Wait

Definition: Wait

Wait

Noun

1. Time during which some action is awaited; "instant replay caused too long a delay"; "he ordered a hold in the action".

2. The act of waiting (remaining inactive in one place while expecting something); "the wait was an ordeal for him".

Verb

1. Stay in one place and anticipate or expect something; "I had to wait on line for an hour to get the tickets".

2. Wait before acting.

3. Look forward to the probably occurrence of: "We were expecting a visit from our relatives"; "She is looking to a promotion"; "he is waiting to be drafted".

4. Wait on tables; serve as a waiter; in restaurants "I'm waiting on tables at Maxim's".

Source: WordNet 1.7.1 Copyright © 2001 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
 

Date "wait" was first used in popular English literature: sometime before 1010. (references)

Computing

Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

Synonyms: Wait

Lateness

Verb: be late; Adjective: tarry, wait, stay, bide, take time; dawdle; (be inactive); linger, loiter; bide one's time, take one's time; gain time; hang fire; stand over, lie over.

Crosswords: Wait

I want to say something, but I'm gonna fumble it a little bit, so I'd just like you to wait till I'm done before you respond (The American President; writing credit: Aaron Sorkin.)

Jim, just wait till she leaves (American Pie; writing credit: Adam Herz)

Wait! No, please wait (Moulin Rouge!; writing credit: Baz Luhrmann; Craig Pearce)

The tree lights up, I press the button No wait, I press the button and -- (Batman Returns; writing credit: Bob Kane; Daniel Waters)

Don't you think we should wait a decent interval (Mission: Impossible II; writing credit: Bruce Geller; Ronald D. Moore)

Fight my way and wait for the sun. (Wait For The Sun; performing artist: Hi-Standard)

I can't wait to make the promises (I Will Wait; performing artist: Hootie & The Blowfish)

Let's wait awhile, our love will be there (Let's Wait Awhile; performing artist: Janet Jackson)

Yeah, i can't wait another day (Fly Away From Here; performing artist: Aerosmith)

Will just have to wait till I get home (Sweet Dreams; performing artist: Air Supply)

We are discreet sheep; we wait to see how the drove is going, and then go with the drove. (references; author: Mark Twain)

Don't wait for the hearse to take you to church. (references; author: unknown)

If you wait to have kids until you can afford them, you probably never will. (references; author: unknown)

Cheerfulness is contagious, but don't wait to catch it from others. Be a carrier. (references; author: unknown)

Lord give me an answer, or give me the patience to wait for one. Just do it now please! (references; author: unknown)

Wait Till Your Father Gets Home (1972)

Tomorrow Just You Wait (1965)

The Long Wait (1954)

Nellie Wait Till the Sun Shines (1952)

Heaven Can Wait (1943)

I Can't Wait Another Minute (performing artist: Hi-Five)

Wait For The Sun (performing artist: Hi-Standard)

I Will Wait (performing artist: Hootie & The Blowfish)

Let's Wait Awhile (performing artist: Janet Jackson)

I Just Can't Wait To Be King/ Hakuna Matata (performing artist: Michelle Nicastro)

Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

Books

• 258 Great Dates While You Wait (reference)

• Now Wait for Last Year (reference)

  (more book examples)

Theater & Movies

• Can't Hardly Wait (reference)

• Heaven Can Wait (reference)

• Wait Until Dark (reference)

• Tales from the Crypt: Dead Wait (reference)

• Robotech Vol. 2:Space Fold/Long Wait (reference)

  (more DVD examples; more video examples)

Music

• Wait with Me: Advent of the Promised Son (reference)

• Hark the Village Wait (reference)

• Twice Around the Houses / Wait Till They Change (reference)

• Hurry Up & Wait (reference)

• Wait for Me (reference)

  (more classical music examples; more popular music examples)

High Tech

• Meridian 8004 Charcoal Basic Bus. Phone with mess. Wait Vol Control (reference)

  (more camera examples; more video game examples; more computer examples; more electronic examples; more software examples)

Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

President Nixon and Dr. Paine Wait to Meet Apollo 11 Astronauts. Credit: NASA.

