waylay

Verb

Verb Forms: waylaid, waylaying, waylays

To stop or ambush someone, often unexpectedly.
wait in hiding to attack
To lie in wait for and attack from ambush.
To accost or intercept unexpectedly.

Examples

His opponent tried to waylay his Scrabble strategy with a blocking word, but he found an out.

Origin / Etymology

From way + lay, likely a calque of Middle Dutch wegelagen (“besetting of ways, lying in wait with evil or hostile intent along public ways”). Compare Middle Low German wegelagen, German wegelagern (“to waylay; rob”).

Synonyms

ambuscade, ambush, bushwhack, lie in wait, lurk, scupper, buttonhole

Scrabble Score: 15

waylay: valid Scrabble (US) TWL Word
waylay: valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
waylay: valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 14

waylay: valid Words With Friends Word