This is the 1595th most frequent French word.
relais
Relay; intermediary; shift; relay station.
In this sentence, 'relais' is used to refer to a station or service that facilitates the relay or quick transfer of messages, specifically postal services.
Le relais de poste permettait l'envoi rapide de lettres au 18ème siècle.
The postal relay allowed the quick dispatch of letters in the 18th century.
Here, 'relais' metaphorically represents the transfer of responsibility or control within a process, akin to a relay race in sports.
Nous avons passé le relais de la direction à un nouvel employé.
We handed over the leadership relay to a new employee.
In this technical context, 'relais' denotes a switch or device that opens or closes circuits electromechanically or electronically.