Definition of 'relay'
Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular present tense relays, present participle relaying
, past tense, past participle relayed
pronunciation note: The noun is pronounced (riːleɪ
). The verb is pronounced (rɪleɪ
).
1. countable noun
2. verb
To relay television or radio signals means to send them or broadcast them.
This system monitors radiation levels and relays the information to a central computer. [V n + to/from]
Relay is also a noun.
3. countable noun
A relay is a piece of equipment that receives television or radio signals from one place and sends them to another
place.
4. verb
[formal]
Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
British English pronunciation
American English pronunciation
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Word Frequency
relay in British English
noun (ˈriːleɪ
)
3.
the act of relaying or process of being relayed
5.
6. electronics
an electrical device in which a small change in current or voltage controls the switching on or off of circuits or other devices
7. radio
a.
a combination of a receiver and transmitter designed to receive radio signals and retransmit them, in order to extend their range
b.
(as modifier)
a relay station
verb (rɪˈleɪ
) (transitive)
9.
to supply or replace with relays
10.
to retransmit (a signal) by means of a relay
11. British
this concert is being relayed from the theatre
Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Word origin
C15 relaien, from Old French relaier to leave behind, from re- + laier to leave, ultimately from Latin laxāre to loosen; see relaxWord Frequency
relay in American English
noun
1.
4.
an act or instance of conveying or transmitting by or as by relays
5.
6. Electronics
an electromagnetic or electronic switching device activated by a signal and usually used to control a large current or to activate another device
or circuit
verb transitiveWord forms: ˈreˌlayed or ˈreˌlaying
7.
to convey by relays
8.
to convey as if by relays; receive and pass on (a message, news, etc.)
9.
to supply or replace with a relay or relays
10. Electricity
to control, operate, or send on by a relay
Webster’s New World College Dictionary, 4th Edition. Copyright © 2010 by
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.
Word Frequency
relay in American English 1
(noun ˈrilei, verb ˈrilei, rɪˈlei) (verb -layed, -laying)
noun
1.
a series of persons relieving one another or taking turns; shift
2.
a fresh set of dogs or horses posted in readiness for use in a hunt, on a journey,
etc.
4. Machinery
5. Electricity
a device, usually consisting of an electromagnet and an armature, by which a change of current or voltage in one circuit is used to make or break
a connection in another circuit or to affect the operation of other devices in the same or another circuit
6. (cap) U.S. Aerospace
transitive verb
8.
to provide with or replace by fresh relays
9. Telecommunications
to retransmit (a signal, message, etc.) by or as if by means of a telegraphic relay
intransitive verb
10. Telecommunications
to retransmit a signal or message electronically
Most material © 2005, 1997, 1991 by Penguin Random House LLC. Modified entries © 2019
by Penguin Random House LLC and HarperCollins Publishers Ltd
Word origin
[1375–1425; (v.) late ME relaien to unleash fresh hounds in a hunt ‹ MF relaier, OF: to leave behind, release, equiv. to re- re- + laier to leave, dial. var. of laissier ‹ L laxāre ( see relax); (n.) late ME relai set of fresh hounds ‹ MF, deriv. of relaier]Word Frequency
relay in American English 2
(riˈlei)
Most material © 2005, 1997, 1991 by Penguin Random House LLC. Modified entries © 2019
by Penguin Random House LLC and HarperCollins Publishers Ltd
Word Frequency
relay in Automotive Engineering
(rileɪ)
Word forms: (regular plural) relays
noun
(Automotive engineering: Vehicle components, Lighting and electrical/electronic systems)
A relay is a usually electrical device that switches on in response to a physical change, such as a pressure change or temperature change.
Almost all modern cars use relays to switch the headlamps and avoid the need to route their full current through the
lighting switches.
There are two fuses and a relay that could keep the fuel pump from running.
Electrical power for the pump usually comes from a pump relay.
Collins COBUILD Key Words for Automotive Engineering. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Word Frequency
relay in Mechanical Engineering
(rileɪ)
Word forms: (regular plural) relays
noun
(Mechanical engineering: Control, instrumentation and metrology)
A relay is a device that controls the setting of a valve or switch automatically by means
of an electric motor, solenoid, or pneumatic mechanism.
If the alarm is triggered, the relay automatically cuts off the heater.
When the relays are in the position shown, current will flow vertically upwards through the field
coil.
A relay is a device that controls the setting of a valve or switch automatically by means
of an electric motor, solenoid, or pneumatic mechanism.
Collins COBUILD Key Words for Mechanical Engineering. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Word Frequency
relay in Electrical Engineering
(rileɪ)
Word forms: (regular plural) relays
noun
(Electrical engineering: Circuits, Electrical power, Computing and control)
A relay is an electromagnetic switching device that consists of an armature that is moved
by an electromagnet to operate one or more switch contacts.
Electromechanical relays comprise one or more electrical contacts having a mechanical movement, these being
coupled to a moveable element of the magnetic circuit of an electromagnet.
When the main current exceeds the specification, the output voltage of the current
transformer activates the relay and the protective circuit.
A relay is an electromagnetic switching device that consists of an armature that is moved
by an electromagnet to operate one or more switch contacts.
Collins COBUILD Key Words for Electrical Engineering. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Examples of 'relay' in a sentence
relay
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In other languages
relay
British English: relay
/ˈriːleɪ/ NOUN
A relay or a relay race is a race between two or more teams in which each member of the team runs or swims one section of the race.
Their chances of winning the relay were good.
- American English: relay race /ˈrileɪ ˌreɪs/
- Arabic: سِبَاقُ الـمَرَاحِل
- Brazilian Portuguese: revezamento
- Chinese: 接力赛
- Croatian: smjena
- Czech: štafeta závod
- Danish: stafet
- Dutch: estafette
- European Spanish: relevo
- Finnish: vuoronvaihto
- French: relais
- German: Ablösung Arbeiter
- Greek: ρελέ
- Italian: staffetta
- Japanese: 交替班
- Korean: 교대조
- Norwegian: relé
- Polish: zmiana koni lub zawodników w grze
- European Portuguese: revezamento
- Romanian: ștafetă
- Russian: эстафета
- Latin American Spanish: relevo
- Swedish: relä
- Thai: การวิ่งผลัด
- Turkish: eski grubun yerini alan yeni grup
- Ukrainian: естафета
- Vietnamese: người chạy tiếp sức
British English: relay
VERB /rɪˈleɪ/
signal To relay television or radio signals means to send them or broadcast them.
The satellite will be used mainly to relay television programmes.
- American English: relay /rɪˈleɪ/
- Brazilian Portuguese: retransmitir
- Chinese: 转播
- European Spanish: retransmitir
- French: retransmettre
- German: übermitteln
- Italian: trasmettere
- Japanese: 中継する
- Korean: 중계하다
- European Portuguese: retransmitir
- Latin American Spanish: retransmitir
British English: relay
VERB /rɪˈleɪ/
repeat If you relay something that has been said to you, you repeat it to another person.
She relayed the message, then frowned.
- American English: relay /rɪˈleɪ/
- Brazilian Portuguese: retransmitir
- Chinese: 转告
- European Spanish: transmitir
- French: relayer
- German: übermitteln
- Italian: trasmettere
- Japanese: 取り次ぐ
- Korean: 들은 이야기를 전달하다
- European Portuguese: retransmitir
- Latin American Spanish: transmitir
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Definition of relay from the Collins English Dictionary
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