WAYLAYS Meaning and
Definition
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The term "waylays" refers to the action of intentionally ambushing or lying in wait for someone, typically with the intention of attacking or confronting them unexpectedly. This verb is derived from the combination of "way" and "lay" and is often used in the context of surprise attacks or ambushes on individuals or groups.
By waylaying a person or a group, an individual or a party deliberately positions themselves along a pathway or a predetermined route, ready to intercept or confront the unsuspecting targets. This form of ambush can occur in various settings and situations, ranging from criminal acts such as mugging or kidnapping, to military tactics during warfare.
Waylaying often involves an element of surprise and deception, as the ambusher seeks to catch their victims off guard and gain a tactical advantage. It implies a premeditated plan and an intentional effort to intercept and confront someone, typically with the aim of either gaining control, causing harm, or extracting specific information or resources from them.
The term can also be used metaphorically, referring to situations where someone is unexpectedly detained, hindered, or delayed from proceeding with their intended course of action. In such cases, the individual may feel waylaid by unforeseen obstacles or circumstances that disrupt their plans or progress.
Overall, waylaying denotes an intentional act of ambushing or intercepting, either physically or metaphorically, with the element of surprise and disruption at its core.
Common Misspellings for WAYLAYS
Etymology of WAYLAYS
The word "waylays" is derived from the noun "waylay", which comes from Old English "weglægian". "Weglægian" combines "weg" meaning "way" or "path" and "lægian" meaning "to lie in wait". Therefore, "waylay" originally meant "to wait in hiding along a path or road to intercept and ambush someone". The verb form "waylays" is the third-person singular present tense of "waylay", meaning to intercept or ambush someone.
Similar spelling words for WAYLAYS
- walesa,
- walck,
- walkway,
- wales,
- Wallis,
- Walz,
- walls,
- walk away,
- walke,
- walch,
- Walko,
- walkaway,
- walk,
- Walsh.
Conjugate verb Waylays
CONDITIONAL
I
would waylay
we
would waylay
you
would waylay
he/she/it
would waylay
they
would waylay
FUTURE
I
will waylay
we
will waylay
you
will waylay
he/she/it
will waylay
they
will waylay
FUTURE PERFECT
I
will have waylaid
we
will have waylaid
you
will have waylaid
he/she/it
will have waylaid
they
will have waylaid
PAST
I
waylaid
we
waylaid
you
waylaid
he/she/it
waylaid
they
waylaid
PAST PERFECT
I
had waylaid
we
had waylaid
you
had waylaid
he/she/it
had waylaid
they
had waylaid
PRESENT
I
waylay
we
waylay
you
waylay
he/she/it
waylays
they
waylay
PRESENT PERFECT
I
have waylaid
we
have waylaid
you
have waylaid
he/she/it
has waylaid
they
have waylaid
I
am waylaying
we
are waylaying
you
are waylaying
he/she/it
is waylaying
they
are waylaying
I
was waylaying
we
were waylaying
you
were waylaying
he/she/it
was waylaying
they
were waylaying
I
will be waylaying
we
will be waylaying
you
will be waylaying
he/she/it
will be waylaying
they
will be waylaying
I
have been waylaying
we
have been waylaying
you
have been waylaying
he/she/it
has been waylaying
they
have been waylaying
I
had been waylaying
we
had been waylaying
you
had been waylaying
he/she/it
had been waylaying
they
had been waylaying
I
will have been waylaying
we
will have been waylaying
you
will have been waylaying
he/she/it
will have been waylaying
they
will have been waylaying
I
would have waylaid
we
would have waylaid
you
would have waylaid
he/she/it
would have waylaid
they
would have waylaid
I
would be waylaying
we
would be waylaying
you
would be waylaying
he/she/it
would be waylaying
they
would be waylaying
I
would have been waylaying
we
would have been waylaying
you
would have been waylaying
he/she/it
would have been waylaying
they
would have been waylaying
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