Emily Dickinson Lexicon

WAIT, v.i. [Fr. guetter; It. guatare; W. gweitiaw, to wait; gwaid, attendance. The sense is to stop, or to continue.]

1. To stay or rest in expectation; to stop or remain stationary, till the arrival of some person or event. Thus we say, I went to the place of meeting, and there waited an hour for the moderator or chairman. I will go to the hotel, and there wait till you come. We will wait for the mail.
2. To stay proceedings, or suspend any business, in expectation of some person, event, or the arrival of some hour. The court was obliged to wait for a witness.
3. To rest in expectation and patience. All the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come. – Job xiv.
4. To stay; not to depart. Haste, my dear father, 'tis no time to wait. – Dryden.
5. To stay; to continue by reason of hinderance.
6. To lie in ambush, as an enemy. Such ambush waited to intercept thy way. – Milton. To wait on or upon, to attend, as a servant; to perform menial services for; as, to wait on a gentleman; to wait on the table. To wait on, to attend; to go to see; to visit on business or for ceremony. Tell the gentleman I will wait on him at ten o'clock. #2. To pay servile or submissive attendance. #3. To follow, as a consequence; as, the ruin that waits on such a supine temper. [Instead of this we use await.] #4. To look watchfully. It is a point of cunning to wait on him with whom you speak, with your eye. [Unusual.] – Bacon. #5. To attend to; to perform. Aaron and his sons shall wait on their priest's office. – Numb. iii. viii. Rom. xii. #6. To be ready to serve; to obey. – Ps. xxv. Prov. xx. To wait at, to attend in service; to perform service at. – 1 Cor. ix. To wait for, to watch, as an enemy. – Job. xv.