Definition Synonyms
Definition of waiting - Reverso English Dictionary
Noun
1.
durationperiod spent before an event starts
- The waiting was over two hours due to the flight delay..
2.
not movingstaying inactive while expecting something to happen
- Waiting in line can be boring.
Adjective
1.
anticipationremaining inactive or stationary until something expected happens
- She was waiting at the corner for the bus..
2.
availabilityready and available for use or action
- The waiting staff stood by for the guests.
Expressions with waiting
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deliberate waiting to gain advantage or see others act
They played a waiting game to see who would speak first.
likely to occur soon
The cracked ceiling looks like a disaster waiting to happen.
wait patiently for the right moment
She chose to play a waiting game before making her move.
wait patiently for the right moment
They decided to play the waiting game and not rush the decision.
ordered list of people waiting for something
The school has a long waiting list for admissions.
expresses gratitude to someone who has been patient during a delay
"Thank you for waiting," the receptionist said when calling the next person.
cause someone to wait longer than expected
She didn't mean to keep him waiting for hours.
fully prepared and available for immediate use
The team is ready and waiting for the match.
space designated for people to stay until an event or appointment
The waiting area at the clinic was full of patients.
queue of people or vehicles awaiting their turn
The waiting line at the coffee shop was unusually long today..
time interval before something happens or is allowed
The waiting period for the visa process can be several months.
room where people sit until an event or appointment
She read a magazine in the waiting room before her interview..
amount of time someone spends waiting for something
The waiting time at the doctor's office was 30 minutes.
sign indicating parking is not allowed
The street had a no waiting sign to prevent congestion.
employees who serve food and drinks in a restaurant
The waiting staff took our orders quickly.
strategies used to delay actions for advantage
The team employed waiting tactics to tire out their opponents.
cautious approach in decision-making, waiting for more information
They chose watchful waiting before investing in the project.
small roofed structure for waiting passengers
The bus stop had a waiting shelter for passengers.
situation likely to cause legal action
The broken stairs are a lawsuit waiting to happen.
situation likely to cause an accident soon
The loose railing is an accident waiting to happen.
situation likely to become disastrous
The neglected bridge is a catastrophe waiting to happen.
situation likely to end in disaster
The untested plan was a debacle waiting to happen.
person, object or event likely to go wrong soon
That old bridge is a disaster waiting to happen.
be forced to wait longer than is reasonable or expected
We were kept waiting outside the office for thirty minutes.
Origin of waiting
Old English, waitian (to watch)
Terms with waiting included in their meaning
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waiting
periods of time when you wait
waiting
wait for a short time
waiting
wait briefly for a short period
waiting
line of people or vehicles waiting
waiting
stand in line waiting for something
readiness
waiting for you to begin
event
happen after waiting or expecting
expectancy
impatiently waiting for something exciting
pregnancy
be pregnant and waiting for the baby to be born
timing
arrive or act early to avoid crowds or waiting
transport waiting area
covered structure where people wait for a bus
impatience waiting
show impatience about something happening soon
invitation
enter a place immediately without waiting
queue line
move ahead of others in a line without waiting your turn
start acting
start doing something after waiting or preparing
waiting
remain in a place waiting for someone or something
self-service
serve yourself without waiting for assistance
waiting
wait for a short time
waiting
wait briefly for a short time
easily annoyed
gets annoyed quickly when waiting or blocked
queues
waiting to receive something
queue
waiting to receive something
boredom relief
help to reduce boredom during waiting or free time
time
during the time between two events or while waiting
Examples of waiting in a sentence
The waiting was unbearable before the concert started. The waiting was the hardest part. Her waiting at reception lasted twenty minutes. The waiting passengers grew impatient. He stood in the waiting room, anxious for news. The waiting room was prepared for the patients.
A waiting list was created for the new product launch.
View all translations of waiting
Click below to see the appropriate translations facing each meaning.
- French:attente, en attente, ...
- German:Wartezeit, wartend, ...
- Italian:attesa, in attesa, ...
