wait
(wāt)
[Middle English waiten, from Old North French waitier, to watch, of Germanic origin.]
verb: wait·ed, wait·ing, waits.
intransitive verb
- To remain or rest in expectation: waiting for the guests to arrive. See synonyms at stay1
- To tarry until another catches up.
- To remain or be in readiness: lunch waiting on the table.
- To remain temporarily neglected, unattended to, or postponed: The trip will have to wait.
- To work as a waiter or waitress.
transitive verb
- To remain or stay in expectation of; await: wait one's turn.
- Informal To delay (a meal or an event); postpone: They waited lunch for us.
- To be a waiter or waitress at: wait tables.
noun
- The act of waiting or the time spent waiting.
- Chiefly British
- One of a group of musicians employed, usually by a city, to play in parades or public ceremonies.
- One of a group of musicians or carolers who perform in the streets at Christmastime.
phrasal verbs
- wait on
- To serve the needs of; be in attendance on.
- To make a formal call on; visit.
- To follow as a result; depend on.
- To await: They're waiting on my decision.
- wait out
- To delay until the termination of: wait out a war; waited out the miniskirt craze.
- wait up
- To postpone going to bed in anticipation of something or someone.
- Informal To stop or pause so that another can catch up: Let's wait up for the stragglers.
