wait on

English

Verb

wait on (third-person singular simple present waits on, present participle waiting on, simple past and past participle waited on)

1. (Canada, US, colloquial) To wait for an event.

   I'm waiting on the light to change.

2. To wait for a person.

   I'm waiting on you before we can leave.

   • 1981, “Waiting On A Friend”, in Tattoo You, performed by The Rolling Stones:

     I'm not waiting on a lady / I'm just waiting on a friend

3. To serve someone; to be a waiter or waitress for a table in a restaurant.

   Synonyms: attend to, service; see also Thesaurus:serve

   Is someone waiting on you yet?

   • Shakespeare

     I must wait on myself, must I?

4. (archaic) To attend; to go to see; to visit on business or for ceremony.
5. (archaic) To follow, as a consequence; to await.
   • Dr. H. More

     that ruin that waits on such a supine temper

6. (archaic) To attend to; to perform.
   • Bible, Numbers iii. 10

     Aaron and his sons […] shall wait on their priest's office.

7. (falconry, of a hawk) To fly above its master, waiting till game is sprung.

Related terms

• wait
• wait on hand and foot

Translations

wait for an event

• Chinese:

  Mandarin: please add this translation if you can

• Finnish: odottaa (fi)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Icelandic: bíða eftir (is)
• Russian: please add this translation if you can
• Swedish: vänta på

wait for a person to do something

• Chinese:

  Mandarin: please add this translation if you can

• Finnish: odottaa (fi)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Icelandic: bíða eftir (is)
• Russian: please add this translation if you can

serve

• Chinese:

  Mandarin: please add this translation if you can

• Finnish: tarjoilla (fi), palvella (fi)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Icelandic: þjóna, þjóna til borðs
• Russian: please add this translation if you can