dilatory

dilatory

English

Etymology

From Old French dilatoire [1], from Latin dilatorius (“extending or putting off (time)”), from dilator, from differo.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈdɪlət(ə)ɹi/
  • (rarely) IPA^(key): /daɪˈleɪt(ə)ɹi/

Adjective

dilatory (not comparable)

1. Intentionally delaying (someone or something), intended to cause delay, gain time, or defer decision.

   a dilatory strategy

   • Motley

     Alva, as usual, brought his dilatory policy to bear upon his adversary.

2. Slow or tardy.

Derived terms

• dilatorily
• dilatoriness
• indilatory
• venodilatory

Translations

intentionally delaying

Bulgarian: отлагащ (bg) (otlagašt) French: dilatoire (fr) German: aufschiebend (de), dilatorisch (de), verspätet (de) (answer) Irish: leadránach, (please verify) adhastrach

Russian: откладывающий (ru) (otkladyvajuščij), оттягивающий (ru) (ottjagivajuščij), выжидательный (ru) (vyžidatelʹnyj) Swedish: förhalande (sv) Telugu: దీర్ఘసూత్రత (te) (dīrghasūtrata) Turkish: erteleyici, geciktirici, oyalayıcı (tr)

slow or tardy

Bulgarian: бавен (bg) (baven), муден (bg) (muden) German: langsam (de), zögernd (de) Maori: autō, tume, hāmure, māngaingai Russian: медлительный (ru) (medlitelʹnyj), нерасторопный (ru) (nerastoropnyj)

Scottish Gaelic: deireannach Swedish: slö (sv) Telugu: జాగుచేసే (te) (jāgucēsē) Turkish: ağırdan alan, üşengeç (tr), yavaş (tr)

References

1. “dilatory” in Douglas Harper, Online Etymology Dictionary, 2001–2019.

Anagrams

• adroitly, idolatry