intentional delay

[ɪnˈtenʃənəl dɪˈleɪ]
nounpl: intentional delays
atraso intencional
1. a deliberate postponement or slowdown of an action, process, or event
The contractor's intentional delay in finishing the project caused frustration among the clients.
O atraso intencional do contratante em terminar o projeto causou frustração entre os clientes.
2. a purposeful act of slowing down or postponing something to achieve a specific goal or avoid immediate consequences
The player's intentional delay in serving the ball was a tactical strategy to break the opponent's momentum.
O atraso intencional do jogador ao sacar a bola foi uma estratégia tática para quebrar o momentum do adversário.
In Brazilian business culture, intentional delays can be viewed as either a tactical negotiating tool or as a sign of inefficiency depending on context. In American corporate environments, intentional delays are often criticized as unprofessional, though in sports and competitive settings they may be accepted as strategic tactics. The concept carries different weight in legal and contractual contexts across both cultures.
NYC Slang
dragging it out
Synonyms / Sinônimos
deliberate postponementwillful delaycalculated delaystrategic postponementprocrastination
Antonyms / Antônimos
prompt actionimmediate responsetimely completionacceleration

Regional Variations

General Brazilian
atraso intencional
Standard usage across Brazil
São Paulo
demora intencional
Common alternative phrasing in business contexts
Rio de Janeiro
atraso de propósito
More colloquial variant
Portugal
atraso propositado
Preferred European Portuguese term

Related Words

procrastinationpostponementstallingobstructiondelaying tactichindrance

Related Idioms & Phrases

buy time
drag one's feet
stall for time
hold up the works
put off
kick the can down the road
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