relay
Etymology 1

From Middle French relai, from relaier ("to exchange tired animals for fresh"); literally, "to leave behind", from Old French relaier, from re- + laier ("to leave"), of uncertain origin.

Pronunciation
  • (noun) IPA: /ˈɹiːleɪ/
  • (verb) IPA: /ɹiˈleɪ/, /ˈɹiːleɪ/
Noun

relay (plural relays)

  1. (hunting, rare) A new set of hounds. [from 15th c.]
  2. (now, chiefly, historical) A new set of horses kept along a specific route so that they can replace animals that are tired. [from 17th c.]
  3. (by extension) A new set of anything.
    • 1846 October 1 – 1848 April 1, Charles Dickens, “Retribution”, in Dombey and Son, London: Bradbury and Evans, […], published 1848, →OCLC ↗, page 594 ↗:
      There is a snaky gleam in her hard grey eye, as of anticipated rounds of buttered toast, relays of hot chops, worryings and quellings of young children, sharp snappings at poor Berry, and all the other delights of her Ogress's castle.
  4. A series of vehicles travelling in sequence. [from 18th c.]
  5. (sports) A competition between teams where members of a team take turns completing parts of a course or performing a certain action.
    Synonyms: relay race
    1. (athletics) A track and field discipline where runners take turns in carrying a baton from start to finish. The most common events are 4×100 meter and 4×400 meter competitions. [from 19th c.]
  6. (electronics) An electrical actuator that allows a relatively small electrical voltage or current to control a larger voltage or current. [from 19th c.]
Translations Translations Verb

relay (relays, present participle relaying; simple past and past participle relayed)

  1. (transitive) To pass on or transfer (information). [from 19th c.]
    The CCTV cameras relay what's going on to the headquarters.
    Can you relay this message to John?
  2. (obsolete, intransitive, hunting) To release a new set of hounds. [15th]
  3. (transitive, now rare) To place (people or horses) in relays, such that one can take over from another. [from 18th c.]
  4. (intransitive, now rare) To take on a new relay of horses; to change horses. [from 19th c.]
Synonyms Translations Translations Etymology 2

From re- + lay.

Pronunciation
  • (British) IPA: /ˌɹiːˈleɪ/
  • (America) IPA: /ˌɹiˈleɪ/
Verb

relay (relays, present participle relaying; simple past and past participle relaid)

  1. Alternative spelling of re-lay



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