wait and see

Idioms and Phrases

Bide one's time for events to run their course, as in Do you think they'll raise taxes?—We'll have to wait and see . This expression was first recorded in Daniel Defoe's Robinson Crusoe (1719): “We had no remedy but to wait and see.” In Britain the phrase became associated with Prime Minister H.H. Asquith, who in 1910 so often said it to the opposition regarding an impending bill that he became known as “Old Wait and See.”

Example Sentences

We will have to wait and see whether the Court of Criminal Appeals agrees or whether it will find that some other factor outweighs Lucio’s innocence and justifies letting the state put her to death.

From Slate

"We've just asked for a little bit of time. Whether we get that time, we'll have to wait and see."

From BBC

Lots to wait and see about here!

From Slate

“Building a mine is going to take five to 10 years, and so far, the only ones in operation are ours, so we will wait and see how it plays out,” he said.

From BBC

And I guess we’ll have to wait and see how his “non-woke” generals lead the most diverse organization in this country and the world, for that matter.

From Salon