waylay
Americanverb (used with object)
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to intercept or attack from ambush, as in order to rob, seize, or slay.
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to await and accost unexpectedly.
The actor was waylaid by a swarm of admirers.
verb
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to lie in wait for and attack
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to await and intercept unexpectedly
Other Word Forms
- waylayer noun
Etymology
Origin of waylay
First recorded in 1505–15; way 1 + lay 1, after Middle Low German, Middle Dutch wegelagen “to lie in wait,” derivative of wegelage “a lying in wait”
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
On Friday the European Union’s pharmaceutical regulator recommended approval of Moderna’s combination flu and Covid shot, which has been waylaid by the U.S.
The last time I’d done this training mission, I’d immediately stood up and made my way to the lobby of the theater, sure that the Butterfly would be in wait there to waylay Booth.
From Literature
National Aeronautics and Space Administration leaders said the agency disregarded crew safety by pushing ahead with the failed Starliner mission in 2024, which waylaid astronauts for months at the International Space Station.
In reality, the combination proved to be a distraction, and much of the effort was waylaid as Tesla struggled with producing its first mainstream car.
Most projects take years to complete, hindered by the pendulum swings of available money, so Brewster tempers her frustration at having to waylay them mid-planning until she can find enough cash.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
