayed calling my friend.
Halogattam, hogy felhívjam a barátomat.
They delayed starting the work.
Halogatták a munka megkezdését.
He delayed making a choice.
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse this with 'postpone', which usually involves setting a new time, whereas 'delay' here can mean simply waiting without rescheduling.
Meaning
Intentionally wait before acting
Collocations
delay making a decision
|delay taking action
Synonyms
stall (Informal; often implies avoiding action deliberately.)
|
procrastinate (Often used for delaying tasks unnecessarily.)
Antonyms
act promptly (To take action without waiting.)
|
hasten (To do something quickly without waiting.)
Themes
daily life
|planning
|time
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To choose to wait before doing something.
To intentionally wait before starting or doing something.
Grammar
Dictionary form
delay
IPA
GB/dɪlˈeɪ/
US/dɪlˈeɪ/
Syllables & stress
delay (1 syllable)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: delay
- Plural: delay, delays
Verb
- Base: delay
- 3rd Person Singular: delays
- Present Participle: delaying
- Past: delayed
Word family
Forms
delays
noun
delaying
verb
delayed
verb
Expressions
time delay
1/tˈaɪm dɪlˈeɪ/
fixed phrase
technical
Pause between cause and effect
A short wait between an action and its result.
Examples
- There is a time delay between pressing the button and hearing the sound.
- The broadcast had a five-second time delay.
without delay
1/wɪðˈaʊt dɪlˈeɪ/
fixed phrase
Do immediately, no waiting
Do something right away without waiting.
Examples
- Please call me without delay if you hear anything.
- The police acted without delay to catch the suspect.
delay gratification
1/dɪlˈeɪ ɡɹˌætəfɪkˈeɪʃən/
fixed phrase
formal
Resist immediate reward for later benefit
To wait for a bigger reward later instead of taking a smaller one now.
Examples
- Learning to delay gratification can help you save money.
- Children who can delay gratification often do better in school.
delay gratification
2/dɪlˈeɪ ɡɹˌætəfɪkˈeɪʃən/
fixed phrase
to wait to satisfy a desire
To stop yourself from taking a small pleasure now so you can get a better or bigger result later.
Examples
- Children who can delay gratification often do better in school and life.
- Saving money requires the ability to delay gratification instead of spending right away.
- He decided to delay gratification and study instead of going to the party.