wait

wait
I. verb Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French waiter, guaiter to watch over, await, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German wahta watch, Old English wæccan to watch — more at wake Date: 14th century transitive verb 1. to stay in place in expectation of ; await <
waited the result of the advertisement — W. M. Thackeray
>
<
wait your turn
>
2. to delay serving (a meal) 3. to serve as waiter for <
wait tables
>
intransitive verb 1. a. to remain stationary in readiness or expectation <
wait for a train
>
b. to pause for another to catch up — usually used with up 2. a. to look forward expectantly <
just waiting to see his rival lose
>
b. to hold back expectantly <
waiting for a chance to strike
>
3. to serve at meals — usually used in such phrases as wait on tables or wait on table 4. a. to be ready and available <
slippers waiting by the bed
>
b. to remain temporarily neglected or unrealized <
the chores can wait
>
Usage: American dialectologists have evidence showing wait on (sense 3) to be more a Southern than a Northern form in speech. Handbook writers universally denigrate wait on and prescribe wait for in writing. Our evidence from printed sources does not show a regional preference; it does show that the handbooks' advice is not based on current usage <
settlement of the big problems still waited on Russia — Time
>
<
I couldn't make out…whether Harper was waiting on me for approval — E. B. White
>
<
the staggering bill that waited on them at the white commissary downtown — Maya Angelou
>
. One reason for the continuing use of wait on may lie in its being able to suggest protracted or irritating waits better than wait for <
for two days I've been waiting on weather — Charles A. Lindbergh
>
<
the boredom of black Africans sitting there, waiting on the whims of a colonial bureaucracy — Vincent Canby
>
<
doesn't care to sit around waiting on a House that's virtually paralyzed — Glenn A. Briere
>
. Wait on is less common than wait for, but if it seems natural, there is no reason to avoid it. II. noun Etymology: Middle English waite watchman, observation, from Anglo-French, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German wahta watch Date: 14th century 1. a. a hidden or concealed position — used chiefly in the expression lie in wait b. a state or attitude of watchfulness and expectancy <
anchored in wait for early morning fishing — Fred Zimmer
>
2. a. one of a band of public musicians in England employed to play for processions or public entertainments b. (1) one of a group who serenade for gratuities especially at the Christmas season (2) a piece of music by such a group 3. an act or period of waiting <
a long wait in line
>

New Collegiate Dictionary. 2001.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • wait — [wāt] vi. [ME waiten < NormFr waitier < Frank * wahten, to guard, akin to OHG wahta, a guard, watch: for IE base see WAKE1] 1. to stay in a place or remain in readiness or in anticipation (until something expected happens or for someone to… …   English World dictionary

  • Wait — Wait, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Waited}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Waiting}.] [OE. waiten, OF. waitier, gaitier, to watch, attend, F. guetter to watch, to wait for, fr. OHG. wahta a guard, watch, G. wacht, from OHG. wahh[=e]n to watch, be awake. [root]134. See …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Wait — or WAIT may refer to: * The act of waiting, see waiting (time) * wait (command), a computer shell command * wait (operating system), an operating system system call * Wait (musician), British town pipers * Wait (song), a song by The Beatles *… …   Wikipedia

  • wait in — ˌwait ˈin [intransitive] [present tense I/you/we/they wait in he/she/it waits in present participle waiting in past tense …   Useful english dictionary

  • WAIT — Cette page d’homonymie répertorie les différents sujets et articles partageant un même nom. Wait, attendre en anglais, abrégé en W8, peut être retrouver dans : Wait a Minute  , divers albums musicaux, Wait for Sleep , une chanson de l… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Wait — Wait, v. t. 1. To stay for; to rest or remain stationary in expectation of; to await; as, to wait orders. [1913 Webster] Awed with these words, in camps they still abide, And wait with longing looks their promised guide. Dryden. [1913 Webster] 2 …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Wait — Wait, n. [OF. waite, guaite, gaite, F. guet watch, watching, guard, from OHG. wahta. See {Wait}, v. i.] [1913 Webster] 1. The act of waiting; a delay; a halt. [1913 Webster] There is a wait of three hours at the border Mexican town of El Paso. S …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Wait — (англ. ждать, подожди) может означать: В искусстве Wait  одна из песен группы «Битлз» с альбома «Rubber Soul»; Wait  песня и одноимённый сингл группы «Wang Chung». Wait песня и одноимённый сингл группы «White Lion» из альбома… …   Википедия

  • wait — ► VERB 1) stay where one is or delay action until a particular time or event. 2) be delayed or deferred. 3) (wait on/upon) act as an attendant to. 4) act as a waiter or waitress. ► NOUN 1) a period of waiting. 2) …   English terms dictionary

  • wait up — wait for me, wait until I catch up    Danny, wait up. I want to talk to you …   English idioms

  • wait on — (someone) to serve someone. She waited on customers all day at the department store. He sits there in front of the TV and expects me to wait on him! Related vocabulary: wait on someone hand and foot …   New idioms dictionary

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