From Middle English waiten, from Anglo-Norman waiter, waitier (compare French guetter from Old French gaitier, guaitier), from Frankish *wahtwēn (“to watch, guard”), derivative of Frankish *wahtu (“guard, watch”), from Proto-Germanic *wahtwō (“guard, watch”), from Proto-Indo-European *weǵ- (“to be fresh, cheerful, awake”).
Cognate with Old High German wahtēn (“to watch, guard”), German Low German wachten (“to wait”), Dutch wachten (“to wait, expect”), French guetter (“to watch out for”), Saterland Frisian wachtje (“to wait”), West Frisian wachtsje (“to wait”), North Frisian wachtjen (“to stand, stay put”). More at watch.
In some senses, merged or influenced by Middle English waiten, weiten (“to do good to, lie in wait for, to contrive good or harm on, catch, snare”), from Old Norse veita (“to give help to, assist, grant, cause to happen”), from Proto-Germanic *waitijaną (“to show, guide, advise, direct”), from Proto-Indo-European *weyd- (“to see, know”).
Largely overtook native Middle English biden, from Old English bīdan, source of bide.
Meanings
(informal) Tells the other speaker to stop talking, typing etc. for a moment, often to allow clarification.
- And so I went upstairs—
- Wait. Your house has two floors?
From Middle English waiten, from Anglo-Norman waiter, waitier (compare French guetter from Old French gaitier, guaitier), from Frankish *wahtwēn (“to watch, guard”), derivative of Frankish *wahtu (“guard, watch”), from Proto-Germanic *wahtwō (“guard, watch”), from Proto-Indo-European *weǵ- (“to be fresh, cheerful, awake”).
Cognate with Old High German wahtēn (“to watch, guard”), German Low German wachten (“to wait”), Dutch wachten (“to wait, expect”), French guetter (“to watch out for”), Saterland Frisian wachtje (“to wait”), West Frisian wachtsje (“to wait”), North Frisian wachtjen (“to stand, stay put”). More at watch.
In some senses, merged or influenced by Middle English waiten, weiten (“to do good to, lie in wait for, to contrive good or harm on, catch, snare”), from Old Norse veita (“to give help to, assist, grant, cause to happen”), from Proto-Germanic *waitijaną (“to show, guide, advise, direct”), from Proto-Indo-European *weyd- (“to see, know”).
Largely overtook native Middle English biden, from Old English bīdan, source of bide.
Meanings
A delay.
I had a very long wait at the airport security check.
An ambush.
an enemy in wait 1667, John Milton, “Book IV”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC:
They lay in wait for the patrol.
(abbreviation, alt-of, ellipsis) Ellipsis of wait state.
(UK, in-plural, obsolete) Hautboys, or oboes, played by town musicians.
[…]as he returned home to his owne house, the waits should sound the hautboies all the way 1659, T[itus] Livius [i.e., Livy], “[Book XVII]”, in Philemon Holland, transl., The Romane Historie […], London: […] W. Hunt, for George Sawbridge, […], →OCLC:
(UK, in-plural) Musicians who sing or play at night or in the early morning, especially at Christmas time; serenaders; musical watchmen.
[…] the waits begin their rounds, and going from house to house, […] they sing carols and Christmas hymns until […] another Christmas-day has dawned.[…] 1890, Algernon Blackwood, Christmas in England:
1819-1820, Washington Irving, The Sketchbook of Geoffrey Crayon
The sound of the waits, rude as may be their minstrelsy, breaks upon the mild watches of a winter night with the effect of perfect harmony.
Hark! are the waits abroad? 1609–1612, Francis Beaumont, John Fletcher, “The Captaine”, in Comedies and Tragedies […], London: […] Humphrey Robinson, […], and for Humphrey Moseley […], published 1647, →OCLC, Act II, scene ii:
ko 기다림 (a delay) · ja 待ち (a delay) · ru задержка (a delay) · bg очакване (a delay) · sdn asèttu (a delay) · it attesa (a delay) · sq pritje (a delay) · es retraso (a delay) · ro așteptare (a delay) · pl opóźnienie (a delay) · oc espèra (a delay) · ca espera (a delay) · es espera (a delay) · la expectatio (a delay) · fi odotus (a delay) · sc aspettu (a delay) · pt espera (a delay) · sc abetu (a delay) · ast espera (a delay) · mk чекање (a delay) · de Warten (a delay) · gl espera (a delay) · ru ожида́ние (a delay) · sv väntan (a delay) · fr attente (a delay) · sdc aisettu (a delay) · sc iséttu (a delay) · tl paghihintay (a delay) · mk исчекувње (a delay)
From Middle English waiten, from Anglo-Norman waiter, waitier (compare French guetter from Old French gaitier, guaitier), from Frankish *wahtwēn (“to watch, guard”), derivative of Frankish *wahtu (“guard, watch”), from Proto-Germanic *wahtwō (“guard, watch”), from Proto-Indo-European *weǵ- (“to be fresh, cheerful, awake”).
