The difference between Remain and Wait

When used as nouns, remain means that which is left, whereas wait means a delay.

When used as verbs, remain means to stay behind while others withdraw, whereas wait means to delay movement or action until the arrival or occurrence of.

check bellow for the other definitions of Remain and Wait

  1. Remain as a noun (mostly, in the plural):

    That which is left; relic; remainder.

  2. Remain as a noun (in the plural):

    That which is left of a human being after the life is gone; relics; a dead body.

  3. Remain as a noun:

    Posthumous works or productions, especially literary works.

  4. Remain as a noun (obsolete):

    State of remaining; stay.

  1. Remain as a verb:

    To stay behind while others withdraw; to be left after others have been removed or destroyed; to be left after a number or quantity has been subtracted or cut off; to be left as not included or comprised.

  2. Remain as a verb:

    To continue unchanged in place, form, or condition, or undiminished in quantity; to abide; to stay; to endure; to last.

    Examples:

    "There was no food in the house, so I had to remain hungry."

  3. Remain as a verb:

    To await; to be left to.

  4. Remain as a verb (copulative):

    To continue in a state of being.

    Examples:

    "The light remained red for two full minutes."

  1. 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 (Now generally superseded by “wait for”.)

  2. Wait as a verb (intransitive):

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

    Examples:

    "'Wait here until your car arrives."

  3. Wait as a verb (intransitive, US):

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

    Examples:

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

  4. Wait as a verb (transitive, obsolete):

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

  5. Wait as a verb (obsolete):

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

  6. Wait as a verb (obsolete, colloquial):

    To defer or postpone (especially a meal).

    Examples:

    "to wait dinner"

  7. Wait as a verb (intransitive):

    To remain celibate while one's lover is unavailable.

  1. Wait as a noun:

    A delay.

    Examples:

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

  2. Wait as a noun:

    An ambush.

    Examples:

    "They lay in wait for the patrol."

  3. Wait as a noun (obsolete):

    One who watches; a watchman.

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

    Hautboys, or oboes, played by town musicians.

    Examples:

    "rfquotek Halliwell"

  5. 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.]

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