The Book of JavaScript, 2nd Edition

setTimeout() [FF, IE 3]

Executes JavaScript statements once after a specified amount of time, given two parameters: the JavaScript statements to execute and the number of milliseconds in the future to execute the statements. The function returns a reference to the time-out so that clearTimeout() may cancel it.

For example:

var the_timeout = setTimeout("alert('Stop procrastinating!');", 10000);

creates a time-out that calls up an alert box in 10 seconds.