waiting

[ wey-ting ]

noun

1. a period of waiting; pause, interval, or delay.

adjective

1. serving or being in attendance:

   waiting man;

   waiting maid;

   waiting woman.

Other Words From

• waiting·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of waiting¹

First recorded in 1150–1200; Middle English (noun); wait, -ing ¹, -ing ²

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. in waiting, in attendance, as upon a royal personage.

Example Sentences

“It’s a sad commentary Senate Democrats kept farmers waiting two years before releasing the Farm Bill text,” Grassley said.

From Salon

She got her start waiting tables at the Redd Foxx Club on La Cienega Boulevard in West Hollywood, but was noticed for her beauty and invited on stage, where she was a natural.

From Los Angeles Times

They’ve been waiting so long for the first and perhaps only time to be teammates this season.

From Los Angeles Times

One of the couple’s fears is that Mushie is on her own and waiting for them to come and rescue her, Sidhu said.

From Los Angeles Times

"We hope it's possible to get ahead of the issue of failing weed control on the research and development side, because the cost of waiting until everything fails could be painful."

From Science Daily