wait
verb/weɪt/
/weɪt/
Verb Forms
Idioms Phrasal Verbs| present simple I / you / we / they wait | /weɪt/ /weɪt/ |
| he / she / it waits | /weɪts/ /weɪts/ |
| past simple waited | /ˈweɪtɪd/ /ˈweɪtɪd/ |
| past participle waited | /ˈweɪtɪd/ /ˈweɪtɪd/ |
| -ing form waiting | /ˈweɪtɪŋ/ /ˈweɪtɪŋ/ |
- [intransitive, transitive] to stay where you are or delay doing something until somebody/something comes or something happens
等；等待；等候 - She rang the bell and waited.
她按铃后等候着。 - The President agreed to speak to the waiting journalists.
总统同意与等待的记者交谈。 - They waited patiently while I got ready.
当我准备好时，他们耐心地等待着。 - I waited and waited, but the bus didn't come.
我等呀等，公共汽车就是不来。 - wait + adv./prep. Have you been waiting long?
你等了很久了吗？ - to wait (for) hours/days/weeks/months/years
等待数小时／天／周／月／年 - I’ve been waiting (for) twenty minutes.
我等了二十分钟。 - I'll wait outside until the meeting's over.
我会在外面等到会议结束。 - (especially North American English) I had to wait in line at the bank.
我不得不在银行排队等候。 - wait for somebody/something Wait for me!
等等我！ - to wait for a bus
等公共汽车 - I'm still waiting for the results of my blood test.
我还在等待验血结果。 - He smiled, waiting for an answer to his question.
他微笑着，等待着他的问题的答案。 - wait for somebody/something to do something We're waiting for the rain to stop before we go out.
我们要等到雨停了再出去。 - wait to do something Hurry up! We're waiting to go.
快点儿，我们等着走呢。 - We'll have to wait until it stops raining.
我们不得不等到雨停。 - wait your turn You'll just have to wait your turn (= wait until your turn comes).
你得等着轮到你才行。
Homophones wait | weightwait weight/weɪt//weɪt/- wait verb
- You won't have to wait long—the next train is in five minutes.
您不必等待太久——下一趟火车将在五分钟后到达。
- You won't have to wait long—the next train is in five minutes.
- wait noun
- It was an anxious wait, but finally she found out that she'd passed.
等待的过程很焦急，但最后她发现自己已经通过了。
- It was an anxious wait, but finally she found out that she'd passed.
- weight noun
- He has lost a lot of weight.
他体重减轻了很多。
- He has lost a lot of weight.
- weight verb
- Weight the tablecloth down so that it doesn't move or blow away.
将桌布压下来，使其不会移动或被吹走。
- Weight the tablecloth down so that it doesn't move or blow away.
Extra Examples- He sat waiting to board the plane.
他坐着等待登机。 - We're waiting to hear back from them.
我们正在等待他们的回复。 - We had several months of waiting for something to happen.
我们花了几个月的时间等待事情的发生。
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb- a while
- long
- forever
- …
- have to
- must
- can hardly
- …
- for
- till
- until
- …
- can’t afford to wait
- keep somebody waiting
- wait a long time
- …
- She rang the bell and waited.
- [intransitive, transitive] to hope or watch for something to happen, especially for a long time
（尤指长期地）希望，盼望，期待 - wait for something Leeds United had waited for success for eighteen years.
利兹联队企盼夺冠已经十八年了。 - This is just the opportunity I've been waiting for.
这正是我一直在期待的机会。 - They are waiting for the right moment to make their move.
他们正在等待合适的时机采取行动。 - wait for somebody/something to do something He's waiting for me to make a mistake.
他正盼着我出错呢。 - wait to do something I've been waiting a long time to say that to her.
我已经等了很久，就想对她说那话。 - wait your chance I waited my chance and slipped out when no one was looking.
我等待时机，趁没人注意时溜了出去。 - We simply cannot afford to wait any longer.
我们再也等不起了。 - I waited with bated breath for what would happen next.
我屏息以待接下来要发生的事情。
Extra Examples- Their parents waited anxiously for news.
他们的父母焦急地等待着消息。 - She had to wait a long time for the right man to come along.
她等了很长时间意中人才出现。 - They waited in vain for a response.
他们等待答复，但没有结果。 - We can't wait forever.
我们不可能永远等下去。 - You might have to wait a while before you get an answer.
你可能要等候一段时间才能得到答案。 - You'll have to wait until you're older.
必须等你再大一些再说。 - He was just waiting for the chance to make fun of me.
他只是在等待机会取笑我。 - I kept waiting for it to get better but it did not.
我一直在等待它好起来，但并没有。
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb- a while
- long
- forever
- …
- have to
- must
- can hardly
- …
- for
- till
- until
- …
- can’t afford to wait
- keep somebody waiting
- wait a long time
- …
- wait for something Leeds United had waited for success for eighteen years.
- be waiting[intransitive] (of things) to be ready for somebody to have or use
准备妥；在手边；可得到；可使用 - Your car is waiting, sir.
先生，您的车已经在等您了。 - When we arrived on the platform, there was a train waiting.
当我们到达站台时，有一列火车正在等候。 - wait for somebody There's a letter waiting for you at home.
家里有你一封信。 - There was a nice surprise waiting for me when I got back.
当我回来时，有一个惊喜在等着我。 - wait to do something The hotel had a taxi waiting to collect us.
旅馆召了辆出租车等着接我们。
- Your car is waiting, sir.
- [intransitive] to be left to be dealt with at a later time because immediate action is not needed
推迟；搁置；延缓 - I've got some calls to make but they can wait until tomorrow.
我有几个电话要打，不过可以等到明天再说。 - I'm afraid this can't wait. It's very important.
