define operation of a specific 555 circuit
It delays the relay energization after power is applied, because the capacitor is connected to Vcc. Adjustable via the &quot;chronopotentiometry&quot;. After the delay the relay pulls in and never drops out. If you connect the normally closed contact in series with Vcc you might have what you want.
If you interrupt the power for a short period of time the next delay may not be as long as if the interruption was very long.
If you have a very heavy load (or accidentally short) Vcc to ground you might destroy the 555. If your power supply has a lot of current capability and the pot is turned close to minimum time the pot might be damaged. Both issues could have been avoided by a couple of almost-free resistors.
It's an &quot;okay, not great&quot; hobby circuit.
Edit: As suggested by @James, if you switch the positions of the pot and C1 it should do exactly as you say you want, with similar caveats as mentioned above.