wait*/*/*/

wait*/*/*/
[weɪt] verb I
1) to stay in one place until a particular thing happens or until someone arrives
Sheryl said she'd be waiting in the lobby.[/ex]
He was attacked while he was waiting for a bus.[/ex]
They waited anxiously for news of survivors.[/ex]
Let's sit down and wait until Bob gets here.[/ex]
The TV showed thousands of people waiting to board buses.[/ex]
2) to delay doing something until something happens or until someone arrives
I'm busy right now so you'll just have to wait.[/ex]
Should we start eating or should we wait for the others?[/ex]
3) to be hoping or expecting that something will happen
I've been waiting for a refund cheque for several months.[/ex]
There's no point waiting for her to change her mind.[/ex]
4) to be ready for someone to take or use
There's a package waiting for you in the office.[/ex]
•
sb can't wait/can hardly wait — used for saying that someone is very excited about something that is going to happen[/ex]
[i]I can't wait for the holidays.[/ex]
keep sb waiting — to make someone stay in one place or do nothing until you are ready to see them or talk to them[/ex]
We were kept waiting outside his office for over an hour.[/ex]
wait a minute / second — spoken 1) used for telling someone to stop and wait for you; 2) used for saying that you have just remembered or noticed something[/ex]
Wait a second, wasn't Jackie supposed to be here?[/ex]

— 3) used when you are slightly annoyed by something that someone has just said

Wait a minute, that's not what I said![/ex]
- wait about
- wait around
- wait in
- wait on sb
- wait up
Words often used with wait Adverbs often used with wait (verb, sense 1) ■ WAIT + anxiously, eagerly, expectantly, impatiently, nervously, patiently, quietly wait in a particular mental state Wait for and expect have different meanings. ■ If you wait for something to happen, you do not leave a place or do something else until it happens: We waited for Alex to finish his lunch. ♦ I'm waiting for a bus. ■ If you expect something to happen, you believe that it will happen: We expected Lee to be upset. ♦ I'm expecting a phone call later. II
noun [singular]
wait [weɪt]
a period of time during which you wait for something
Expect a long wait if you intend to buy tickets.[/ex]
•
See:
lie I

Dictionary for writing and speaking English. 2014.

Игры ⚽ Поможем сделать НИР

Look at other dictionaries:

  • wait — [wāt] vi. [ME waiten < NormFr waitier < Frank * wahten, to guard, akin to OHG wahta, a guard, watch: for IE base see WAKE1] 1. to stay in a place or remain in readiness or in anticipation (until something expected happens or for someone to… …   English World dictionary

  • Wait — 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 …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Wait — or WAIT may refer to: * The act of waiting, see waiting (time) * wait (command), a computer shell command * wait (operating system), an operating system system call * Wait (musician), British town pipers * Wait (song), a song by The Beatles *… …   Wikipedia

  • wait in — ˌwait ˈin [intransitive] [present tense I/you/we/they wait in he/she/it waits in present participle waiting in past tense …   Useful english dictionary

  • WAIT — Cette page d’homonymie répertorie les différents sujets et articles partageant un même nom. Wait, attendre en anglais, abrégé en W8, peut être retrouver dans : Wait a Minute  , divers albums musicaux, Wait for Sleep , une chanson de l… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Wait — Wait, v. t. 1. To stay for; to rest or remain stationary in expectation of; to await; as, to wait orders. [1913 Webster] Awed with these words, in camps they still abide, And wait with longing looks their promised guide. Dryden. [1913 Webster] 2 …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Wait — Wait, n. [OF. waite, guaite, gaite, F. guet watch, watching, guard, from OHG. wahta. See {Wait}, v. i.] [1913 Webster] 1. The act of waiting; a delay; a halt. [1913 Webster] There is a wait of three hours at the border Mexican town of El Paso. S …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Wait — (англ. ждать, подожди) может означать: В искусстве Wait  одна из песен группы «Битлз» с альбома «Rubber Soul»; Wait  песня и одноимённый сингл группы «Wang Chung». Wait песня и одноимённый сингл группы «White Lion» из альбома… …   Википедия

  • wait — ► VERB 1) stay where one is or delay action until a particular time or event. 2) be delayed or deferred. 3) (wait on/upon) act as an attendant to. 4) act as a waiter or waitress. ► NOUN 1) a period of waiting. 2) …   English terms dictionary

  • wait up — wait for me, wait until I catch up    Danny, wait up. I want to talk to you …   English idioms

  • wait on — (someone) to serve someone. She waited on customers all day at the department store. He sits there in front of the TV and expects me to wait on him! Related vocabulary: wait on someone hand and foot …   New idioms dictionary

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
… Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”