If you wait around or wait about , you stay in the same place, usually doing very little, because you cannot act before something happens or before someone arrives. ( in BRIT, also use wait about )
The attacker may have been waiting around for an opportunity to strike...
I waited around to speak to the doctor.
...the ghastly tedium of waiting about at the airport.
PHRASAL VERB : V P for n , V P to-inf , V P