waiting

noun

1. 等候；等待
   the fact of staying where you are or delaying doing sth until sb/sth comes or sth happens
   1. No waiting (= on a sign at the side of the road, telling vehicles that they must not stop there)
      禁止停车（路牌指示）
2. 当侍者；当服务员
   the fact of working as a waiter or waitress

1. VERB 等待;等候
   When you wait for something or someone, you spend some time doing very little, because you cannot act until that thing happens or that person arrives.
   1. I walk to a street corner and wait for the school bus...
      我走到街角等校车。
   2. Stop waiting for things to happen. Make them happen...
      不要坐等事情发生。要创造条件让它们发生。
   3. I waited to see how she responded...
      我等着看她如何回应。
   4. Angus got out of the car to wait...
      安格斯从汽车里出来等着。
   5. We will have to wait a week or so before we know whether the operation is a success...
      我们还得等一周左右才能知道手术是否成功。
   6. He told waiting journalists that he did not expect a referendum to be held for several months.
      他告诉守候着的记者，他认为几个月内不会举行全民公决。
2. N-COUNT 等待;等待的时间
   A wait is a period of time in which you do very little, before something happens or before you can do something.
   1. ...the four-hour wait for the organizers to declare the result.
      组织者宣布结果之前长达4小时的等待
3. VERB 准备妥当;可获得;可使用
   If something is waiting for you, it is ready for you to use, have, or do.
   1. There'll be a car waiting for you...
      会有辆汽车等你。
   2. When we came home we had a meal waiting for us...
      我们到家时，有一顿美餐正等着我们享用。
   3. Ships with unfurled sails wait to take them aboard...
      船只扬起风帆，等待他们上船。
   4. Three-hundred railway wagons were waiting to be unloaded...
      有300个铁路货车车厢等着卸货。
   5. He had a taxi waiting to take him to the train...
      他让一辆出租车等着带他到火车站去。
   6. The President had his plane waiting, 20 minutes' drive away.
      总统让飞机在20分钟车程的地方等着。
4. VERB 延缓;推迟;搁置
   If you say that something can wait, you mean that it is not important or urgent and so you will deal with it or do it later.
   1. I want to talk to you, but it can wait...
      我想和你谈谈，但可以晚点再说。
   2. Any changes will have to wait until sponsors can be found.
      任何改变都要等找到赞助商之后再作决定。

Do not confuse wait for, expect, and look forward to. When you wait for someone or something, you stay in the same place until the person arrives or the thing happens. Whisky was served while we waited for him... We got off the plane and waited for our luggage. When you are expecting someone or something, you think that the person or thing is going to arrive or that the thing is going to happen. I sent a postcard, so they were expecting me... We are expecting rain. When you look forward to something that is going to happen, you feel happy because you think you will enjoy it. I'll bet you're looking forward to your holidays... I always looked forward to seeing her.
不要混淆 wait for，expect 和 look forward to。wait for 是指在原地等待某人到来或某事发生。例如，Whisky was served while we waited for him (在我们等他的时候，威士忌端上来了)，We got off the plane and waited for our luggage (我们下了飞机，等着取行李)。expect 表示认为某人或某物即将到来，或某事即将发生。例如，I sent a postcard, so they were expecting me (我寄了张明信片，所以他们知道我要来)，We are expecting rain (我们预计会下雨)。look forward to 表示乐于见到某事发生，因为会从中获取乐趣。例如，I'll bet you're looking forward to your holidays (我敢肯定你正盼望着假期)，I always looked forward to seeing her (我总盼望着见到她)。