Cognate with Old High German wahtēn (“to watch, guard”), German Low German wachten (“to wait”), Dutch wachten (“to wait, expect”), French guetter (“to watch out for”), Saterland Frisian wachtje (“to wait”), West Frisian wachtsje (“to wait”), North Frisian wachtjen (“to stand, stay put”). More at watch.
In some senses, merged or influenced by Middle English waiten, weiten (“to do good to, lie in wait for, to contrive good or harm on, catch, snare”), from Old Norse veita (“to give help to, assist, grant, cause to happen”), from Proto-Germanic *waitijaną (“to show, guide, advise, direct”), from Proto-Indo-European *weyd- (“to see, know”).
Largely overtook native Middle English biden, from Old English bīdan, source of bide.
Meanings
(intransitive) To delay movement or action until some event or time; to remain neglected or in readiness.
Haste, my dear father; 'tis no time to wait. 1697, Virgil, “Aeneis”, in John Dryden, transl., The Works of Virgil: Containing His Pastorals, Georgics, and Æneis. […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC:
The South London tramway replacement will have to wait, possibly five years, because of the slowing down of bus manufacture due to national requirements. 1948 March and April, “Notes and News: London Transport Plans”, in Railway Magazine, page 132:
I’m still waiting for you to pay me back the money I lent you..
Wait here until your car arrives.
No matter how early I came down, I would find him on the veranda, smoking cigarettes, or otherwise his man would be there with a message to say that his master would shortly join me if I would kindly wait. 1897 December (indicated as 1898), Winston Churchill, chapter IV, in The Celebrity: An Episode, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company; London: Macmillan & Co., Ltd., →OCLC, page 46:
They also serve who only stand and wait. 1673, John Milton, “[Sonnet] XVI. When I Consider How My Light is Spent.”, in Poems, &c. upon Several Occasions, London: […] Tho[mas] Dring […], →OCLC, page 59:
(US, intransitive, stative) To wait tables; to serve customers in a restaurant or other eating establishment.
She used to wait in this joint.
(archaic, transitive) To delay movement or action until the arrival or occurrence of; to await. (Now generally superseded by “wait for”.)
Awed with these words, in camps they still abide, / And wait with longing looks their promised guide. 1697, Virgil, “Aeneis”, in John Dryden, transl., The Works of Virgil: Containing His Pastorals, Georgics, and Æneis. […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC:
to wait one’s turn
The Court had assembled, to wait events, in the huge antechamber known as the Œil de Boeuf. 1992, Hilary Mantel, A Place of Greater Safety, Harper Perennial, published 2007, page 30:
(obsolete, transitive) To attend on; to accompany; especially, to attend with ceremony or respect.
Remorse and heaviness of heart shall wait thee, / And everlasting anguish be thy portion. 1714, Nicholas Rowe, The Tragedy of Jane Shore:
He chose a thousand horse, the flower of all / His warlike troops, to wait the funeral. 1697, Virgil, “Aeneis”, in John Dryden, transl., The Works of Virgil: Containing His Pastorals, Georgics, and Æneis. […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC:
(obsolete) To attend as a consequence; to follow upon; to accompany.
(colloquial, obsolete) To defer or postpone (especially a meal).
Montague Thorold, who impatiently watched her wherever she went, came to tell her that his mother waited breakfast for her. 1791, Charlotte Smith, Celestina, Broadview, published 2004, page 185:
(obsolete, qualifier:except in phrases) To watch with malicious intent; to lie in wait
(intransitive) To remain faithful to one’s partner or betrothed during a prolonged period of absence.