- Spanish:espera, en espera, ...
- Portuguese:espera, à espera, ...
- Chinese:等待时间, 等待中的, ...
- Japanese:待ち時間, 待っている, ...
- Arabic:فَترةِ انتِظار, منتظر, ...
- Hebrew:הַמְתָנָה, מַמְתִּין, ...
- Russian:время ожидания, ожидающий, ...
- Ukrainian:час очікування, очікуючий, ...
- Hindi:प्रतीक्षा अवधि, प्रतीक्षारत, ...
Definition of wait - Reverso English Dictionary
Verb
1.
stay putstay in one place until an event happens or someone arrives
- I'll wait here while you shop.
2.
hold backdelay action until a specific time or event
- We will wait until the rain stops.
3.
timebe ready for someone to use or do
- A surprise was waiting for her at home.
4.
relationshipDated remain faithful during a partner's absenceDated
- She promised to wait for him while he was away.
Noun
1.
timeperiod of time before something happens
- There was a long wait before the concert started.
2.
technologyTECH. short form for a temporary processor pause during computingTECH.
- The system entered a wait during processing.
Expressions with wait
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feel very eager and unable to delay for something
I can't wait for the concert to start!
stay in one place doing nothing while waiting for something
We had to wait around for hours before the show started.
endure a situation until it finishes
We decided to wait out the storm.
serve customers in a restaurant or cafe
She used to wait tables at the local diner.
express strong eagerness for a future event or action
I can't wait to see the new movie this weekend!
feel very excited for something to happen soon
I can't wait for the concert next week!
stay in line until it is your turn
You need to wait your turn at the doctor's office.
feel very excited or impatient for something to happen
I can hardly wait for the concert tomorrow!
await events before taking action
Let's wait and see how the situation develops.
endure until a weather storm ends
We decided to wait for the storm to pass before leaving.
be patient until the right time comes
Wait for your moment; the meeting will quiet down soon.
stay in a safe place until a storm ends
We decided to wait out the storm in the cabin.
delay action until the very end of a period
He always waits until the last minute to start his assignments.
valuable enough to justify the delay
The new restaurant is worth the wait for its delicious food.
expresses anticipation for a future event
Just you wait, the show will be amazing!
indicate that a period of waiting has ended and something begins
The wait is over, the new phone is now available.
wait for a very long time
We had to wait ages for the bus.
stay expecting something that never happens or brings success
Fans wait in vain outside, but the band never appears.
endure a situation until it changes or ends
We decided to wait it out until the storm passed.
stay ready for something to happen
We wait on the results eagerly.
stop so someone can catch up
He waited up for his friend on the trail.
stay hidden while waiting
The spy had to wait in the shadows for hours.
rush to finish then wait due to delays
We had to hurry up and wait at the airport.
hide to surprise or attack someone
The soldiers lie in wait for the enemy.
Origin of wait
Old English, wætan (to watch)
Examples of wait in a sentence
We had to wait for the bus in the rain. Please wait for your turn to speak. They decided to wait until the traffic cleared. A taxi waited outside the hotel for the guests. Fresh towels are waiting in your room. He asked her to wait while he served overseas.
They decided to wait for each other during the long deployment. The wait for the bus seemed endless. A short wait preceded the announcement. The program experienced a wait during execution. A wait occurred in the system's response time.
View all translations of wait
Click below to see the appropriate translations facing each meaning.
- French:attendre, attente, ...
- German:warten, Wartezeit, ...
- Italian:aspettare, attesa, ...
- Spanish:quedarse, espera, ...
- Portuguese:aguardar, espera, ...
- Chinese:等待, 等待时间, ...
- Japanese:待つ, 待ち時間, ...
- Arabic:اِنْتَظَرَ, انْتِظَار, ...
- Hebrew:לַחֲכוֹת, הַמְתָּנָה, ...
- Russian:ждать, ожидание, ...
- Ukrainian:чекати, очікування, ...
- Hindi:इंतज़ार करना, इंतजार, ...
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