Wait

wāt, v.i. to stay in expectation (with for ): to remain: to attend (with on ): to follow: to lie in ambush.— v.t. to stay for: to await: ( coll. ) to defer: ( obs. ) to accompany.— n. ambush, now used only in such phrases as 'to lie in wait,' 'to lay wait:' the: act of waiting or expecting: delay: ( pl. ) itinerant musicians, originally watchmen, who welcome-in Christmas.— ns. Wait′er , one who waits: an attending servant: a salver or tray: a custom-house officer: ( obs. ) a watchman; Wait′erage , service; Wait′ering , the employment of a waiter; Wait′ing , act of waiting: attendance.— adv. Wait′ingly .— ns. Wait′ing-maid , -wom′an , a female attendant; Wait′ing-room , a room for the convenience of persons waiting; Wait′ing-va ′al ( Shak. ), an attendant; Wait′re , a female waiter.— Wait attendance ( Shak. ), to remain in attendance; Wait upon , on , to call upon, visit: to accompany, to be in the service of: ( B. ) to look toward, to attend to, do the bidding of.— Lie in wait , to be in hiding ready for attack or surprise.— Lords , or Grooms , in waiting , certain officers in the Lord Chamberlain's department of the royal household; Minority waiter , a waiter out of employment, as a political minority is out of office. [O. Fr. waiter (Fr. guetter ), to watch, attend— waite , a sentinel—Old High Ger. wahta (Ger. wacht ), a watchman; cog. with A.S. wacan , to watch.]