way·lay /weɪˈleɪ/ verb (past tensepst and past participleppwaylaid) [transitiveT]
1STOP something THAT IS HAPPENINGINJUREif someone waylays you, they stop you when you are going somewhere, for example to attack you or talk to you 〔为了袭击或谈话〕拦下〔某人〕
They used to waylay him as he came out of the factory.
他们以前总是在他从工厂出来的时候上去纠缠他。
2if you are waylaid, you are delayed when you are doing something – often used humorously to say why you are late 耽搁〔常为幽默用法,说明为何迟到〕
Sorry, we got waylaid at the bar.
对不起,我们在酒吧耽搁了一会儿。
nGrammar
Waylay is usually passive in this meaning.
Examples from the Corpus
waylay• Amisshovered in the gallery, hoping to waylay an informant.• Her fatherwaylaid Barre-to her chagrin-and boasted about his daughter's talent.• Thousands of passengers were waylaid by the airlinestrike.• She had lost count of the number of times she had slapped his hands from her body whenever he waylaid her outside.• She might just waylay him and hit him with something heavy!• They came to his home uninvited once or twice and they would waylay him as he emerged from work at the factory.• Yes, I could be in some danger - and there was an attempt to waylay me today.• He waylaid Stella in the paint-frame where she had been sent to boilrabbitglue on the Bunsen burner.
Originwaylay
(1500-1600)way + lay“to set a trap for”((13-19 centuries))