I will wait / Even if it takes forever / I will wait / Even if it takes a lifetime 1974, The Bee Gees, Night Fever:
She did not question him. Before leaving, she asked only, "When will I see you again?" He answered, "I don't know. Don't wait for me, Dagny. Next time we meet, you will not want to see me." 1957, Dagny Taggart; Francisco d'Anconia, Ayn Rand's, Atlas Shrugged:
fi tarjoilla (to serve customers) · nn bie (delay until some event) · grc μένω (delay until some event) · bo ཕེབས་སྒུག་ཞུ (delay until some event) · he הִמְתִּין (delay until some event) · tl maghintay (delay until some event) · ug كۈتمەك (delay until some event) · ast sirvir (to serve customers) · am መጠበቅ (delay until some event) · rsk чекац (delay until some event) · bo སྒུག (delay until some event) · ba көтөү (delay until some event) · fi odottaa (delay until some event) · sv vänta (delay until some event) · srn wakti (delay until some event) · is bíða (delay until some event) · cmn 候 (delay until some event) · tg мунтазир будан (delay until some event) · ar اِنْتَظَرَ (delay until some event) · da vente (delay until some event) · zza pawen (delay until some event) · sq pres (delay until some event) · rue че́кати (delay until some event) · lb waarden (delay until some event) · vi đợi (delay until some event) · el σερβίρω (to serve customers) · ru обслужи́ть (to serve customers) · mi whakarato (to serve customers) · bn অপেক্ষা করা (delay until some event) · ltg gaideit (delay until some event) · ang bīdan (delay until some event) · cu жьдати (delay until some event) · cmn 等待 (delay until some event) · lo ລໍຖ້າ (delay until some event) · sdc aisittà (delay until some event) · la exspectō (delay until some event) · arz استنى (delay until some event) · ps انتظارايستل (delay until some event) · sdn asittà (delay until some event) · aii ܣܵܦܹܪ (delay until some event) · it servire a tavola (to serve customers) · cmn 等 (delay until some event) · oc esperar (delay until some event) · ko 기다리다 (delay until some event) · fur spietâ (delay until some event) · pl obsłużyć (to serve customers) · pl obsługiwać (to serve customers) · acw استنى (delay until some event) · vo stebedön (delay until some event) · lv gaidīt (delay until some event) · uz kutmoq (delay until some event) · it attendere (delay until some event) · cu чекати (delay until some event) · nb vente (delay until some event) · be чака́ць (delay until some event) · sdn ambarà (delay until some event) · yi וואַרטן (delay until some event) · qu suyay (delay until some event) · mk че́ка (delay until some event) · sdc aipittà (delay until some event) · fa-ira صَبْر کَرْدَن (delay until some event) · be ждаць (delay until some event) · mn хүлээх (delay until some event) · wa rawårder (delay until some event) · nl bedienen (to serve customers) · eve алат- (delay until some event) · sv bida (delay until some event) · ja 待つ (delay until some event) · ga fan (delay until some event) · haw kali (delay until some event) · ary تسنى (delay until some event) · ko 시중들다 (to serve customers) · sc appittu (delay until some event) · uk очі́кувати (delay until some event) · sh čȅkati (delay until some event) · ckb چاوەڕێ کردن (delay until some event) · bg ча́кам (delay until some event) · cs obsluhovat (to serve customers) · dng дын (delay until some event) · vi chờ đợi (delay until some event) · kum къаравулламакъ (delay until some event) · gld халачи- (delay until some event) · acw انتظر (delay until some event) · ur ٹَھہَرْنا (delay until some event) · it aspettare (delay until some event) · wa ratinde (delay until some event) · mk слу́жи (to serve customers) · fr faire le service (to serve customers) · kk күту (delay until some event) · grc προσδέχομαι (delay until some event) · csb czekac (delay until some event) · pl kelnerować (to serve customers) · sk čakať (delay until some event) · sa प्रतीक्षते (delay until some event) · ur اِنْتِظار کَرْنا (delay until some event) · uk жда́ти (delay until some event) · zza poşeyen (delay until some event) · bg обслу́жвам (to serve customers) · ja ウエイトレスをする (to serve customers) · cy aros (delay until some event) · fr attendre (delay until some event) · ast esperar (delay until some event) · nl afwachten (delay until some event) · ru ждать (delay until some event) · es bancar (delay until some event) · de warten (delay until some event) · he חיכה \ חִכָּה (delay until some event) · rsk почекац (delay until some event) · ko 대기하다 (delay until some event) · ary عاين (delay until some event) · io vartar (delay until some event) · ru ожида́ть (delay until some event) · gl agardar (delay until some event) · es ser camarero (to serve customers) · ang ġebīdan (delay until some event) · hy սպասել (delay until some event) · mt stenna (delay until some event) · so sugid (delay until