5. VERB (用于鼓励或威胁)等着
   You can use wait when you are trying to make someone feel excited, or to encourage or threaten them.
   1. If you think this all sounds very exciting, just wait until you read the book...
      如果你觉得所有这些听起来令人兴奋，那就等着去读这本书吧。
   2. As soon as you get some food inside you, you'll feel more cheerful. Just you wait.
      吃点儿东西你就会打起精神的。等着瞧吧。
6. VERB (用于打断讲话)等一下，慢着
   Wait is used in expressions such as wait a minute ,wait a second, and wait a moment to interrupt someone when they are speaking, for example because you object to what they are saying or because you want them to repeat something.
   1. 'Wait a minute!' he broke in. 'This is not giving her a fair hearing!'
      “等一下，”他插嘴说，“这没有给她一个公平的解释机会！”
7. VERB 服务;服侍;招待
   If an employee waits on you, for example in a restaurant or hotel, they take orders from you and bring you what you want.
   1. There were plenty of servants to wait on her...
      有很多仆人服侍她。
   2. Each student is expected to wait at table for one week each semester.
      每学期每个学生都要在餐厅服务一周。
8. PHRASE 等不及;迫不及待;渴望
   If you say that you can't wait to do something or can hardly wait to do it, you are emphasizing that you are very excited about it and eager to do it.
   1. We can't wait to get started...
      我们迫不及待地想开始。
   2. It's gonna be great. I can hardly wait...
      那一定很棒。我都等不及了。
   3. I could hardly wait to get out of there.
      我迫不及待地要离开那里。
9. CONVENTION (让人在命令下达前勿提前做某事)等一等
   You say 'wait for it' to stop someone from doing something too soon because you have not yet given them the command to do it.
   1. Arms bend. Arms upward. Wait for it. Stretch.
      手臂弯曲。手臂上举。保持一下。伸展。
10. PHRASE (表示接下来要说的内容非常有趣或令人惊奇)注意了，听好了
    You can use 'wait for it' to indicate that you are about to say something that is amusing or surprising.
    1. A cool $500,000 is to be spent on obtaining genuine 17th-century air from the inside of, wait for it, an occupied lead coffin.
       将花费整整50万美元获取货真价实的17世纪的空气，注意了，是从一个内有尸体的铅制棺材里获得。
11. PHRASE 等着瞧;等等看
    If you tell someone to wait and see, you tell them that they must be patient or that they must not worry about what is going to happen in the future because they have no control over it.
    1. We'll have to wait and see what happens.
       我们只好等等看将会发生什么。
    2. ...a wait-and-see attitude.
       观望态度
12. PHRASE (表示催促)你还等什么呢？
    If you say to someone 'What are you waiting for?' you are telling them to hurry up and do something.
    1. Well, what are you waiting for? Do I have to ask you for a kiss?
       那你还等什么呢？难道要我求你吻我吗？
13. an accident waiting to happen → see: accident

1. His excellency the President will be waiting for you in the hall.
   总统阁下会在大厅等你。
2. I was waiting for a bus.
   我在等公共汽车。
3. He had been patiently waiting in the anteroom for an hour.
   他在前厅耐心地等了一个小时。
4. I stood in the kitchen, waiting for the water to boil
   我站在厨房，等着水烧开。
5. The gunmen calmly walked away and escaped in a waiting car.
   持枪歹徒不慌不忙地走开，坐上一辆等候的汽车逃走了。
6. He said nothing to waiting journalists, who chased after him as he left.
   他对等候的记者什么也没说就走了，那些记者跟在他后面追。
7. Whoever was waiting for them there had command of the situation
   在那边等候他们的人控制了局势。
8. There was a message waiting, denoting that someone had been here ahead of her.
   有了一条留言，这表示有人已先于她到了这儿。
9. It got to the point where I was so ill I was waiting to die.
   病到这个程度，我只能等死了。
10. He had been waiting for over an hour and was beginning to feel irritable.
    他已经等了一个多小时，开始变得急躁了。
11. You're waiting for a woman — I thought as much.
    你在等一位女士——我也这么想的。
12. Three armed men were waiting when the postmaster and his wife arrived to open up the shop
    当邮政局长和妻子到邮局开门营业时，3名持械男子正等着他们。
13. Jack and Stephen were waiting for them on the quay.
    杰克和斯蒂芬正在码头上等他们。
14. I'm waiting for the apples to ripen
    我正在等待苹果成熟。
15. He stopped at the door, waiting in vain for her to acknowledge his presence
    他在门口停住，徒然地等待她和自己打招呼。
16. There'll be a car waiting for you
    会有辆汽车等你。
17. He had a taxi waiting to take him to the train
    他让一辆出租车等着带他到火车站去。
18. Well, what are you waiting for? Do I have to ask you for a kiss?
    那你还等什么呢？难道要我求你吻我吗？
19. I was in my favorite watering hole, waiting for the game to start.
    我在我最喜欢的酒吧里，等着观看比赛。
20. Have you been waiting long?
    让你等的时间久吗？
21. Sorry to have kept you waiting.
    对不起，让你久等了。
22. Hurry her up! We are all waiting for her.
    催她快点，我们都在等她呢！
23. He didn't come at all. It was silly of us to keep on waiting for him.
    他根本没有来，我们傻等了他半天。
24. I knew he'd be waiting for us.
    我就料到他会等我们的。
25. You are the only one we are waiting for.
    就等你一个人了。
26. He was impatient of all this waiting.
    他等得心急了。
27. Your mother is waiting downstairs.
    你的母亲在楼下等着。
28. For three days and nights they watched by her bed waiting for her to come round.
    他们在她床边守了3天3夜，等待她苏醒过来。
29. Do you mind waiting for ten minutes?
    等上十分钟你不会见怪吧？
30. He has been waiting here for a long time.
    他在这儿等了许久。

noun

1. the act of waiting (remaining inactive in one place while expecting something)
   1. the wait was an ordeal for him

   Synonym:    wait

adj

1. being and remaining ready and available for use
   1. waiting cars and limousines lined the curb
   2. found her mother waiting for them
   3. an impressive array of food ready and waiting for the guests
   4. military forces ready and waiting

   Synonym:    ready and waiting(p)