The difference between Wait and Wait on

When used as verbs, wait means to delay movement or action until the arrival or occurrence of, whereas wait on means to wait for an event.

Wait is also noun with the meaning: a delay.

check bellow for the other definitions of Wait and Wait on

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 (Now generally superseded by “wait for”.)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

  1. Wait on as a verb (North America, colloquial):

    To wait for an event.

    Examples:

    "I'm waiting on the light to change."

  2. Wait on as a verb:

    To wait for a person to do something.

    Examples:

    "I'm waiting on you before we can leave."

  3. Wait on as a verb:

    To serve someone; to be a waiter or waitress for a table in a restaurant.

    Examples:

    "Is someone waiting on you yet?"

  4. Wait on as a verb (archaic):

    To attend; to go to see; to visit on business or for ceremony.

  5. Wait on as a verb (archaic):

    To follow, as a consequence; to await.

  6. Wait on as a verb (archaic):

    To attend to; to perform.

  7. Wait on as a verb (falconry, of a hawk):

    To fly above its master, waiting till game is sprung.

Compare words:

Compare with synonyms and related words: