DILL-uh-tor-ee
(adjective) Tending to delay or procrastinate; intended to cause delay.
The lawyer’s dilatory tactics frustrated the judge, who demanded immediate progress in the case.
Fun Fact
“Dilatory” shows up often in legal and political contexts, especially when one party tries to stall progress. In real estate deals, courtroom strategies, or congressional debates, a dilatory move can derail outcomes without ever saying “no.”
REL-uh-gayt
(verb) To assign someone or something to a lower position, status, or role—often as a form of dismissal or reduction in importance.
After the scandal, the senator was relegated to a minor committee post.
Late Middle English: from Latin relegare, meaning “to send away,” from re- ‘again’ + legare ‘to send’.
Fun Fact
In sports leagues (especially in the UK), relegate has a specific and painful meaning: being bumped down to a lower division. But the word is also used in work, politics, and culture—when something is deemed less important or is subtly sidelined. You might relegate an annoying task to the bottom of your to-do list… or a brilliant idea could be wrongly relegated to “not now” status. It’s a powerful word for passive dismissal.
Today's Word Eudaemonia yoo-dee-MOH-nee-uh Definition (noun) A state of human...
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