Madeleine Albright and Daniel Goldin Wait for STS-88 Launch. Credit: NASA.

Although the giant star Mira has been known for about 400 years, astronomers have had to wait ... Credit: NASA.

Memorial to those who watch and wait for loved ones to return from the sea. Credit: America's Coastlines.

U.S. Army's 82nd Airborne wait to load into a U.S. Air Force C-141.

Fish and wildlife photographer Jim Clark and his dog Bailey wait for the sunrise in the Dolly Sods Wilderness area of the Monongahelia NF, WV. Credit: USDA.

Barrels of freshly harvested potatoes wait in the field to be hoised aboard a truck for shipment to a processing plant near Limestone, Maine. Credit: USDA.

The horses wait in their corrals to be adopted by loving new families. Credit: Dorthea Booth.

Burros adopted through the BLM's first Internet adoption wait for their new owners to take them home. Credit: Cathy Rodine.

[Army Nurses adjust their equipment while they wait to board transport]. Credit: National Library of Medicine.

Source: pictures compiled by the editor from various references; see picture credits.

Source: compiled by the editor from various references.

Let us wait, therefore, for this letter

Alice thought she might as well wait, as she had nothing else to do, and perhaps after all it might tell her something worth hearing

Monsieur will have to wait at least three or four hours at each relay, and then they go at a walk

Only wait.

We wait upon your Grace

Have to wait.

I determined to go into business at once, and not wait to acquire the usual capital, using such slender means as I had already got.

Source: compiled by the editor from various references.

Health

You may need to wait for a donor. (references)

Don't wait for the pain to get worse. (references)

How long you'll have to wait for a kidney varies. (references)

Business

Asian customers find it difficult to wait for machine shipments from the U.S. and Europe. (references)

Manufacturers may have to wait until Poland joins the EU before mutual recognition is effective. (references)

They decided to wait for tangible results on the effectiveness of Intranets before building their own systems. (references)

Children

Lebanon

Juvenile delinquency is rising; many juveniles wait in ordinary prisons for trial and remain there after sentencing. (references)

Philippines

Congressional leaders said they would wait until the Court's ruling became final before initiating expulsion procedures. (references)

Civil Liberties

Tunisia

While publishers need not wait for an authorization, they must obtain a receipt of deposit before distribution. (references)

Economic History

Colombia

A wait and see attitude prevails. (references)

Colombia

Currently there is a 18-month wait for an interview. (references)

Portugal

But, if you do have to resort to the courts be prepared to wait and wait. (references)

Human Rights

Botswana

In Gaborone Central Prison, the average wait in prison before trial is 1 year. (references)

Peru

Once trials have concluded, prisoners often have to wait long periods before being sentenced. (references)

Poland

The long wait for routine court decisions in commercial matters is an incentive for bribery and corruption. (references)

Political Economy

Ecuador

Once incarcerated, persons without lawyers may wait years before being tried. (references)

PANAMA

It also put the brakes, at least temporarily, on its effort to reform Panama's tax system, per its IMF commitments, due to pressure from business, labor, and the political opposition, who argued that tax reform should wait until the economy improves. (references)

Political Rights

Zimbabwe

In addition the Government denied permission for the visit of a team of election experts from the European Union in September, saying the group should wait until it was invited. (references)

Trade

Guyana

Firms seeking to convert Guyana dollars to U.S. dollars may sometimes have to wait for some time for their local bank to make U.S. dollars available. (references)

Bahrain

The government announced in July 1999 that importers can now clear goods as soon as they arrive at Bahrain's ports rather than wait one or two days for customs clearance. (references)

Travel

Chad

There is a 7-year wait for a telephone. (references)

Women

Afghanistan

Women could ride only on buses designated as women's buses; reportedly there were not enough such buses to meet the demand, and the wait for women's buses could be long. (references)

Worker Rights

El Salvador

The union must wait 4 days from the time the Ministry notifies the employer before beginning the strike. (references)

Dominican Republic

Because workers earn so little and sometimes cannot wait until payday to redeem their tickets, an informal barter system has evolved in which the tickets also are used to purchase items at private stores located on the plantations. (references)

Source: compiled by the editor from ICON Group International, Inc.; see credits.

Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

Source: compiled by the editor from various references.

Men liers in wait

Expressions using "wait": can you wait an instant? ♦ have a long wait ♦ i will wait for you ♦ lay a wait for ♦ lie in wait ♦ lie in wait for ♦ lying in wait ♦ please wait a moment ♦ that can wait ♦ time and tide wait for no man ♦ To lay wait ♦ To lay wait for ♦ To lie in wait ♦ To wait on ♦ to wait upon ♦ wait a bit ♦ wait a bit! ♦ wait a jiffy! ♦ wait a little ♦ wait a little before doing ♦ wait a little longer ♦ wait a minute! ♦ wait a moment! ♦ wait a spell! ♦ wait a while ♦ wait about ♦ wait and see ♦ wait and see! ♦ wait around ♦ wait at ♦ wait at a table ♦ wait at table ♦ wait behind ♦ wait for ♦ wait for a dead man's shoes ♦ wait for a spell! ♦ wait for an audience ♦ wait for an opportunity ♦ wait for it! ♦ wait for me! ♦ wait for smb. to come ♦ wait for the cat to jump ♦ wait for the dead man's shoes ♦ wait forever ♦ wait here! ♦ wait in ♦ wait in a queue ♦ wait in line! ♦ wait in the wings ♦ wait list ♦ wait on ♦ wait on smb. ♦ wait on smth. ♦ wait on tables ♦ wait one's oppurtunity ♦ wait out ♦ wait state ♦ wait table ♦ wait through ♦ wait till next time ♦ wait till smth. is over ♦ wait to see how the cat jumps ♦ wait to see how the wind blows ♦ wait to see which way the cat jumps ♦ wait until the cows come home ♦ wait up ♦ wait up for ♦ wait up for smb. ♦ wait up! ♦ wait upon ♦ wait with impatience ♦ wait your turn! ♦ while you wait. Additional references.

Beginning with "wait": Wait-a-bit, wait-and-see, wait-and-see policy, Wait-a-while, wait-free, wait-see, wait-time, wait-wait-wait.

Ending with "wait": sit-and-wait, while-you-wait.

Containing "wait": Mot-while-u-wait-garage.

Afrikaans

wag (abide, await, expect, wait for), verwag (abide, await, expect, wait for), wag vir (abide, await, expect, wait for). (various references)

Albanian

vonoj (be late, delay, detain, hang up, hinder, hold up, linger, procrastinate, retard, slow down), shërbej (act, attend, avail, fetch and carry, lackey, lacquey, minister, nurse, oblige, serve, wait on, wait upon), pritje (anticipation, dinner party, evening, expectance, expectancy, expectation, function, party, reception, recipiency, waiting, welcome), pritë (ambuscade, ambush, barrage, blind, boom, sluice), pres (amputate, anticipate, await, be asking for, be expecting, be on the watch, be waiting, bide, buck, chop, clip, coin, cut, cut away, cut open, detruncate, disforest, dissect, entertain, expect, exscind, fell, hew, host, knife, look for, look forward to, mince, mint, Nick, notch, obtruncate, poll, prune, screw, section, sever, shut off, sit on the fence, slash, slot, snip, take, Tarry, undercut, ween, whack). (various references)

Arabic 

‏كمين (ambuscade, ambush, snare, trap), ‏توقع (anticipate, anticipation, await, contemplate, expect, expectancy, expectation, foresee, look forward to, presage), ‏ترقب (await, carry on, expect, expectancy, expectation, looking forward), ‏عضو في فرقة المغنيين, ‏خدم (act, attend, be in service, dish out, further, ladle, serve out, tend, wait on), ‏إنتظر (await, bide, hang on, stand in, stay, wait for, watch), ‏أخر (delay, detain, intercept, postpone, protract, put back, retard, set back). (various references)

