delay-v; 2 Senses

Sense Number 1: (cause to) slow down

Commentary: Syntax Is: NP1 DELAY NP2
NOTE: implies an slowing of a process without a set, determined endpoint (although there are stages in a child's development, there is no final "aha, developed!" end; bad commuter traffic never seems to end, delayed or not)
NOTE: There is no specific endpoint!

Examples:
Traffic was delayed by a truck rollover on the Interstate.
Brain damage can delay the child's cognitive development.
When the process was delayed by supervisory intervention, panel members took over.

Mappings:
VerbNet: NM
FrameNet: Hindering
PropBank: delay.01
WordNet 3.0 Sense Numbers: 1, 4

Sense Number 2: (cause to) happen at a later time

Commentary:
NOTE: compare to sense 1; in this sense, there is an implied time at which an event should occur. (Negotiations are a scheduled event; in "I was delayed" there is an inferred expected time that "I" should have left the office)
NOTE: There is a specific endpoint! May be obvious or implied.

Examples:
Their negotiations were delayed due to conflicts.
Bad weather delayed the plane for over two hours.
I was delayed at the office.
The governer is delaying the prisoner's execution.
The order is being delayed due to the transportation stike.
John delayed applying to graduate school for one year.
I think we should delay deciding about this until next week.
She has a tendency to delay making decisions.
Don't delay the opportunity of seeing the world.

Mappings:
VerbNet: linger-53.1-1
FrameNet: Change_event_time
PropBank: delay.01
WordNet 3.0 Sense Numbers: 1, 2, 3