The difference between Defer and Wait

Defer as a verb (transitive):

To delay or postpone; especially to postpone induction into military service.

Defer as a verb (American football):

After winning the opening coin toss, to postpone until the start of the second half a team's choice of whether to kick off or receive (and to allow the opposing team to make this choice at the start of the first half).

Defer as a verb (intransitive):

To delay, to wait.

Defer as a verb (legal, intransitive):

To submit to the opinion or desire of another in respect to their judgment or authority.

Defer as a verb:

To render, to offer.

Wait as a verb (transitive, now, rare):

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 (Now generally superseded by “wait for”.)

Wait as a verb (intransitive):

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

Wait as a verb (intransitive, US):

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

Wait as a verb (transitive, obsolete):

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

Wait as a verb (obsolete):

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

Wait as a verb (obsolete, colloquial):

To defer or postpone (especially a meal).

Wait as a verb (intransitive):

To remain celibate while one's lover is unavailable.

Wait as a noun:

A delay.

Wait as a noun:

An ambush.

Wait as a noun (obsolete):

One who watches; a watchman.

Wait as a noun (in the plural, obsolete, UK):

Hautboys, or oboes, played by town musicians.

Wait as a noun (in the plural, archaic, UK):

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