wait English · revision 3620

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=before 1200 (Ancrene Riwle)|origins=ine-pro *weg-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /weɪt/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|waiten]], [[bor|fro-nor|waitier|t=to watch]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024) a form of Old French [[m|fro|gaitier]], modern French [[m|fr|guetter|t=to watch for]],^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986)^(SOED 2002) from [[frk|*wahtōn|t=to watch]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) from [[gem-pro|*waht-]],^(Etymonline) from [[ine-pro|*weg-|t=to be strong, lively]].^(Etymonline)^(AHD 2000) It is related to [[wake]] and [[watch]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(COED 2004)^(MW Collegiate) and to [[de|Wacht|t=a watch, guard]].^(Etymonline)^(Klein 1966)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ To watch with hostile intent, spy, lie in wait: probably before 1200, in the ''Ancrene Riwle''.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The general sense “to stay until someone comes or something happens” is from 1375^(Barnhart 1988) or the late 14th century,^(Etymonline) and “to look forward to” from before 1400.^(Barnhart 1988) “To stand by in attendance” is late 14th century,^(Etymonline) and Barnhart dates the general sense “to attend, serve”, as in ''wait on'', to 1509–10,^(Barnhart 1988) and “to serve at table” to 1568.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) “To delay doing something”, as in ''it can wait'', is from before 1633.^(Barnhart 1988) The noun first meant a watchman or spy, about 1200,^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) and in the late 14th century also an ambush, as in ''lie in wait''.^(Etymonline) Town watchmen who sounded the hours on a trumpet gave the word the sense “town musicians” in the mid-15th century,^(Etymonline) and ''waits'' came to be street singers at Christmas in the 18th century.^(Hoad 1986) The noun “time spent waiting” is from 1855, at first the interval between acts in a theatre.^(Etymonline) ''Waiter'' is recorded before 1382, in the Wycliffe Bible, as an attendant or watchman.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1200 – noun, a watchman.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * before 1200 – to lie in wait (''Ancrene Riwle'').^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * before 1382 – ''waiter'', an attendant (Wycliffe Bible).^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1375 – to stay in expectation.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * late 14th century – ''lie in wait''.^(Etymonline)

+ * mid-15th century – town musicians.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1568 – to serve at table.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * before 1633 – to delay.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1855 – noun, a time of waiting.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To stay in place, or delay acting, until something happens or someone comes.^(AHD)^(SOED 2002)

+ # To be ready or available: ''dinner is waiting''.^(AHD)

+ # To be postponed: ''that can wait''.^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1988)

+ # To work as a [[waiter]] or [[waitress]]; to serve at table.^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1988)

+ # To [[await]]: ''wait one's turn''.^(AHD)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # The act of waiting, or the time spent waiting.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+ # ''(historical)'' One of a band of town musicians.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+ # ''(British, plural)'' Singers who perform in the streets at Christmas.^(AHD)^(Hoad 1986)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[wait-a-minute]]

+ * [[waiter]]

+ * [[waitperson]]

+ * [[waitress]]

+ * [[outwait]]

+ * [[waitstaff]]

+ * [[waitron]]

+ * [[wait-a-bit]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[wake]]

+ * [[watch]]

+ * [[await]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ The American Heritage Dictionary notes that ''wait on'' in the sense “wait for” has been criticized for more than a century, but is now so common in educated speech and writing that the objections have lost force.^(AHD)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}