delay vs put off

delay is a noun but put off is not a noun.

Word	Noun	Adjective	Verb	Adverb
delay	Yes	No	Yes	No
put off	No	No	Yes	No

As verbs, put off is a hyponym of delay; that is, put off is a word with a more specific, narrower meaning than delay:

delay (noun)	put off (noun)
the act of delaying; inactivity resulting in something being put off until a later time
time during which some action is awaited

delay (verb)	put off (verb)
cause to be slowed down or delayed	avoid or try to avoid fulfilling, answering, or performing (duties, questions, or issues)
stop or halt	take away the enthusiasm of
slow the growth or development of	cause to feel embarrassment
act later than planned, scheduled, or required	cause to feel intense dislike or distaste
	hold back to a later time