wait
verbVerb Forms
Idioms Phrasal Verbs| present simple I / you / we / they wait | |
| he / she / it waits | |
| past simple waited | |
| past participle waited | |
| -ing form waiting |
- [intransitive, transitive]
to stay where you are or delay doing something until somebody/something comes or something happens 等；等待；等候 She rang the bell and waited. 她按铃后等候着。 The President agreed to speak to the waiting journalists. 总统同意与等候的记者交谈。 They waited patiently while I got ready. 我准备好的时候，他们耐心地等着。 I waited and waited, but the bus didn't come. 我等了又等，但是公共汽车没有来。 - wait + adv./prep.
Have you been waiting long? 你等了很久了吗？ to wait (for) hours/days/weeks/months/years 等待数小时/数天/数周/数月/数年 I’ve been waiting (for) twenty minutes. 我等了二十分钟。 I'll wait outside until the meeting's over. 我会在外面等到会议结束。 - (especially North American English)
I had to wait in line at the bank. 我不得不在银行排队等候。 - wait for somebody/something
Wait for me! 等等我！ to wait for a bus 等公共汽车 I'm still waiting for the results of my blood test. 我还在等验血结果。 He smiled, waiting for an answer to his question. 他微笑着，等待着问题的答案。 - wait for somebody/something to do something
We're waiting for the rain to stop before we go out. 我们要等到雨停了再出去。 - wait to do something
Hurry up! We're waiting to go. 快点儿，我们等着走呢。 We'll have to wait until it stops raining. 我们不得不等到雨停。 - wait your turn
You'll just have to wait your turn (= wait until your turn comes). 你得等着轮到你才行。
Homophones wait | weightwait weight- wait verb
You won't have to wait long—the next train is in five minutes. 你不必等很久——下一班火车还有五分钟。
- wait noun
It was an anxious wait, but finally she found out that she'd passed. 这是一次焦虑的等待，但最终她发现她已经通过了。
- weight noun
He has lost a lot of weight. 他瘦了很多。
- weight verb
Weight the tablecloth down so that it doesn't move or blow away. 把桌布压下，这样它就不会移动或被风吹走。
Extra ExamplesHe sat waiting to board the plane. 他坐着等着登机。 We're waiting to hear back from them. 我们在等他们的回复。 We had several months of waiting for something to happen. 我们花了几个月的时间等待事情的发生。
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb- a while
- long
- forever
- …
- have to
- must
- can hardly
- …
- for
- till
- until
- …
- can’t afford to wait
- keep somebody waiting
- wait a long time
- …
- [intransitive, transitive]
to hope or watch for something to happen, especially for a long time （尤指长期地）希望，盼望，期待 - wait for something
Leeds United had waited for success for eighteen years. 利兹联队企盼夺冠已经十八年了。 This is just the opportunity I've been waiting for. 这正是我一直在期待的机会。 They are waiting for the right moment to make their move. 他们在等待合适的时机采取行动。 - wait for somebody/something to do something
He's waiting for me to make a mistake. 他正盼着我出错呢。 - wait to do something
I've been waiting a long time to say that to her. 我等了很久才对她说这句话。 - wait your chance
I waited my chance and slipped out when no one was looking. 我等待时机，趁没人注意时溜了出去。 We simply cannot afford to wait any longer. 我们再也等不起了。 I waited with bated breath for what would happen next. 我屏息以待接下来要发生的事情。
Extra ExamplesTheir parents waited anxiously for news. 他们的父母焦急地等待着消息。 She had to wait a long time for the right man to come along. 她等了很长时间意中人才出现。 They waited in vain for a response. 他们等待答复，但没有结果。 We can't wait forever. 我们不可能永远等下去。 You might have to wait a while before you get an answer. 你可能要等候一段时间才能得到答案。 You'll have to wait until you're older. 必须等你再大一些再说。 He was just waiting for the chance to make fun of me. 他只是在等待取笑我的机会。 I kept waiting for it to get better but it did not. 我一直在等待它好转，但它没有。
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb- a while
- long
- forever
- …
- have to
- must
- can hardly
- …
- for
- till
- until
- …
- can’t afford to wait
- keep somebody waiting
- wait a long time
- …
- wait for something
- be waiting[intransitive]
(of things 事物 to be ready for somebody to have or use 准备妥；在手边；可得到；可使用 Your car is waiting, sir. 你的车在等着，先生。 When we arrived on the platform, there was a train waiting. 当我们到达站台时，有一列火车在等着。 - wait for somebody
There's a letter waiting for you at home. 家里有你一封信。 There was a nice surprise waiting for me when I got back. 当我回来时，有一个惊喜等着我。 - wait to do something
The hotel had a taxi waiting to collect us. 旅馆召了辆出租车等着接我们。
- [intransitive]
to be left to be dealt with at a later time because immediate action is not needed 推迟；搁置；延缓
Word OriginMiddle English: from Old Northern French waitier, of Germanic origin; related to the verb wake. Early senses included ‘lie in wait (for)’, ‘observe carefully’, and ‘be watchful’.
