/ weɪt; NAmE / verb , noun
■ verb
1.
wait (for sb/sth) to stay where you are or delay doing sth until sb/sth comes or sth happens :
[ v ]
She rang the bell and waited.
Have you been waiting long?
I've been waiting (for) twenty minutes.
Wait for me!
We're waiting for the rain to stop before we go out.
I'll wait outside until the meeting's over.
[ v to inf ]
Hurry up! We're waiting to go.
[ vn ]
You'll just have to wait your turn (= wait until your turn comes) .
2.
wait (for sth) to hope or watch for sth to happen, especially for a long time :
[ v ]
Leeds United had waited for success for eighteen years.
This is just the opportunity I've been waiting for.
He's waiting for me to make a mistake.
[ vn ]
I waited my chance and slipped out when no one was looking.
3.
be waiting ( of things ) to be ready for sb to have or use :
[ v ]
There's a letter waiting for you at home.
[ v to inf ]
The hotel had a taxi waiting to collect us.
4.
[ v ] to be left to be dealt with at a later time because it is not urgent :
I've got some calls to make but they can wait until tomorrow.
•
IDIOMS
- an accident / a disaster waiting to happen
- I, they, etc. can't wait / can hardly wait
- keep sb waiting
- wait and see
- wait at table
- wait for it
- wait a minute / moment / second
- wait on sb hand and foot
- wait tables
- wait till / until ...
- what are we waiting for?
- what are you waiting for?
- (just) you wait
—more at wing noun
•
PHRASAL VERBS
- wait about / around
- wait behind
- wait in
- wait on sb
- wait on sth/sb
- wait sth out
- wait up
- wait up (for sb)
■ noun
[ usually sing. ] wait (for sb/sth) an act of waiting; an amount of time waited :
We had a long wait for the bus.
He now faces an agonizing two-month wait for the test results.
•
IDIOMS
see lie verb
••
WORD ORIGIN
Middle English : from Old Northern French waitier , of Germanic origin; related to the verb wake . Early senses included lie in wait (for) , observe carefully , and be watchful .