waiting
waiting — verb
1. to stay where you are or remain inactive because you believe someone will arrive
to stay where you are or remain inactive because you believe someone will arrive or something will happen
Takeshi waited for the express train at Grand Central Station.
wait + for + object; adverb at + place
Saira waited patiently by the school gate until her daughter came out.
adverb patiently collocates with wait
The delivery driver waited outside the office building with a large package.
Nkechi waited for the rain to stop before cycling to the supermarket.
Defne waited all morning for the plumber to arrive, but he never showed up.
文法句型
wait + for + object
wait + to-infinitive
wait + (time phrase) + for + object
用法筆記
Frequently used with 'for' to introduce the person or thing being waited for. Unlike some similar verbs, 'wait' takes a preposition, not a direct object — 'wait for the bus', not 'wait the bus'.
常見錯誤
2. to be set aside to be done later instead of being dealt with straight away
to be set aside to be done later instead of being dealt with straight away
The laundry can wait until the weekend — we have more urgent things to do.
can wait: expresses non-urgency
Sirin decided that cleaning the garage could wait and went for a run instead.
Some questions from the audience will have to wait for the next session.
The paperwork on Faisal's desk has been waiting for his signature since Monday.
- be postponed
more formal and suggests a planned later time ('the meeting was postponed')
- be delayed
suggests something is held up, often by external factors ('the flight was delayed')
- defer
formal, often used in business or academic contexts ('defer a decision')
- do now
to handle immediately rather than postponing
文法句型
can/could + wait
will have to + wait
subject + can wait + until/till
3. used on road signs to indicate that vehicles must not stop, even for a very shor
used on road signs to indicate that vehicles must not stop, even for a very short time
A red sign at the entrance said 'No Waiting' — no stopping was allowed there.
sign phrase: 'No Waiting'
Faisal checked for 'No Waiting' signs before leaving his van near the market.
The yellow line along the kerb means waiting is forbidden at any time of day.
Esteban saw the 'No Waiting' sign and drove around the block to find parking.
文法句型
'No waiting' on signs
用法筆記
This meaning is specific to British road signs and markings. In American English, the equivalent sign says 'No Stopping' or 'No Parking' depending on the rule.
waiting — noun
1. the time that you spend staying in a place or doing nothing while you expect som
the time that you spend staying in a place or doing nothing while you expect someone to arrive or something to happen
The waiting at the hospital emergency room lasted nearly five hours.
the + waiting + at + [place]
For the students who took the exam, the waiting was the most difficult part.
After three hours of waiting, the doctor finally called Christopher's name.
The longest waiting at the restaurant was forty-five minutes on a Friday night.
There is nothing worse than the waiting when a family member is in surgery.
文法句型
the + waiting
waiting + for + object
2. the job of serving food and drinks to customers in a restaurant, café, or simila
the job of serving food and drinks to customers in a restaurant, café, or similar place
Élise earned extra money by waiting tables at a busy downtown restaurant.
waiting tables: the idiomatic phrase for this job
Waiting on customers requires patience and good memory, especially during lunch.
Christopher took a job waiting at a café to pay for his tuition fees.
After two years of waiting in restaurants, Saira decided to train as a chef.
- serving
more general — can refer to serving in any capacity, not just restaurants
- waitressing
specifically refers to the job of a female server, but is becoming less common
文法句型
waiting tables
waiting on tables
do waiting
用法筆記
The most common expression for this job is 'waiting tables' or 'waiting on tables'. 'Waiting' alone (as in 'do waiting') is less common but acceptable.