Bulgarian 

чакане (expectation, waiting), чакам (abide, attend, await, cool one's heels, hang on, Tarry, wait about), очакване (anticipation, contemplation, expectance, expectancy, expectation, hope, suspense, waiting), очаквам (abide, anticipate, apprehend, await, contemplate, envisage, expect, hope, watch, ween), почаквам. (various references)

Catalan

esperar (abide, await, expect, foresee, wait for). (various references)

Chinese 

等待 (Waited, Waiting, WAITS), 待 (about, deal with, delay, intending to do something, need, stay, treat), 候 . (various references)

Czech

posluhovat (serve, wait on), poèkat (hang on, hold on), čekat, èekat (await, bide, carry, hang on). (various references)

Danish

forvente (abide, advert, await, expect, pay attention, pay attention to, wait for, watch out for). (various references)

Dutch

wachten (abide, await, expect, wait for), te wachten staan (abide, await, expect, wait for), afhalen (abide, await, deduct, expect, meet, pick up, string, take along, take away, take up, wait for). (various references)

Esperanto

atendi (abide, await, expect, wait for), ĝisatendi (abide, await, bide, stay for, wait for). (various references)

Faeroese

vænta (abide, await, expect, wait for), bíða (abide, await, expect, wait for). (various references)

Farsi 

پیشخدمتی کردن (Page, Valet, Waiton), منتظرشدن (Abide, Attend, Await, Hover), معطل شدن , چشم براه بودن , صبرکردن , انتظارکشیدن (Attend). (various references)

Finnish

tarjoilla (serve), odotus (anticipation, expectation, suspense, waiting), odottaa (abide, await, expect, foresee, hope, look forward, wait expect, wait for). (various references)

French

attente (waiting), attendre (wait for, wait on, watch), attendons, attendez (wait for). (various references)

Frisian

wachtsje (abide, await, expect, wait for), ferwachtsje (abide, await, expect, wait for), biidzje (abide, await, expect, wait for), ôfwachtsje (abide, await, bide, stay for, wait for). (various references)

German

warten (abide, attend, await, camp-on, expect, hang about, hold off, hold on, look after, lookouts, maintain, nurse, service, tend, tend to, to service, wait about, wait around, wait for, waiting), wartezeit (latency, waiting period, waiting time), warte (observation point, standpoint, viewpoint), abwarten (await, bide, temporize, to await, to bide, to wait and see, wait out, watch). (various references)

Greek 

περιμένω (abide, await, bide, contemplate, expect, hold on, wait on), αναμονή (anticipation, expectation, waiting). (various references)

Hebrew 

ליחל (expect, hope, look forward to), לחכות (await, hang on), להמתין (await, hold on), חיכה, המתין. (various references)

Hungarian

várakozik (abide, await, bide, expect, to await, to wait, wait for), várakozás (anticipation, expectance, expectancy, expectation, hope, parking, waiting), vár (abide, await, castle, expect, fastness, fortress, hang fire, hold, stronghold, time and tide wait for no man, to await, to hang fire, to tend, to wait, to wait for, wait for). (various references)

Icelandic

vænta (abide, await, expect, wait for). (various references)

Indonesian

nanti (ere, later, next, presently), menunggu (await, bide, harass). (various references)

Irish

fan. (various references)

Italian

attesa (expectance, expectancy, expectation, expection, waiting), aspettare (abide, advert, await, be looking forward, bide, expect, pay, pay attention, pay attention to, wait for, watch out for). (various references)

Japanese Kanji 

ウェーバーの法則 (on-deck batter's circle, rag, taking a pitch, wafer, wafers, waist, waist bag, waist nipper, waist pouch, waistcoat, waistline, waiter, waiting circle, waiting game, waiting room, waiting system, waitress, Wales, walk rally, walk through, walkathon, walkie-lookie, walkie-talkie, walking dictionary, walking shoes, Walkman, war cry, war game, ware, -ware, warehouse, warm, warming, warming-up, warm-up, warning lamp, waste ball, water chute, water closet, water hazard, water polo, watercolor, watercooler, waterfall, waterfront, watermelon, waterproof, watertight, wave, wave-front, way, weapon, wear, weather, weathercock, weatherstrip molding, web, Weber, Weber's law, wedding, wedding bell, wedding cake, wedding dress, wedding march, wedding ring, wedding veil, wedeling, wedge heel, wedge sole, weight, weight lifting, weight training, welcome, well-done, west, West Coast, West End, West Point, West Side, West Virginia, western, Western grip, Western league, Western music, Westinghouse, wet, wet core, wet cut, wet suit, worm gear), ウイルス病 (jacket, Vienna coffee, Vienna sausage, Viennese, Viennese waltz, viral disease, virus disease, waiter, waitress, Weber, Wiener, Wimbledon, winch, wind, windbreaker, windfall, windjacket, window, window display, window dressing, window shopping, Windsor char, windsurfer, windsurfing, wing, wing collar, wink, Winker, winter resort, winter sports). (various references)

Japanese Katakana 

ウェート , ウェイト , ウエイト . (various references)

Korean 

기대 (Anticipation, Expectation, WAITS). (various references)

Malay

tunggu (abide, await, expect, wait for), menunggu (abide, await, expect, wait for), mengharapkan (abide, await, expect, foresee, wait for), harapkan (abide, await, expect, foresee, wait for). (various references)

Manx

tannaght, fuirraghtyn (stand by, stay, tarry), fieau (rest, waiting), feiyal (delay, fuss, hang back, hinder, linger, procrastinate), farkaght (pause, stay), farkaghey (stay). (various references)

Maori

tatari (to wait). (various references)

Norwegian

vente (abide, await, expect, wait for). (various references)

Papiamen

warda (abide, await, expect, wait for), spera (abide, await, expect, hope, wait for). (various references)

Pig Latin

aitway.(various references)

Polish

doczekać się (abide, await, bide, stay for, wait for), czekać (abide, await, expect, wait for). (various references)

Portuguese

espera (expectation, saddle, turret, waiting), esperar (abide, anticipate, await, bide, expect, hang on, hope, look forward, wait for), aguardar (abide, await, bide, expect, look forward, wait for, watch). (various references)

Portuguese Brazilian

espera (waiting). (various references)

Romanian

sta la dispoziţie, sta în aşteptare, pândã (ambush, guard, lurch, watch), fi de serviciu, capcanã (catcher, death trap, decoy, gin, hook, net, noose, pit fall, pitfall, snare, toil, trap), adãsta (await), aşteptare (abeyance, anticipation, biding, expectancy, expectation, hopes, waiting), aştepta (abide, await, bide, book, expect, give time to, lie by for, wait for, watch). (various references)

Romansch

spetgar (to wait). (various references)

Romany

jaràv (to wait). (various references)

Russian 

ждать (abide, await, expect, wait for), подождать (abide, await, expect). (various references)

Scottish

feith (abide, await, expect, serve, wait for). (various references)

Serbo-Croatian

pričekati (hold for a while, hold on), iščekivati, čekati (await, be waiting, be waiting for, bide, stand by, tarry, wait for), čekanje (waiting). (various references)

Shona

-mira (to wait). (various references)

Sicilian

aspittari (to wait). (various references)

Spanish

esperar (abide, anticipate, await, bargain for, bide, due, expect, foresee, hang about, hang around, hang on, hold off, hold on, hope, look, look for, look out for, stand about, stand around, stay, stay for, Tarry, think, trust, wait about, wait around, wait for, watch), espera (delay, expectation, patience, stay, waiting), aguardar (abide, await, bide, expect, look, lookouts, service, stay for, wait for, watch). (various references)

Swazi

kú-lindza (to wait). (various references)

Swedish

vänta (abide, await, be expecting, be waiting, expect, keep, Tarry, wait for), väntan (acuity, advertence, advertency, attention, expectation, waiting), passa upp. (various references)

Tagalog

maghintáy (abide, await, expect, wait for), hintayín (abide, await, expect, wait for). (various references)

