noun
    
    plural -lays
    
    a situation in which something happens later than it should [count]
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    [count] :the amount of time that you must wait for something that is late
    
    
    
    verb
    
    -lays; -layed; -laying
    
    to wait until later to do something :to make something happen later [+ obj]
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    [+ obj] :to make (something or someone) late :to make (something or someone) take longer than expected or planned