Wait Definition

wāt

waited, waiting, waits

verb

waited, waiting, waits

To remain or rest in expectation.

Waiting for the guests to arrive.

American Heritage

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

Webster's New World

To be ready or at hand.

Dinner was waiting for them.

Webster's New World

To remain or be in readiness.

Lunch is waiting at the counter.

American Heritage

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

Webster's New World

Synonyms:

Antonyms:

noun

waits

The act or fact of waiting.

Webster's New World

A period of waiting.

A four-hour wait.

Webster's New World

One of a group of musicians or carolers who perform in the streets at Christmastime.

American Heritage

In England,

Webster's New World

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

Webster's New World

Synonyms:

Synonyms:
time wasted
interim
halt
waiting
postponement
time lag
hold
delay

Antonyms:

idiom

cannot wait

to anticipate eagerly

Webster's New World

lie in wait (for)

to wait so as to catch after planning an ambush or trap (for)

Webster's New World

wait on

to act as a servant to
to call on or visit (esp. a superior) in order to pay one's respects, ask a favor, etc.

Webster's New World

wait out

to remain inactive during the course of

Webster's New World

wait table

to serve food as a waiter or servant to people at a table

Webster's New World

Other Word Forms of Wait

Noun

Singular:

wait

Plural:

waits

Idioms, Phrasal Verbs Related to Wait

cannot wait
lie in wait (for)
wait on
wait out
wait table
wait up

Origin of Wait

From Middle English waiten, wayten, from Old Northern French waiter, waitier (compare French guetter from Old French gaiter, guaitier), from Old Frankish *wahtōn, *wahtjan (“to watch, guard"), derivative of *wahta (“guard, watch"), from Proto-Germanic *wahtwō (“guard, watch"), from Proto-Indo-European *weǵ- (“to be fresh, cheerful, awake"). Cognate with Old High German wahtÄ“n (“to watch, guard"), Dutch wachten (“to wait, expect"), French guetter (“to watch out for"), North Frisian wachtjen (“to stand, stay put"). More at watch.

From Wiktionary
Middle English waiten from Old North French waitier to watch of Germanic origin weg- in Indo-European roots

From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition