How Do You Spell WAYLAY?

Pronunciation: [wˈe͡ɪle͡ɪ] (IPA)

The word "waylay" is spelled as /weɪˈleɪ/. This means that it is pronounced as "way-lay". It is a verb that means to wait in hiding to attack or ambush someone. The spelling of "waylay" is derived from the Middle English word "weilawei", which means "lying in wait". It is important to spell words correctly to ensure effective communication and understanding between the reader and writer. So, make sure to double check your spelling, especially when using unfamiliar words such as "waylay".

WAYLAY Meaning and Definition

  1. Waylay (verb):

    1. To ambush or intercept someone unexpectedly by lying in wait or hiding in order to attack, rob, or harm them.

    2. To hinder, delay, or detain someone by blocking their path or stopping them abruptly.

    Derived from the Old English word "weglian," meaning "to lie in wait," waylay describes an act of strategic concealment or sudden obstruction. It involves the intention to surprise, impede, or cause harm to an individual or a group of individuals in a clandestine manner.

    The primary usage of waylay pertains to physical attacks or robberies, where an assailant conceals themselves along a person's usual route or at a vulnerable location, such as a dark alley, in order to launch an unexpected assault or robbery. This verb is often associated with acts of violence, theft, or kidnapping, involving the element of surprise and the element of planning by the perpetrator.

    Additionally, waylay can be metaphorically applied to situations that involve hindrance, delay, or obstruction. In these instances, it refers to the act of deliberately interrupting or detaining someone in order to impede their progress or prevent them from reaching their destination. It implies a deliberate intention to hinder or delay the person's objectives, typically for personal gain or ulterior motives.

    Overall, waylay embodies the concept of sudden interception, concealment, or disruption, often with harmful or obstructive intentions towards an individual or their pursuits.

  2. To watch insidiously in the way; to beset in ambush.

    Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.

Common Misspellings for WAYLAY

Etymology of WAYLAY

The word "waylay" is derived from Old English words. Its origins can be traced back to the Old English word "weglian", which means "to lie in wait for". This word consists of two elements: "weg", meaning "way" or "path", and "lian", which means "to lie". Over time, "weglian" transformed into "waylay" in Middle English, retaining the same meaning of lying in wait for someone or something.

Similar spelling words for WAYLAY

Conjugate verb Waylay

CONDITIONAL PERFECT

I would have waylaid
you would have waylaid
he/she/it would have waylaid
we would have waylaid
they would have waylaid
I would have waylay
you would have waylay
he/she/it would have waylay
we would have waylay
they would have waylay

CONDITIONAL PERFECT PROGRESSIVE

I would have been waylaying
you would have been waylaying
he/she/it would have been waylaying
we would have been waylaying
they would have been waylaying

CONDITIONAL PRESENT

I would waylay
you would waylay
he/she/it would waylay
we would waylay
they would waylay

CONDITIONAL PRESENT PROGRESSIVE

I would be waylaying
you would be waylaying
he/she/it would be waylaying
we would be waylaying
they would be waylaying

FUTURE

I will waylay
you will waylay
he/she/it will waylay
we will waylay
they will waylay

FUTURE CONTINUOUS

I will be waylaying
you will be waylaying
he/she/it will be waylaying
we will be waylaying
they will be waylaying

FUTURE PERFECT

I will have waylaid
you will have waylaid
he/she/it will have waylaid
we will have waylaid
they will have waylaid

FUTURE PERFECT CONTINUOUS

I will have been waylaying
you will have been waylaying
he/she/it will have been waylaying
we will have been waylaying
they will have been waylaying

IMPERATIVE

you waylay
we let´s waylay

NONFINITE VERB FORMS

to waylay

PAST CONTINUOUS

I was waylaying
you were waylaying
he/she/it was waylaying
we were waylaying
they were waylaying

PAST PARTICIPLE

waylaid

PAST PERFECT

I had waylaid
you had waylaid
he/she/it had waylaid
we had waylaid
they had waylaid

PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS

I had been waylaying
you had been waylaying
he/she/it had been waylaying
we had been waylaying
they had been waylaying

PRESENT

I waylay
you waylay
he/she/it waylays
we waylay
they waylay

PRESENT CONTINUOUS

I am waylaying
you are waylaying
he/she/it is waylaying
we are waylaying
they are waylaying

PRESENT PARTICIPLE

waylaying

PRESENT PERFECT

I have waylaid
you have waylaid
he/she/it has waylaid
we have waylaid
they have waylaid

PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS

I have been waylaying
you have been waylaying
he/she/it has been waylaying
we have been waylaying
they have been waylaying

PRESENT SUBJUNCTIVE

he/she/it waylay

SIMPLE PAST

I waylaid
you waylaid
he/she/it waylaid
we waylaid
they waylaid

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