WordGarden.iowaylay
C2Pronunciation
UK
- /wˈeɪleɪ/
US
- /ˈweɪˌleɪ/
Meanings
Verb
to stop and attack or rob someone while they are traveling
to stop someone unexpectedly and keep them from going on
Beyond the definition
To waylay someone is to wait for them and stop them on their way, often to rob, attack, or block them. It has an old storybook feel: you can picture bandits jumping out on a lonely road. But it does not always have to be violent. Someone can also waylay you by stopping you for an unexpected chat and making you late. The idea is that your movement is interrupted because another person steps in and holds you up.
The word "waylay" brings to mind old roads, hidden robbers, and sudden interruptions. At its core, it means waiting for someone and stopping them as they travel, often with harmful intent. In older stories, the person being stopped might be a traveler on horseback, suddenly confronted by bandits hiding near the road.
However, "waylay" is not always about violence. It can also mean intercepting someone and delaying them, sometimes in a friendly or ordinary way. A friend might waylay you with a long story when you are trying to leave, or a coworker might waylay you near the coffee machine with a question just as you are heading to a meeting.
The key idea in "waylay" is an unexpected interruption. Someone's progress is stopped or diverted, whether by force, by design, or simply by a person who catches them at just the wrong moment. The word often suggests that the interruption is not random: the person doing it means to stop the other person.
So while the word can suggest highway robbery and danger, it can also describe a less serious moment when someone is unexpectedly stopped and delayed on their way. In both cases, the feeling is the same: someone was moving along, and another person stepped in to stop them.
Examples
- 1
Crime context
The robbers planned to waylay the delivery van on the narrow road.
- 2
Sudden questioning
She was waylaid by reporters as she came out of the courthouse.
- Patternwaylay + person
stop someone suddenly to ask questions or talk
- 3
Unexpected delay
I meant to leave early, but I got waylaid by a last-minute phone call.
- Phraseget waylaid
be delayed or held up unexpectedly
See also
Similar
Shades of meaning
- buttonhole
- lie in wait
Contrast
- let pass
- avoid
Used with (collocations)
- waylay someone
- waylaid by reporters
- waylaid on the way
Word family
Explore
Forms and spellings
4 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- waylayverb
Forms
- waylaidpast tensepast participleverb
- waylaying-ing formverb
- waylaysverb