About The Word Wait

Bay Area Crosswords

Learn about the word Wait to help solve your crossword puzzle. Discover Wait definitions and meaning, origins, synonyms, related terms and more at the free Crossword Dictionary.

Wait

Wait Meaning & Definition
Wait Definition And Meaning

What's The Definition Of Wait?

[n] the act of waiting (remaining inactive in one place while expecting something); "the wait was an ordeal for him"
[n] time during which some action is awaited; "instant replay caused too long a delay"; "he ordered a hold in the action"
[v] 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"
[v] wait before acting
[v] wait on tables; serve as a waiter; in restaurants"I'm waiting on tables at Maxim's"
[v] stay in one place and anticipate or expect something; "I had to wait on line for an hour to get the tickets"

Synonyms | Synonyms for Wait: await | delay | expect | hold | hold back | hold off | look | postponement | time lag | waiting

Related Terms | Find terms related to Wait:

See Also | act | ambuscade | ambush | break | bushwhack | delay | extension | hang on | hold on | hold out | hold the line | inactivity | intermission | interruption | kick one's heels | lie in wait | look for | look forward | look to | lurk | moratorium | move | pause | retardation | scupper | stand by | stick about | stick around | suspension | waylay | work

Wait In Webster's Dictionary

\Wait\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Waited}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Waiting}.] [OE. waiten, OF. waitier, gaitier, to watch, attend, F. guetter to watch, to wait for, fr. OHG. wahta a guard, watch, G. wacht, from OHG. wahh[=e]n to watch, be awake. [root]134. See {Wake}, v. i.] 1. To watch; to observe; to take notice. [Obs.] ``But [unless] ye wait well and be privy, I wot right well, I am but dead,'' quoth she. --Chaucer. 2. To stay or rest in expectation; to stop or remain stationary till the arrival of some person or event; to rest in patience; to stay; not to depart. All the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come. --Job xiv. 14. They also serve who only stand and wait. --Milton. Haste, my dear father; 't is no time to wait. --Dryden. {To wait on} or {upon}. (a) To attend, as a servant; to perform services for; as, to wait on a gentleman; to wait on the table. ``Authority and reason on her wait.'' --Milton. ``I must wait on myself, must I?'' --Shak. (b) To attend; to go to see; to visit on business or for ceremony. (c) To follow, as a consequence; to await. ``That ruin that waits on such a supine temper.'' --Dr. H. More. (d) To look watchfully at; to follow with the eye; to watch. [R.] ``It is a point of cunning to wait upon him with whom you speak with your eye.'' --Bacon. (e) To attend to; to perform. ``Aaron and his sons . . . shall wait on their priest's office.'' --Num. iii. 10. (f) (Falconry) To fly above its master, waiting till game is sprung; -- said of a hawk. --Encyc. Brit.
\Wait\, v. t. 1. To stay for; to rest or remain stationary in expectation of; to await; as, to wait orders. Awed with these words, in camps they still abide, And wait with longing looks their promised guide. --Dryden. 2. To attend as a consequence; to follow upon; to accompany; to await. [Obs.] 3. To attend on; to accompany; especially, to attend with ceremony or respect. [Obs.] He chose a thousand horse, the flower of all His warlike troops, to wait the funeral. --Dryden. Remorse and heaviness of heart shall wait thee, And everlasting anguish be thy portion. --Rowe. 4. To cause to wait; to defer; to postpone; -- said of a meal; as, to wait dinner. [Colloq.]
\Wait\, n. [OF. waite, guaite, gaite, F. guet watch, watching, guard, from OHG. wahta. See {Wait}, v. i.] 1. The act of waiting; a delay; a halt. There is a wait of three hours at the border Mexican town of El Paso. --S. B. Griffin. 2. Ambush. ``An enemy in wait.'' --Milton. 3. One who watches; a watchman. [Obs.] 4. pl. Hautboys, or oboes, played by town musicians; not used in the singular. [Obs.] --Halliwell. 5. pl. Musicians who sing or play at night or in the early morning, especially at Christmas time; serenaders; musical watchmen. [Written formerly {wayghtes}.] Hark! are the waits abroad? --Beau & Fl. 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. --W. Irving. {To lay wait}, to prepare an ambuscade. {To lie in wait}. See under 4th {Lie}.

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