waitverb [ I ]
uk/weɪt/us/weɪt/A1 to allow time to go by, especially while staying in one place without doing very much, until someone comes, until something that you are expecting happens or until you can do something:
I waited for her outside while she went in to see the doctor.
The dentist kept me waiting for ages.
[ + to infinitive ] There were a lot of people waiting to use the phone.
to be done or to happen at a later time:
The meeting will have to wait until tomorrow, because I'm too busy now.
The paperwork can't wait until tomorrow (= is urgent and must be done now).
no waiting UK US no standing
used on signs to mean vehicles are not allowed to park, even for short periods of time:
The sign by the side of the road said "no waiting!"
More examples
- In hindsight, it would have been better to wait.
- A small group of children waited outside the door.
- She was very tense as she waited for the interview.
- I hate waiting for public transport.
- We can buy our duty-free while we're waiting at the airport.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Staying and remaining
- closeted
- halt
- hang
- hold
- hold sb over
- keep to somewhere
- leave
- remaining
- residual
- rest
- sit tight idiom
- sojourn
- stand
- stay
- stop
- stop in
- tarry
- vestigial
- wait behind
- wait for sb
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You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:
Waiting
Delaying and wasting time
Roads: lights, signs & markings on roads
Idiom(s)
can't wait
wait your turn
wait a minute/moment/second
wait and see
wait at table(s)
wait for it
wait in the wings
wait till/until ...
(just) you wait
Phrasal verb(s)
wait around
wait behind
wait for sb/sth
wait for sb
wait sth for sb
wait in
wait on sb/sth
wait on sb
wait on sth
wait sth out
wait up
waitnoun [ S ]
uk/weɪt/us/weɪt/B2 a period of time when you stay in one place until someone comes, or something happens, or until you can do something:
We had a three-hour wait before we could see the doctor.
The long wait for the doctor/to see the doctor really made me anxious.
More examples
- We had a long wait for the bus.
- The wait for the train was very boring.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Waiting
- await
- hang
- hang around (somewhere)
- hang on
- hang round (somewhere)
- hold
- lounge
- mark time idiom
- mill
- mill around
- queue
- ready
- sit
- stand
- wait in
- wait list
- wait on sth
- wait sth out
- wait up
- wait list
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Idiom(s)
lie in wait