some event) · fa-ira وایْسادَن (delay until some event) · ary ستنى (delay until some event) · hi इंतज़ार करना (delay until some event) · wa atinde (delay until some event) · qu şuyai (delay until some event) · el περιμένω (delay until some event) · be пачака́ць (delay until some event) · ru чека́ть (delay until some event) · tg интизор шудан (delay until some event) · rm spetgar (delay until some event) · fa-ira مُنْتَظِر شُدَن (delay until some event) · la opperior (delay until some event) · nn venta (delay until some event) · sl čakati (delay until some event) · es esperar (delay until some event) · fr patienter (delay until some event) · mr वाट बघणे (delay until some event) · kk тосу (delay until some event) · la expectō (delay until some event) · ro a servi masa (to serve customers) · km រងចាំ (delay until some event) · got 𐌱𐌴𐌹𐌳𐌰𐌽 (delay until some event) · ilo aguray (delay until some event) · ist spattà (delay until some event) · hy սպասարկել (to serve customers) · cs čekat (delay until some event) · lt laukti (delay until some event) · mi rato (to serve customers) · sdc aisitt' (delay until some event) · hsb čakać (delay until some event) · ms menunggu (delay until some event) · kum гёзлемек (delay until some event) · ca esperar (delay until some event) · pl oczekiwać (delay until some event) · ee lala (delay until some event) · lmo spettà (delay until some event) · sc abettài (delay until some event) · ceb hulat (delay until some event) · kum къарамакъ (delay until some event) · ja ウエイターをする (to serve customers) · vi chờ (delay until some event) · ga fuirigh (delay until some event) · hu vár (delay until some event) · sc agguardai (delay until some event) · pt servir (to serve customers) · fr servir (to serve customers) · lad asperar (delay until some event) · cu ⰶⱐⰴⰰⱅⰻ (delay until some event) · mr वाट पाहणे (delay until some event) · sc isettare (delay until some event) · pt esperar (delay until some event) · yue 企檯 /企台 (to serve customers) · hi ठहरना (delay until some event) · ne पर्खनु (delay until some event) · ko 서비스하다 (to serve customers) · mi tatari (delay until some event) · ca esperar-se (delay until some event) · id menunggu (delay until some event) · cmn 待 (delay until some event) · bg оча́квам (delay until some event) · bg серви́рам (to serve customers) · fa-ira مُنْتَظِر بودَن (delay until some event) · pl czekać (delay until some event) · ky күйүү (delay until some event) · nb bie (delay until some event) · af wag (delay until some event) · mi tuari (to serve customers) · vec spetar (delay until some event) · tt көтәргә (delay until some event) · mn ᠬᠦᠯᠢᠶᠡᠬᠦ (delay until some event) · ht tann (delay until some event) · fa-ira اِنْتِظار داشْتَن (delay until some event) · uk чека́ти (delay until some event) · tk garaşmak (delay until some event) · tr beklemek (delay until some event) · hi प्रतीक्षा करना (delay until some event) · ur صَبْر کَرْنا (delay until some event) · km ចាំ (delay until some event) · de bedienen (to serve customers) · gsw beite (delay until some event) · lv apkalpot (to serve customers) · my စောင့် (delay until some event) · mi whanga (delay until some event) · nrf attendre (delay until some event) · es aguantar (delay until some event) · th รอ (delay until some event) · lo ລໍ (delay until some event) · gl esperar (delay until some event) · ka დალოდება (delay until some event) · se vuordit (delay until some event) · ru подожда́ть (delay until some event) · pt aguardar (delay until some event) · mk почека (delay until some event) · sc aspettài (delay until some event) · vec aspetar (delay until some event) · sc appelidare (delay until some event) · tg мунтазир шудан (delay until some event) · zza vende (delay until some event) · sh че̏кати (delay until some event) · nap aspettà (delay until some event) · ky күтүү (delay until some event) · tg сабр кардан (delay until some event) · gl mentrexar (delay until some event) · ast aguardar (delay until some event) · et ootama (delay until some event) · zlw-opl żdać (delay until some event) · az gözləmək (delay until some event) · nl wachten (delay until some event) · sc ispettare (delay until some event) · tg интизор кашидан (delay until some event) · es aguardar (delay until some event) · evn алат- (delay until some event) · rup ashteptu (delay until some event) · alt кӱйер (delay until some event) · ur مُنْتَظِر ہونا (delay until some event) · yue 等 (delay until some event) · ru обслу́живать (to serve customers) · mk дочека (delay until some event) · es servir (to serve customers) · ro aștepta (delay until some event) · qu suyai (delay until some event) · kix têu (delay until some event) · vo bötön (to serve customers) · eo atendi (delay until some event) · ta பொறுத்திரு (delay until some event) · fo bíða (delay until some event)