AskDefine | Define wait

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Dictionary Definition

wait

Noun

1 time during which some action is awaited; "instant replay caused too long a delay"; "he ordered a hold in the action" [syn: delay, hold, time lag, postponement]
2 the act of waiting (remaining inactive in one place while expecting something); "the wait was an ordeal for him" [syn: waiting]

Verb

1 stay in one place and anticipate or expect something; "I had to wait on line for an hour to get the tickets"
2 wait before acting [syn: hold off, hold back]
3 look forward to the probable occurrence of; "We were expecting a visit from our relatives"; "She is looking to a promotion"; "he is waiting to be drafted" [syn: expect, look, await]
4 serve as a waiter in a restaurant; "I'm waiting on tables at Maxim's"

User Contributed Dictionary

English

Etymology

From Old Northern French waitier, a variant of Old French guatier (modern guetter ‘watch for’), from Germanic.

Pronunciation

Homophones

Verb

  1. to delay movement or action until the arrival or occurrence of; to await
    You'll just have to wait your turn.
  2. To delay movement or action until some event or time; to remain neglected or in readiness
    Wait here until your car arrives.
  3. To serve customers in a restaurant or other eating establishment.
    She used to wait down at the Dew Drop Inn.

Usage notes

Translations

transitive: delay until
''See await
delay until some event
to serve customers

Derived terms

Noun

  1. A delay.
    I had a very long wait at the airport security check.

Translations

a delay

Derived terms

Related terms

Extensive Definition

Wait or WAIT may refer to:

See also

wait in French: wait

Synonyms, Antonyms and Related Words

abide, administer to, afterthought, attend, attend on, await, ballad singer, balladeer, bard, be patient, bear with composure, bide, bide the issue, bind, block, blockage, bureaucratic delay, care for, carry on, carry through, chore, dally, dance attendance upon, dawdle, delay, delayage, delayed reaction, detention, dillydally, do for, do service to, double take, dragging, drudge, fili, folk singer, folk-rock singer, forbear, gleeman, halt, hang about, hang around, hang-up, help, hindrance, hold everything, hold on, hold your horses, holdup, interim, jam, jongleur, lackey, lag, lagging, linger, logjam, loiter, look after, maid, mark time, minister to, minnesinger, minstrel, moratorium, obstruction, pander to, paperasserie, pause, red tape, red-tapeism, red-tapery, remain, reprieve, respite, retardance, retardation, rhapsode, rhapsodist, scop, serenader, serve, sit tight, sit up, sit up for, slow-up, slowdown, slowness, stay, stay of execution, stay up, stay up for, stick, stick around, stop, stoppage, street singer, strolling minstrel, suspension, sweat, sweat it out, sweat out, take care of, take time, tarry, tend, tie-up, time lag, troubadour, trovatore, upon, valet, wait a minute, wait and see, wait for, wait it out, wait on, wait up for, wandering minstrel, watch, watch and wait, work for
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