wait

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
wait/weɪt/

▶verb

• 1 stay where one is or delay action until a particular time or occurrence.

  ■ be delayed or deferred.

  ■ informal defer (a meal) until a person's arrival.

  ■ (usu. as noun waiting) park a vehicle for a short time at the side of a road.

• 2 (wait on/upon) act as an attendant to.

  ■ archaic pay a respectful visit to.

• 3 act as a waiter or waitress.

▶noun

• 1 a period of waiting.

• 2 (waits) archaic street singers of Christmas carols.

  ■ historical official bands of musicians maintained by a city or town.

– phrases
in wait watching for an enemy or potential victim and preparing to attack them.

– origin ME: from Old North. Fr. waitier, of Gmc origin; rel. to wake1.