Idioms
an accident/a disaster waiting to happen
a thing or person that is very likely to cause danger or a problem in the future because of the condition it is in or the way they behave 隐患 Any one of these nuclear plants may be a disaster waiting to happen. 这些核电厂中的任何一个都可能会成为灾难隐患。
(waiting) in the wings
ready to take over a particular job or be used in a particular situation when needed 准备接替某工作；准备就绪 She was aware of a whole host of ambitious young managers waiting in the wings. 她意识到一大群雄心勃勃的年轻经理在伺机而动。 There's a wealth of talent waiting in the wings of British theatre. 英国戏剧界有大量的天才在等待着。
I, they, etc. can’t wait/can hardly wait
used when you are emphasizing that somebody is very excited about something or keen to do it （我、他们等）迫不及待 The children can't wait for Christmas to come. 孩子们等圣诞节都等不及了。 I can hardly wait to see him again. 我迫不及待地想再次见到他。
Extra ExamplesI can't wait to see their new baby. 我急着要看他们的新生宝宝。 I can hardly wait for my holiday! 我几乎不能等到假期！ I could hardly wait for the weekend. 我几乎等不及周末的到来。
keep somebody waiting
let the dust settle | wait for the dust to settle
to wait for a situation to become clear or certain 待尘埃落定；待形势明朗 He waited for the dust to settle after the election before making any new decisions. 他等到选举结束后尘埃落定，才做出任何新的决定。
wait and see
used to tell somebody that they must be patient and wait to find out about something later 耐心等待；等着瞧 We'll just have to wait and see—there's nothing we can do at the moment. 我们只得等等看，眼下没有法子。 a wait-and-see policy 等待观望的政策 ‘Where are we going?’ ‘Wait and see!’ “我们到哪里去？” “等着瞧吧！”
Extra ExamplesYou'll just have to wait and see what you present is. 你只能等着看你呈现的是什么。 We'll wait and see what the weather's like before we make a decision. 先等一下，看看天气如何我们再作决定。
wait at table
- (formal)
to serve food to people, for example at a formal meal 伺候进餐；（往饭桌上）端饭上菜
wait for it (informal, especially British English)
wait a minute/moment/second
wait on somebody hand and foot
- (disapproving)
to take care of somebody’s needs so well that they do not have to do anything for themselves 过分照顾；让…饭来张口，衣来伸手 He seems to expect me to wait on him hand and foot. 他似乎希望我全心全意地侍候他。
wait tables
- (North American English)
to work serving food to people in a restaurant （在餐馆）端盘子，招待顾客
wait till/until… (informal)
what are we waiting for?
- (informal)
used to suggest that you should all start doing what you have been discussing （建议都应开始去做商议中的事）我们还在等什么呢
what are you waiting for?
(just) you wait