Definition of 'wait'

Word Frequency

wait

(weɪt )

Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular present tense waits , present participle waiting , past tense, past participle waited

1. verb [no passive]

When you wait for something or someone, you spend some time doing very little, because you cannot act until that thing happens or that person arrives.

I walk to a street corner and wait for the school bus. [VERB + for]

Stop waiting for things to happen. Make them happen. [VERB + for]

I waited to see how she responded. [VERB to-infinitive]

Angus got out of the car to wait. [VERB]

We will have to wait a week or so before we know whether the operation is a success. [VERB noun]

He told waiting journalists that he did not expect a referendum to be held for several months. [VERB-ing]

[Also VERB noun + for]

Synonyms: stay, remain, stop, pause More Synonyms of wait

waiting uncountable noun

The waiting became almost unbearable.

2. countable noun [usually singular]

A wait is a period of time in which you do very little, before something happens or before you can do something.

...the four-hour wait for the organizers to declare the result. [+ for]

Synonyms: delay, gap, pause, interval More Synonyms of wait

3. verb [usually cont]

If something is waiting for you, it is ready for you to use, have, or do.

There'll be a car waiting for you. [VERB + for]

When we came home we had a meal waiting for us. [+ for]

Ships with unfurled sails wait to take them aboard. [VERB to-infinitive]

Three-hundred railway wagons were waiting to be unloaded. [VERB to-infinitive]

He had a taxi waiting to take him to the train. [have n V-ing to-inf]

The President had his plane waiting, 20 minutes' drive away. [have n V-ing]

[Also VERB]

4. verb [no cont]

If you say that something can wait, you mean that it is not important or urgent and so you will deal with it or do it later.

I want to talk to you, but it can wait. [VERB]

Any changes will have to wait until sponsors can be found. [VERB]

Synonyms: be postponed, be suspended, be delayed, be put off More Synonyms of wait

5. verb

You can use wait when you are trying to make someone feel excited, or to encourage or threaten them.

If you think this all sounds very exciting, just wait until you read the book. [V + until]

As soon as you get some food inside you, you'll feel more cheerful. Just you wait. [VERB]

6. verb

Wait is used in expressions such as wait a minute, wait a second, and wait a moment to interrupt someone when they are speaking, for example because you object to what they are saying or because you want them to repeat something.

[spoken]

'Wait a minute!' he broke in. 'This is not giving her a fair hearing!' [VERB noun]

7. verb

If an employee waits on you, for example in a restaurant or hotel, they take orders from you and bring you what you want.

There were plenty of servants to wait on her. [VERB + on]

Each student is expected to wait at table for one week each semester. [VERB + at]

See can't wait/can hardly wait

See wait for it

10.

See wait for it

11.

See wait and see

12.

See what are you waiting for

13. an accident waiting to happen

14. ready and waiting

Phrasal verbs:

See wait around

See wait in

See wait on

See wait up

More Synonyms of wait

Video: pronunciation of
wait

wait in British English

(weɪt )

verb

1. (when intr, often foll by for, until, or to)

to stay in one place or remain inactive in expectation (of something); hold oneself in readiness (for something)

to delay temporarily or be temporarily delayed

that work can wait

3. (when intr, usually foll by for)

(of things) to be in store (for a person)

success waits for you in your new job

4. (intransitive)

to act as a waiter or waitress

noun

the act or an instance of waiting

a period of waiting

7. (plural) rare

a band of musicians who go around the streets, esp at Christmas, singing and playing carols

an interlude or interval between two acts or scenes in a play, etc

9. lie in wait

Word origin

C12: from Old French waitier; related to Old High German wahtēn to wake1

Word Frequency

wait in American English

(weɪt )

verb intransitive

to stay in a place or remain in readiness or in anticipation (until something expected happens or for someone to arrive or catch up)

to be ready or at hand

dinner was waiting for them

to remain temporarily undone or neglected

let that job wait

to serve food at a meal

with at or on

to wait at table, to wait on a person

verb transitive

to be, remain, or delay in expectation or anticipation of; await

to wait orders, to wait one's turn

6. Informal

to delay serving (a meal) as in waiting for someone

to wait dinner

7. Obsolete

to attend upon or escort, esp. as a token of respect or honor

8. Obsolete

to attend as a consequence

noun

the act or fact of waiting

10.

a period of waiting

a four-hour wait

11.

in England,

any of a group of singers and musicians who go through the streets at Christmastime performing songs and carols for small gifts of money

any tune so performed

12. Obsolete

a member of a band of musicians formerly employed by a city or town in England to play at entertainments

13. Obsolete

a watchman

SIMILAR WORDS: stay

Idioms:

Word origin

ME waiten < NormFr waitier < Frank *wahten, to guard, akin to OHG wahta, a guard, watch: for IE base see wake1

Example sentences including
wait

These examples have been automatically selected and may contain sensitive content. Read more…

An initial post mortem was inconclusive and officials are now waiting on toxicology results.There are various reasons to play the waiting game at present.She would sit and wait in the car doing her work.They wait for one moment and they got that moment.And wait till you see those moody sunsets.This situation risks overload and longer waiting times for all patients.Some may think we still need to wait to take full advantage of this model. Instead of waiting, you take action in all areas of your life.There was no four-hour wait.We have just waited for the result to happen and this is not a good way.