relay
relay — verb
1. to receive information, a message, or a signal from one person or place and send
to receive information, a message, or a signal from one person or place and send it to another person or place — by speaking, writing, or using electronic equipment.
Tuan relayed the manager's announcement to the afternoon shift.
relay + noun phrase + to [recipient]
The radio station relayed live coverage of the match across the country.
broadcast sense: relay [programme] across [area]
Hari's message was relayed through the embassy's communication network.
Yael relayed that the meeting had been rescheduled to Friday.
Satellites relay television signals between continents in seconds.
- withhold
to keep information back rather than passing it on
文法句型
relay + noun phrase + to + person/place
relay + that-clause
be relayed + through/via/across
用法筆記
Often used in the passive form — 'be relayed to' — especially when the focus is on the information itself rather than the person who passes it.
常見錯誤
relay — noun
1. a team that takes over a task from an earlier team, allowing the work to continu
a team that takes over a task from an earlier team, allowing the work to continue without interruption.
The night relay worked through the storm to keep the factory running.
collocation: night relay / day relay
Volunteers worked in relays to clean up the beach after the festival.
phrase: in relays = taking turns
Defne joined the relay of nurses caring for the elderly patient.
A relay of couriers carried the documents across the border.
- shift
a scheduled period of work, often used in factory or hospital contexts
- relief team
more explicit about replacing a tired or finished group
文法句型
a relay of + noun phrase
work in relays
[noun] relay
用法筆記
Common in the phrase 'in relays', which acts as an adverbial meaning 'in turns, one group after another'. For example: 'The team worked in relays around the clock.'
常見錯誤
2. a race — in running, swimming, or similar sports — where each member of a team c
a race — in running, swimming, or similar sports — where each member of a team completes a specific part of the total distance, handing the turn to the next team member.
Haruto ran the final leg of the relay for his school team.
collocation: run the [first/final] leg of the relay
The women's 4 × 100 metre relay was the most exciting event at the games.
collocation: [distance] relay / [number] × [distance] relay
Their relay team won gold after months of intense training.
Ezra passed the baton cleanly during the swimming relay.
文法句型
relay race
relay team
[number] × [distance] relay
run/swim the relay
用法筆記
Frequently appears as part of compound nouns: relay race, relay team, relay event, and in distance specifications such as '4 × 100 m relay'.
常見錯誤
3. an electrical component that opens or closes a switch when it receives a small s
an electrical component that opens or closes a switch when it receives a small signal, allowing one circuit to control another device or system.
The mechanic replaced a faulty relay in the car's ignition system.
collocation: replace / fix a relay
When the smoke detector activates, the relay cuts the power supply automatically.
relay + verb: cuts, triggers, activates
Ignacio installed a relay to control the outdoor lights from inside the house.
A relay in the alarm system triggers the sprinklers when it detects heat.
文法句型
[adjective] relay
relay + verb (cuts, triggers, activates)
用法筆記
A relay differs from a simple switch in that a small electrical signal can control a much larger current or voltage. Relays are common in automotive, industrial, and home automation systems.