wait
- 01 A1 Beginner
v.to stay in one place or not do something until a specific time or event happens.
v.to remain stationary or delay action until an expected event occurs or a specific time is reached.
Simple“We had to wait for the bus for twenty minutes in the rain.”
In context“The passengers were advised to wait in the terminal until the ground crew had finished de-icing the aircraft wings.”
UsageUsually followed by 'for' when an object is present.
PitfallI am waiting my friend at the station. I am waiting for my friend at the station.In modern English, 'wait' is intransitive when followed by a person or object; you must use the preposition 'for'.
- 02 B1 Intermediate
v.to work as a server in a restaurant by bringing food and drinks to customers.
v.to serve customers in a catering establishment, typically used in the phrase 'wait tables'.
Simple“He worked hard waiting tables at a busy diner to pay for college.”
In context“After years of waiting tables in high-end bistros, she decided to open her own boutique catering business.”
UsageCommonly used in the transitive construction 'wait tables'.
- 03 A2 Elementary
n.the amount of time you spend waiting for something to happen.
n.the duration of a delay or the period spent waiting.
Simple“There was a long wait at the doctor's office this morning.”
In context“The three-hour wait at the border was exacerbated by a technical failure in the passport scanning system.”
- 04 C1 Advanced
n.a short pause when a computer waits for data or a command.
n.a period during which a processor or system is suspended while waiting for an external event or resource.
Simple“The software entered a wait state while the hard drive finished saving the file.”
In context“Excessive wait states can significantly degrade system performance during high-intensity data processing tasks.”
UsageOften appears in technical documentation as 'wait state'.
- 05 A2 Elementary
interj.something you say to make someone stop talking or moving so you can think or ask a question.
interj.used to request a brief cessation of activity or speech, often to allow for clarification or a change of mind.
Simple“Wait, I think I left my keys inside the house.”
In context“Wait, before you finalize the contract, we need to verify the delivery dates one last time.”
wait vs wait for — Wait for requires a direct object to identify the person or thing expected, while wait is intransitive and stands alone.
wait vs expect — Wait is the physical act of staying in one place or letting time pass; expect is the mental belief that something will happen.
Usage wait until · wait to get · wait a few years