Word forms: 3rd person singular presenttense waylays, present participle waylaying, past tense, past participle waylaid
verb
If someone waylays you, they stop you when you are going somewhere, for example in order to talk to you, to steal something from you, or to attack you.
She was forever waylaying him in odd holes and corners of the hotel. [VERB noun]
The trucks are being waylaid by bandits. [VERB noun]
I'm sorry, Nick, I got waylaid.
Synonyms: attack, surprise, hold up, ambush More Synonyms of waylay
More Synonyms of waylay
waylay in British English
(weɪˈleɪ)
verbWord forms: -lays, -laying or -laid(transitive)
1.
to lie in wait for and attack
2.
to await and intercept unexpectedly
Derived forms
waylayer (wayˈlayer)
noun
Word origin
C16: from way + lay1
waylay in American English
(ˈweɪˌleɪ; ˌ weɪˈleɪ)
verb transitiveWord forms: ˈwayˌlaid or ˈwayˌlaying
1.
to lie in wait for and attack; ambush
2.
to wait for and accost (a person) on the way
Derived forms
waylayer (ˈwayˌlayer)
noun
Word origin
way + lay1, after MLowG wegelagen, to waylay < wegelage, an ambush < weg, akin to way + lage, a lying < base of leggian; akin to lie1
Examples of 'waylay' in a sentence
waylay
Normally around this time they would be making plans to waylay some unsuspecting super with the hope of getting their cards signed.
Magnus Mills THE SCHEME FOR FULL EMPLOYMENT (2003)
to waylay him as he came out of school in the lunch break.
Forsythe, Malcolm THE BOOK LADY (2003)
1 (verb)
Definition
to lie in wait for and attack
The trucks are being waylaid by bandits.
Synonyms
attack
The duo are believed to have attacked several people in South London.
surprise
hold up
ambush
Rebels ambushed 10 patrolmen.
set upon
lie in wait for
catch
He caught a youth breaking into his car.
2 (verb)
Definition
to intercept (someone) unexpectedly
He was forever waylaying me for chats in the corridor.
Synonyms
accost
I told them that someone had accosted me in the street.
stop
I think she really would have liked to stop everything right there.
intercept
They were intercepted on the way to the airport.
pounce on
swoop down on
Additional synonyms
in the sense of ambush
Definition
to attack suddenly from a concealed position
Rebels ambushed 10 patrolmen.
Synonyms
trap,
attack,
surprise,
deceive,
dupe,
ensnare,
waylay,
ambuscade,
bushwhack (US)
in the sense of catch
Definition
to surprise in an act
He caught a youth breaking into his car.
Synonyms
discover,
surprise,
find out,
expose,
detect,
catch in the act,
take unawares
in the sense of intercept
Definition
to stop or seize on the way from one place to another
They were intercepted on the way to the airport.
Synonyms
catch,
take,
stop,
check,
block,
arrest,
seize,
cut off,
interrupt,
head off,
deflect,
obstruct
Nearby words of
waylay
way-out
wayfarer
wayfaring
waylay
ways and means
wayward
weak
Synonyms of 'waylay'
waylay
Explore 'waylay' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of stop
Definition
to prevent the continuance or completion of (something)
I think she really would have liked to stop everything right there.