time during which some action is awaited
"instant replay caused too long a delay"
"he ordered a hold in the action"
A delay.
"The long wait for our table made everyone at the restaurant hungry and impatient."
In plain English: A wait is the amount of time you have to spend waiting for something before it happens.
"We had to wait in line for over an hour."
stay in one place and anticipate or expect something
"I had to wait on line for an hour to get the tickets"
To delay movement or action until the arrival or occurrence of; to await. (Now generally superseded by “wait for”.)
"Please wait the bus before crossing the street."
In plain English: To wait means to stay in one place until something happens or someone arrives.
"I will wait for you at the bus stop."
Usage: Use "wait on someone" only when serving them, such as in restaurants; otherwise, pair the verb with a direct object using "for," as in "wait for the bus." Avoid saying you will wait something alone.
A surname.
"My neighbor, Mr. Wait, always greets me with a warm smile every morning."
The word "wait" comes from the Old French verb meaning to guard or watch. It entered English through Anglo-Norman and originally referred to keeping a lookout rather than simply staying in one place.