- wait on
- verbwork for or be a servant to (Freq. 1)-
May I serve you?
-She attends the old lady in the wheelchair
-Can you wait on our table, please?
-Is a salesperson assisting you?
-The minister served the King for many years
• Derivationally related forms: ↑assist (for: ↑assist), ↑attendant (for: ↑attend), ↑attender (for: ↑attend), ↑servant (for: ↑serve), ↑servitor (for: ↑serve)• Verb Group: ↑serve• Verb Frames:-Somebody ——s somebody
-Somebody ——s somebody with something
-Sam cannot wait on Sue
* * *
wait on (or upon)act as an attendant to (someone)a maid was appointed to wait on her
■ serve (a customer) in a store■ archaic pay a respectful visit to* * *
wait on (also wait upon) [phrasal verb]1 wait on/upon (someone)The hostess waits on tables/people when the restaurant is crowded.
1 b : to provide service to (a customer) : to help (a customer) make purchasesHe is busy waiting on customers at the moment.
He seems to expect his wife to wait on him.
She waited on her children hand and foot. [=she acted like a servant to her children; she provided her children with everything they needed or wanted]
2 wait on/upon (someone or something) chiefly US : to wait for (someone or something) to arrive or happenWe waited on him, but he never came.
The government's decision must wait on the committee's report. [=the government's decision will not be made until the committee has issued its report]
• • •Main Entry: ↑wait
Useful english dictionary. 2012.