这事非常重要，恐怕不能耽搁。 - We've just spent a fortune on a new roof, so the new car is going to have to wait.
我们刚刚花了一大笔钱买了一个新屋顶，所以新车必须等待。
- I've got some calls to make but they can wait until tomorrow.
Word OriginMiddle English: from Old Northern French waitier, of Germanic origin; related to the verb wake. Early senses included ‘lie in wait (for)’, ‘observe carefully’, and ‘be watchful’.
Idioms
an accident/a disaster waiting to happen
- a thing or person that is very likely to cause danger or a problem in the future because of the condition it is in or the way they behave
隐患 - Any one of these nuclear plants may be a disaster waiting to happen.
这些核电厂中的任何一个都可能会成为灾难隐患。
- Any one of these nuclear plants may be a disaster waiting to happen.
(waiting) in the wings
- ready to take over a particular job or be used in a particular situation when needed
准备接替某工作；准备就绪 - She was aware of a whole host of ambitious young managers waiting in the wings.
她知道有一大批雄心勃勃的年轻经理正在伺机而动。 - There's a wealth of talent waiting in the wings of British theatre.
英国戏剧界蕴藏着大量的人才。
- She was aware of a whole host of ambitious young managers waiting in the wings.
I, they, etc. can’t wait/can hardly wait
- used when you are emphasizing that somebody is very excited about something or keen to do it
（我、他们等）迫不及待 - The children can't wait for Christmas to come.
孩子们等圣诞节都等不及了。 - I can hardly wait to see him again.
我迫不及待地想再次见到他。
Extra Examples- I can't wait to see their new baby.
我急着要看他们的新生宝宝。 - I can hardly wait for my holiday!
我几乎不能等到假期！ - I could hardly wait for the weekend.
我几乎等不及周末的到来。
- The children can't wait for Christmas to come.
keep somebody waiting
- to make somebody have to wait or be delayed, especially because you arrive late
（尤指因迟到）让人等候，使人耽搁 - I'm sorry to have kept you waiting.
对不起，让你久等了。
- I'm sorry to have kept you waiting.
let the dust settle | wait for the dust to settle
- to wait for a situation to become clear or certain
待尘埃落定；待形势明朗 - He waited for the dust to settle after the election before making any new decisions.
他等待选举结束后尘埃落定，然后再做出任何新决定。
- He waited for the dust to settle after the election before making any new decisions.
wait and see
- used to tell somebody that they must be patient and wait to find out about something later
耐心等待；等着瞧 - We'll just have to wait and see—there's nothing we can do at the moment.
我们只得等等看，眼下没有法子。 - a wait-and-see policy
等待观望的政策 - ‘Where are we going?’ ‘Wait and see!’
“我们到哪里去？”“等着瞧吧！”
Extra Examples- You'll just have to wait and see what you present is.
您只需等待，看看您呈现的内容是什么。 - We'll wait and see what the weather's like before we make a decision.
先等一下，看看天气如何我们再作决定。
- We'll just have to wait and see—there's nothing we can do at the moment.
wait at table
- (formal) to serve food to people, for example at a formal meal
伺候进餐；（往饭桌上）端饭上菜
wait for it (informal, especially British English)
- used to say that you are about to tell somebody something that is surprising
（要说出令人吃惊的事情）听着，听好了 - They're off on a trip, to—wait for it—the Maldives!
他们出去旅行了，去的地方是，听好了，马尔代夫！
- They're off on a trip, to—wait for it—the Maldives!
- used to tell somebody not to start doing something yet, but to wait until you tell them
（让人在得到通知前别做某事）等候通知
wait a minute/moment/second
- to wait for a short time
等一会儿；稍等一下 - Can you wait a second while I make a call?
你能等一会儿让我打个电话吗？ - Hey! Wait a minute! I'll come with you!
喂，等一下！我和你一起去！
- Can you wait a second while I make a call?
- used when you have just noticed or remembered something, or had a sudden idea
（刚注意到、想起某事或突然想出了主意）且慢，等一等 - Wait a minute—this isn't the right key.
等一等，不是这把钥匙。
- Wait a minute—this isn't the right key.
wait on somebody hand and foot
- (disapproving) to take care of somebody’s needs so well that they do not have to do anything for themselves
过分照顾；让…饭来张口，衣来伸手 - He seems to expect me to wait on him hand and foot.
他似乎希望我全心全意地伺候他。
- He seems to expect me to wait on him hand and foot.
wait tables
- (North American English) to work serving food to people in a restaurant
（在餐馆）端盘子，招待顾客
wait till/until… (informal)
- used to show that you are very excited about telling or showing something to somebody
（兴奋地表示或展示某事物）等到…吧 - Wait till you see what I've found!
你等着看我发现了什么吧！
- Wait till you see what I've found!
- used to threaten to punish somebody or do something bad to them
等到…再说（表示威胁要惩罚或加害某人） - Wait till I get my hands on him!
等我抓住他再说！
- Wait till I get my hands on him!
what are we waiting for?
- (informal) used to suggest that you should all start doing what you have been discussing
（建议都应开始去做商议中的事）我们还在等什么呢
what are you waiting for?
- (informal) used to tell somebody to do something now rather than later
（让人马上就干而不要往后拖）你还等什么呢 - If the car needs cleaning, what are you waiting for?
如果这辆汽车需要清洗，你还在等什么呢？
- If the car needs cleaning, what are you waiting for?
(just) you wait
- used to emphasize a threat, warning or promise
（用以加强威胁、警告或允诺的语气）你就等着吧，你就等着瞧 - I'll be famous one day, just you wait!
我有朝一日会出名的，你就等着瞧吧！
- I'll be famous one day, just you wait!