Turkish

beklemek (abide, anticipate, await, bargain for, bide, expect, hang about, hang around, hang on, have smth. in prospect, hold on, hope, look for, look forward to, mark time, stand by, stay, Tarry, wait for, watch). (various references)

Turkmen 

garaюmak. (various references)

Ukrainian

супроводжувати (attend, escort, take about, take around), сторож (caretaker, custodian, doorkeeper, doorman, tender, warden, warder, watch, watcher), служити (answer, minister, serve, work), чекати (abide, attend, await, bargain for, expect, look forward), чекання (biding, expectation, waiting), чатувати (watch), відкладати (adjourn, defer, delay, deposit, hold over, lay aside, lay past, leave over, postpone, procrastinate, prorogue, put aside, put over, respite, set apart, set aside, set by, stand over, suspend), очікувати (abide, anticipate, bide, hope, wait about, wait around, watch), очікування (expectance, expectancy, hover, looking for), обслуговувати (cater, help, serve, service, wait upon), засідка (ambuscade, ambush, hide, roadblock), засада (await), антракт (entr'acte, interact, interlude, intermission, interval), прислуговувати (attend, minister, page, stay on, subserve), дожидати (await). (various references)

Vietnamese 

thời gian chờ đợi sự rình, sự mai phục, sự chờ đợi (expectation), chỗ rình. (various references)

Welsh

gweitied, disgwyl (anticipate, bide, expect, look), dioddef (bear, suffer, suffering), aros (abide, await, bide, come to a halt, halt, remain, stay, stop, tarry). (various references)

Yucatec

pa'tik (abide, await, expect, wait for), pa'tal (abide, await, expect, wait for). (various references)

Zulu

-linda (abide, await, expect, wait for). (various references)

anbidian. (various references)

waitier. (various references)

Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

Derivations

Words beginning with "wait": waited, waiter, waiters, waiting, waitings, waitperson, waitpersons, waitress, waitressed, waitresses, waitressing, waits, waitstaff, waitstaffs. (additional references)

Words ending with "wait": await, outwait. (additional references)

Words containing "wait": awaited, awaiter, awaiters, awaiting, awaits, dumbwaiter, dumbwaiters, headwaiter, headwaiters, outwaited, outwaiting, outwaits. (additional references)

Misspellings

"Wait" is suggested in spellcheckers for the following: awat, awet, awi, awit, awrit, ewait, Gwaith, hwaet, jait, qait, waaah, waata, wacid, wadit, wadt, waet, wai, waic, waiet, waig, waiit, waik, wailt, waint, waip, wair, wairt, waish, waity, waitz, waiv, wamt, Wapi, wapt, waqtt, wasi, Wasik, wat, wate, watep, wati, waum, wavit, waxit, wayg, wayi, wayt, Wazir, weaith, weia, weic, weift, weim, weio, weit, weith, wia, wiam, wiap, wiat, wiate, wiax, wiet, wilit, wita, woat, woit, wrait, wui, wuite, Wwi, wxit, yait. (additional references)

Source: compiled by the editor (additional references); see credits.

Scrabble® Enable2K-Verified Anagrams

-1 letter: ait, taw, twa, wat, wit.

-2 letters: ai, at, aw, it, ta, ti.

+1 letter: await, tawie, twain, waist, waits, witan.

+2 letters: atwain, awaits, bawtie, dawtie, pitsaw, tawing, tawpie, twains, waists, waited, waiter, wapiti, withal, wraith.

+3 letters: antiwar, awaited, awaiter, batwing, bawties, dawties, dawting, lawsuit, outwait, pitsaws, ringtaw, tawnier, tawnies, tawnily, tawpies, tawsing, taxiway, taxwise, thawing, tideway, tinware, trishaw, vawntie, wafting, wagtail, waisted, waister, waiters, waiting, waniest, wanting, wapitis, wariest, wartier, wartime, wasting, wastrie, waviest, waxiest, whatsis, whatsit, wildcat, wiretap, wraiths.