wait
gb/wˈeɪt/ us/wˈeɪt/
A1
Englisch
~ 600
Bedeutungen
0 Bedeutungen
Verb
A1
action
1
Stay until something happens
To stay in one place until something happens or it is the right time.
Verwendungsmuster:
to wait [for someone/something]
Häufiger Fehler:
Learners sometimes confuse 'wait' with 'expect'. 'Wait' means staying until something happens, while 'expect' means thinking something will happen.
Synonyme
remain (Focuses on staying in a place, without the implication of expecting something.)
|
stay (More general and less tied to expectation; can refer to any continued presence.)
Antonyme
leave (Means to go away instead of staying until something happens.)
Wortverbindungen
wait for the bus
|wait in line
|wait a moment
|wait patiently
|wait your turn
Themen
daily life
|time
|social interaction
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Beispiele
- We had to wait for over an hour before the doctor saw us.
- Please wait here while I get your order ready.
- I can't wait any longer; I have to go now.
- They waited outside until the store opened.
- He waited by the phone for her call.
Beispiele für Lernende
- I wait for the bus every morning.
- She waits in front of the school.
- We wait for our friends at the park.
- He waits at the door for his dad.
- They wait in line for tickets.
Verb
A2
action
2
Postpone taking action
To do something later instead of now.
Verwendungsmuster:
to wait to [do something]
Häufiger Fehler:
Learners sometimes forget 'to' after 'wait' when followed by a verb (correct: 'wait to go', not 'wait go').
Synonyme
postpone (More formal; often used for planned delays.)
|
delay (Implies causing something to happen later than planned.)
Antonyme
act immediately (Means to do something right away instead of delaying.)
Wortverbindungen
wait until later
|wait before deciding
|wait a few days
Themen
daily life
|time
|core_vocabulary
Beispiele
- Let's wait to see how the weather turns out before we go hiking.
- You should wait until you have more information before making a decision.
- I think I'll wait a few days before calling him back.
Beispiele für Lernende
- I will wait to eat until you come.
- He waits to buy the shoes next month.
- We wait to start the game until everyone is here.
Verb
B1
action
3
Serve customers in a restaurant
To bring food and drinks to people in a restaurant.
Verwendungsmuster:
to wait on [someone/table]
Häufiger Fehler:
Learners may confuse 'wait for' with 'wait on' in this context. 'Wait on' means to serve someone, not to expect them.
Synonyme
serve (General term for providing food or service; not limited to restaurants.)
Antonyme
dine (Refers to being the customer receiving service, not giving it.)
Wortverbindungen
wait tables
|wait on customers
|wait on a party
Themen
food
|work
|food_drink
|daily_life
Beispiele
- She has been waiting tables at the diner for five years.
- The waiter is waiting on that large group near the window.
- He waited on us quickly and politely.
Beispiele für Lernende
- She waits tables in a small café.
- He waits on many people every day.
- They wait on two big tables tonight.
Nomen
A2
quantity
4
Period of staying until event
The time you stay in one place until something happens.
Synonyme
delay (Emphasizes the cause of having to wait, often negative.)
|
pause (Usually shorter and may be intentional.)
Antonyme
immediacy (The quality of happening at once, without waiting.)
Wortverbindungen
long wait
|short wait
|worth the wait
Themen
daily life
|time
|core_vocabulary
Beispiele
- There was a long wait before the show started.
- After a short wait, we were seated at our table.
- The new game was worth the wait.
Beispiele für Lernende
- We had a long wait for the bus.
- There is no wait at the shop today.
- The meal was good after a short wait.
Grammatik
Grundform
wait
IPA
GB/wˈeɪt/
US/wˈeɪt/
Silben & Betonung
wait (1 Silbe)
Stress on 1st syllable (wait)
Wortformen
Noun
- Base: wait
- Plural: wait, waits
Verb
- Base: wait
- 3rd Person Singular: waits
- Present Participle: waiting
- Past: waited
Wortfamilie
Ausdrücke
can't wait
1/kˈænt wˈeɪt/
fixed phrase
informal
Eager for something soon
To be very excited about something that will happen soon.
Beispiele
- I can't wait for summer vacation!
- She can't wait to see her new puppy.
wait and see
1/wˈeɪt ˈænd sˈi/
fixed phrase
Delay decision until later info
To not decide now and see what happens first.
Beispiele
- Let's wait and see how things go before making changes.
- You'll just have to wait and see what happens next.
wait for it
1/wˈeɪt fɚ ˈɪt/
fixed phrase
informal
Pause before revealing surprise
Used to tell someone to be ready for something surprising or important that will happen soon.
Beispiele
- And the winner is—wait for it—my dad!
- Wait for it... here comes the best part of the movie.
wait up
1/wˈeɪt ˈʌp/
phrasal verb
informal
Stop or stay awake for someone
To stop so someone can catch up, or stay awake until they arrive.
Beispiele
- Wait up! You're walking too fast.
- Don't wait up for me; I'll be home late.
wait your turn
1/wˈeɪt jˈʊɹ tˈɚn/
fixed phrase
Be patient for your turn
To stay calm and not act until it is your turn.
Beispiele
- Please wait your turn like everyone else.
- He learned to wait his turn when playing games with friends.