wait
/weɪt/ IELTSAcademic
verb
to stay in one place or delay action until something happens, someone arrives, or a time comes.
- Please wait here for five minutes.
- We waited until the rain stopped.
- She waited for the bus.
noun
a period of time when you are waiting, or the act of waiting.
- There was a long wait at the clinic.
- The wait felt endless.
- Sorry for the wait.
Adinary Nuance
Wait is the broad, everyday word for staying until something happens. It is more natural than remain in spoken English, and less active than pause, which suggests a short stop. Writers use delay when something is postponed, but wait when a person is expecting or passing time.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- chờ đợi
- Spanish
- esperar
- Chinese
- 等待
- Japanese
- 待つ
- Korean
- 기다리다
Etymology
From Old French waitier, meaning “to watch” or “to guard,” from Germanic origins. It entered English in the Middle English period.
Common phrases
wait forwait and seecan't waitwait a minute
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- What is the difference between wait and delay?
- Wait is what a person does. Delay means something happens later than planned.
- Is wait formal or informal?
- Wait is very common in both formal and informal English.
- Do we say wait for or wait to?
- Use wait for + a person or thing. Use wait to + verb.
- Can I say I am waiting for you in business English?
- Yes. It is natural and polite in emails and messages.