relay
REE-lay
/ˈriːleɪ/
To receive and pass along information, signals, or messages to another person or system.
Implies acting as an intermediate link in a chain of transmission.
The story behind the word. Relay comes from Old French relayer, meaning to release fresh hunting hounds to replace tired ones. Over time, the concept shifted from fresh dogs to horses in post stations, and eventually to electrical relays and information transmission.
Word relationships
- transmit: Transmit refers to sending energy or signals; relay emphasizes intermediate passing.
- pass along: Pass along is informal; relay is standard technical vocabulary.
- withhold: Withhold means keeping information back rather than passing it on.
- block: Block prevents transmission entirely.
Commonly confused with
- delay: Delay means pausing or slowing down; relay means passing quickly forward.
Word family
- relayed (verb (past)): Passed along to another party.
- relaying (participle): Act of passing information forward continuously.
Collocations
- relay information
- relay station
- relay messages
- signal relay
Idioms & expressions
- relay the baton
Example sentences
- "The dispatcher had to relay crucial building coordinates to the responding fire crews." Radio communications
- "Operators relay information between caller and patrol officers without delay." Emergency dispatch narrative
Memory hook
RE-LAY: RE-lay the message onto the next person in line. Pass the message down the chain.
When not to use
Do not use when generating original information; relay means passing existing data forward.
Fun facts
- The electrical relay switch invented in 1835 made long-distance telegraphy possible by boosting weak signals along the line.
Explore more words
Transmit, liaise, Communicate, liaison, tandem, intermediary
Also appears in
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