Dictionary

buy time en · VERB

Pronunciation

• (Australia) audio

Meanings

1. (idiomatic) To purposefully cause a delay, in order to achieve something else.
   • We need you to buy us some time, so distract the security guard for a few minutes.
   • Parliament, dominated by supporters of the government, voted on Thursday to delay making a decision on whether it will amend the constitution. The decision angered protesters and opposition parliamentarians, who accused parliament of trying to buy time. 2020 September 25, Reuters Staff, “Thai republican hashtag trends after constitution change delayed”, in Reuters, Reuters, retrieved 25 Sep 2020:

Forms

Synonyms

play for time · gain time

Translations (22)

de Zeit gewinnen (purposefully cause a delay, in order to achieve something else) · fi viivytellä (purposefully cause a delay, in order to achieve something else) · th ซื้อเวลา (purposefully cause a delay, in order to achieve something else) · nl tijd winnen (purposefully cause a delay, in order to achieve something else) · nl tijd rekken (purposefully cause a delay, in order to achieve something else) · ro cumpăra timp (purposefully cause a delay, in order to achieve something else) · vi câu giờ (purposefully cause a delay, in order to achieve something else) · ru вы́играть вре́мя (purposefully cause a delay, in order to achieve something else) · tr vakit kazanmak (purposefully cause a delay, in order to achieve something else) · pl grać na zwłokę (purposefully cause a delay, in order to achieve something else) · fr gagner du temps (purposefully cause a delay, in order to achieve something else) · ja 時間を稼ぐ (purposefully cause a delay, in order to achieve something else) · pt ganhar tempo (purposefully cause a delay, in order to achieve something else) · fi pelata aikaa (purposefully cause a delay, in order to achieve something else) · fr jouer la montre (purposefully cause a delay, in order to achieve something else) · es ganar tiempo (purposefully cause a delay, in order to achieve something else) · fr temporiser (purposefully cause a delay, in order to achieve something else) · it guadagnare tempo (purposefully cause a delay, in order to achieve something else) · tr zaman kazanmak (purposefully cause a delay, in order to achieve something else) · cmn 爭取時間 /争取时间 (purposefully cause a delay, in order to achieve something else) · hu húzza az időt (purposefully cause a delay, in order to achieve something else) · ja 時を稼ぐ (purposefully cause a delay, in order to achieve something else)