Halasztó

Halasztó is a Hungarian term that denotes the act of delaying or postponing. The noun form is derived from the verb halasztani, meaning to postpone or delay. In general use, halasztó can refer to any mechanism or decision that introduces a delay before a response or action.

In everyday language, a halasztó can describe a person who postpones decisions or action. It is common to speak of someone as a halasztó when they habitually delay commitments or deadlines. The word can carry a neutral or critical tone depending on context, from simply describing a timing choice to implying procrastination.

In technical and engineering contexts, halasztó refers to devices or systems designed to produce a time delay. This includes components such as delay relays or timing circuits that activate an output after a specified interval following a trigger. Such devices are used in automation, signaling, and control systems to synchronize events, debounce inputs, or create deliberate pauses between actions. In these settings, halasztó is closely related to but distinct from other terms like időzítő (timer) and késleltető (delay element), with nuances depending on the specific equipment and application.

Examples of use include automated lighting that switches on after motion is detected with a delay, or a process control sequence that waits a set period before continuing. The concept is widely applicable across mechanical, electrical, and software domains.

See also: procrastination, delay, timer, relay, delay line.