wait
Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary
Contents |
[edit] English
[edit] Etymology
From Old Northern French waitier, a variant of Old French guatier (“‘watch for’”) (modern guetter ‘watch for’), from Germanic.
[edit] Pronunciation
[edit] Verb
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Infinitive |
Third person singular |
Simple past |
Past participle |
Present participle |
to wait (third-person singular simple present waits, present participle waiting, simple past and past participle waited)
- (transitive) to delay movement or action until the arrival or occurrence of; to await.
- You'll just have to wait your turn.
- (intransitive) To delay movement or action until some event or time; to remain neglected or in readiness.
- Wait here until your car arrives.
- (intransitive) To wait tables; to serve customers in a restaurant or other eating establishment.
- She used to wait down at the Dew Drop Inn.
[edit] Usage notes
- In sense 1, this is a catenative verb that takes the to infinitive. See Appendix:English catenative verbs
[edit] Synonyms
- The synonyms below need to be checked and allocated to the definitions (senses) of the word above. Each synonym should appear in each sense for which it is appropriate. Use the template {{sense|"gloss"}}, substituting a short version of the definition.
[edit] Derived terms
terms derived from wait (verb)
[edit] Translations
transitive: delay until — see await
delay until some event
to serve customers
[edit] Noun
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Singular |
Plural |
wait (plural waits)
- A delay.
- I had a very long wait at the airport security check.
