delay

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delay [noun]

the situation in which you have to wait longer than expected for something to happen, or the time that you have to wait

US /dɪˈleɪ/ 
UK /dɪˈleɪ/ 
Example: 

There has been a delay in the book's publication.

Oxford Essential Dictionary

 noun (plural delays)
a time when somebody or something is late:
There was a long delay at the airport.
You must pay the money without delay (= immediately).

Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English

delay

I. delay1 W3 /dɪˈleɪ/ BrE AmE 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.

Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

delay

delay [delay delays delayed delaying] noun, verb   [dɪˈleɪ]    [dɪˈleɪ]

noun
1. countable a period of time when sb/sth has to wait because of a problem that makes sth slow or late
Commuters will face long delays on the roads today.
We apologize for the delay in answering your letter.
a delay of two hours/a two-hour delay

Increased congestion and traffic delays are expected.

2. countable, uncountable a situation in which sth does not happen when it should; the act of delaying
There's no time for delay.
Report it to the police without delay (= immediately).  
Word Origin:
Middle English: from Old French delayer (verb).  
Collocations:
Travel and tourism
Holidays/vacations
have/take (BrE) a holiday/(NAmE) a vacation/a break/a day off/(BrE) a gap year
go on/be on holiday/vacation/leave/honeymoon/safari/a trip/a tour/a cruise/a pilgrimage
go backpacking/camping/hitchhiking/sightseeing
plan a trip/a holiday/a vacation/your itinerary
book accommodation/a hotel room/a flight/tickets
have/make/cancel a reservation/(especially BrE) booking
rent a villa/(both BrE) a holiday home/a holiday cottage
(especially BrE) hire/ (especially NAmE) rent a car/bicycle/moped
stay in a hotel/a bed and breakfast/a youth hostel/a villa/(both BrE) a holiday home/a caravan
cost/charge $100 a/per night for a single/double/twin/standard/(BrE) en suite room
check into/out of a hotel/a motel/your room
pack/unpack your suitcase/bags
call/order room service
cancel/cut short a trip/holiday/vacation
Foreign travel
apply for/get/renew a/your passport
take out/buy/get travel insurance
catch/miss your plane/train/ferry/connecting flight
fly (in)/travel in business/economy class
make/have a brief/two-day/twelve-hour stopover/(NAmE also) layover in Hong Kong
experience/cause/lead to delays
check (in)/collect/get/lose (your) (especially BrE) luggage/(especially NAmE) baggage
be charged for/pay excess baggage
board/get on/leave/get off the aircraft/plane/ship/ferry
taxi down/leave/approach/hit/overshoot the runway
experience/hit/encounter severe turbulence
suffer from/recover from/get over your jet lag/travel sickness
The tourist industry
attract/draw/bring tourists/visitors
encourage/promote/hurt tourism
promote/develop ecotourism
build/develop/visit a tourist/holiday/(especially BrE) seaside/beach/ski resort
work for/be operated by a major hotel chain
be served by/compete with low-cost/(especially NAmE) low-fare/budget airlines
book sth through/make a booking through/use a travel agent
contact/check with your travel agent/tour operator
book/be on/go on a package deal/holiday/tour
buy/bring back (tacky/overpriced) souvenirs 
Example Bank:
After a series of lengthy delays, the case finally came to court.
Flights to New York may be subject to delay.
I apologize for the delay in replying to you.
Passengers complain about lack of information when travel delays occur.
Passengers have experienced long delays.
Please address your letters properly so as to reduce delays.
Please send him the information without delay.
The building project has been plagued by bureaucratic delays.
The strike has led to some delays in train services.
There is a five-minute time delay on the bank's safe.
Travellers complained about lack of information when travel delays occurred.
Undue delays have been caused by people not doing their jobs properly.
a delay of several weeks
delays in getting to the airport
further delays to the plan
Report it to the police without delay.
There's no time for delay.

a delay of two hours/a two-hour delay

Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary

Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary - 4th Edition
 

delay / dɪˈleɪ / noun [ C or U ]

A2 the situation in which you have to wait longer than expected for something to happen, or the time that you have to wait:

This situation needs to be tackled without delay.

Long delays are predicted on the motorway because of the accident.

There has been a delay in the book's publication.

Word partners for delay noun

a brief / short / slight delay • a considerable / lengthy / long / serious delay • cause delays • experience / face / suffer delays • delays due to sth • a delay in sth/doing sth • a delay of [two hours, five days, etc.] • without delay

Collins Advanced Learner’s English Dictionary

delay

[dɪle͟ɪ]
 ♦♦
 delays, delaying, delayed

 1) VERB If you delay doing something, you do not do it immediately or at the planned or expected time, but you leave it until later.
  [V n/-ing] For sentimental reasons I wanted to delay my departure until June 1980...
  [V n/-ing] They had delayed having children, for the usual reason, to establish their careers...
  So don't delay, write in now for your chance of a free gift.
  Syn:
  postpone
  Ant:
  bring forward
 2) VERB To delay someone or something means to make them late or to slow them down.
  [V n] Can you delay him in some way?...
  [V n] Various set-backs and problems delayed production...
  [V n] The passengers were delayed for an hour.
  Syn:
  hold up
 3) VERB If you delay, you deliberately take longer than necessary to do something.
  If he delayed any longer, the sun would be up.
  Syn:
  hang on
 4) N-VAR If there is a delay, something does not happen until later than planned or expected.
  They claimed that such a delay wouldn't hurt anyone...
  Although the tests have caused some delay, flights should be back to normal this morning.
  Syn:
  hold-up
 5) N-UNCOUNT Delay is a failure to do something immediately or in the required or usual time.
  There is no time left for delay...
  We'll send you a quote without delay.

Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary

1de·lay /dɪˈleɪ/ noun, pl -lays
1 : a situation in which something happens later than it should

[count]

• Do you know what's causing the delay?
• The nurse apologized for the delay [=wait] and said that the doctor would be in shortly.
• a number of flight delays

[noncount]

• After months of delay, construction on the new school began.
• The roof must be repaired without delay. [=immediately]
2 [count] : the amount of time that you must wait for something that is late
• Airline travelers are experiencing delays of up to three hours.