await

English

Etymology

From Middle English awaiten, from Old Northern French awaitier (“to lie in wait for, watch, observe”), originally especially with a hostile sense; itself from a- (“to”) + waitier (“to watch”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA: /əˈwɛɪt/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -eɪt

Verb

await (third-person singular simple present awaits, present participle awaiting, simple past and past participle awaited)

1. (transitive, formal) To wait for.

   I await your reply to my letter.

2. (transitive) To expect.
3. (transitive) To be in store for; to be ready or in waiting for

   Glorious rewards await the good in heaven, eternal suffering awaits mortal sinners in hell.

   • 1900, Charles W. Chesnutt, The House Behind the Cedars, Chapter I,

     Standing foursquare in the heart of the town, at the intersection of the two main streets, a "jog" at each street corner left around the market-house a little public square, which at this hour was well occupied by carts and wagons from the country and empty drays awaiting hire.

4. (transitive) To wait on, serve or attend (to).
5. (intransitive) To watch, observe.
6. (intransitive) To wait (on or upon).
7. (intransitive) To wait; to stay in waiting.

Synonyms

• (wait for): wait for, anticipate, listen (of a sound)

Usage notes

• As await means to wait for, it is not followed by "for". *I am awaiting for your reply is therefore incorrect.

Translations

transitive: to wait for

• Armenian: սպասել (hy) (spasel)
• Bengali: অপেক্ষা করা (bn) (ôpekha kôra)
• Bulgarian: чакам (bg) (čakam)
• Catalan: esperar (ca)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 等待 (cmn) (děngdài), 等候 (cmn) (děnghòu), 等 (cmn) (děng), 候 (cmn) (hòu)

• Czech: očekávat (cs)
• Dutch: verwachten (nl), wachten (nl) op, afwachten (nl)
• Finnish: odottaa (fi)
• French: attendre (fr)
• German: erwarten (de), harren (de)
• Italian: aspettare (it), attendere (it)
• Japanese: 待つ (ja) (まつ, matsu)
• Korean: 기다리다 (ko) (gidarida)

• Latin: opperior (la), expecto (la), exspecto (la)
• Lojban: denpa (jbo)
• Old French: atandre
• Portuguese: esperar (pt)
• Romanian: aștepta (ro)
• Russian: ждать (ru) (ždat') impf., подождать (ru) (podoždát') pf., ожидать (ru) (ožidát') impf.
• Sardinian:

  Campidanese Sardinian: abettài, agguardai, aspettài

  Gallurese Sardinian: asittà

  Logudorese Sardinian: appelidare, appittu, isettare, ispettare

• Sassarese Sardinian: aipittà, aisittà
• Spanish: esperar (es)
• Swedish: invänta (sv)

transitive: to expect

• Armenian: սպասել (hy) (spasel)
• Bengali: অপেক্ষা করা (bn)
• Bulgarian: очаквам (bg) (očakvam)
• Catalan: esperar (ca)
• Dutch: verwachten (nl)

• Finnish: odottaa (fi), olettaa (fi)
• Latin: expecto (la)
• Romanian: aștepta (ro)
• Russian: ожидать (ru) (ožidát') impf.
• Spanish: esperar (es)

transitive: to be in store for

• Dutch: klaarliggen (nl), liggen (nl) te wachten (nl)

• Finnish: odottaa (fi)

transitive: to wait on, to serve

• Bulgarian: обслужвам (bg) (obslužvam)
• Dutch: bedienen (nl), dienen (nl)
• Finnish: tarjoilla (fi), palvella (fi)

• Italian: servire (it)
• Romanian: a servi masa (ro)

intransitive: to watch

• Finnish: odottaa (fi), tarkkailla (fi)

intransitive: to wait on

• Dutch: wachten (nl) op

intransitive, to stay in waiting

• Bengali: অপেক্ষা করা (bn)
• Bulgarian: очаквам (bg) (očakvam)
• Catalan: esperar (ca)

• Dutch: wachten (nl) op
• Finnish: odottaa (fi)
• Romanian: aștepta (ro)

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Help:How to check translations.

Translations to be checked

• French: attendre, servir
• German: warten auf, bedienen

• Old English: ābīdan

Noun

await (plural awaits)

1. (obsolete) A waiting for; ambush.
2. (obsolete) Watching, watchfulness, suspicious observation.
   • 1485, Sir Thomas Malory, Le Morte Darthur, Book VII:

     Also, madame, syte you well that there be many men spekith of oure love in this courte, and have you and me gretely in awayte, as thes Sir Aggravayne and Sir Mordred.