Meaning

• A delay.

  "I had a very long wait at the airport security check."

• An ambush.

  "They lay in wait for the patrol."

• One who watches; a watchman.

• (in the plural) Hautboys, or oboes, played by town musicians.

• (in the plural) Musicians who sing or play at night or in the early morning, especially at Christmas time; serenaders; musical watchmen. [formerly waites, wayghtes.]

Meaning

• To delay movement or action until the arrival or occurrence of; to await. (Now generally superseded by “wait for”.)

• To delay movement or action until some event or time; to remain neglected or in readiness.

  "Wait here until your car arrives."

• To wait tables; to serve customers in a restaurant or other eating establishment.

  "She used to wait down at the Dew Drop Inn."

• To attend on; to accompany; especially, to attend with ceremony or respect.

• To attend as a consequence; to follow upon; to accompany.

• To defer or postpone (especially a meal).

  "to wait dinner"

• To remain chaste while one's lover is unavailable.