wait

wait around

To remain in some location or state while waiting for someone to do something or for something to happen. I'm waiting around the house until the doctor calls with the results of the test. Look, I understand that you're trying to figure out what you want to do with your life, but I'm not just going to wait around until then! I've got my own life that I want to lead. You can come with me if you want, but you'll be waiting around in the car most of the time while I do my errands.
See also: around, wait

wait for (someone or something)

To be in a state of expectation or anticipation for someone or something to arrive or for something to happen. Look, I'm not just going to hang around waiting for you to figure out what you want to do with your life—I've got my own dreams and aspirations. We're waiting for the weather to clear up before we start the game. I've been waiting for the bus for nearly an hour.
See also: wait
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

wait (around) (for someone or something)

to stay somewhere until something happens or someone or something arrives. I'll wait around for you for an hour or so. I don't want to wait around.
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.
See:
  • (one) can't wait
  • all good things (come) to those who wait
  • all things come to those who wait
  • can't wait
  • catch the next wave
  • everything comes to him who waits
  • Good things come to him who waits
  • good things come to those who wait
  • hurry up and wait
  • I can wait
  • I, he, etc. can't wait
  • Just (you) wait (and see)!
  • lay wait for
  • lie in wait
  • lie in wait (for), to
  • not able to hold it (in)
  • not able to wait
  • on a/the wait list
  • on the waiting list
  • ship to come in, wait for one's
  • they also serve who (only) stand and wait
  • They also serve who only stand and wait
  • time and tide wait for no man
  • time and tide wait for no one
  • wait
  • wait (on) tables
  • wait (one's) turn
  • wait a minute
  • wait a minute/moment/second
  • wait a second
  • wait and see
  • wait around
  • wait at
  • wait at (something or some place)
  • wait at table
  • wait for
  • wait for (one's) boat to come in
  • wait for (one's) ship to come in
  • wait for (someone or something)
  • wait for dead men's shoes
  • wait for it
  • wait for the dust to settle
  • wait for the next wave
  • wait for the other shoe to drop
  • wait in the wings
  • wait on
  • wait on (someone or something)
  • wait on (someone) hand and foot
  • wait on hand and foot
  • wait on hand and foot, to
  • wait on somebody hand and foot
  • wait on someone hand and foot
  • wait on table
  • wait out
  • wait tables
  • wait till
  • wait till/until...
  • wait turn
  • wait until
  • wait up
  • wait up for (one)
  • wait upon (someone or something)
  • wait upon (someone) hand and foot
  • wait-and-see
  • wait-and-see attitude
  • you (just) wait (and see)
  • you wait
  • You wait!
References in periodicals archive
Almost half have been waiting more than a year while 30 per cent have already waited six to 12 months.
Irish Daily Mirror INVESTIGATION: HEALTH SERVICE CRISIS: DYING ON ITS FEET; Five times more patients than beds 100s on trolleys ..some in morgues Children wait 2 years for heart ops
Or perhaps we are made to wait because we are not yet adequately prepared to receive what God wants to give us.
What are you waiting for? Try this for advent: next time you are forced to cool your heels, see the wait as a spiritual invitation
Patients at the Trust were most likely to face long waits for urodynamics, which tests bladder functioning, with 25.9 per cent of patients on the list in May having waited longer than six weeks, while 8 per cent were waiting longer than six weeks for CT scans, and 2.8 per cent waiting longer than six weeks for MRIs.
Patients frantic with stress over hospital tests waiting times; delays are the worst in nearly four years
At the Royal Wolverhampton, there were 1,016 waits of 12 hours or more in 2017/18, compared to just 11 in 2011/12, while the Dudley Group has seen long waits increase nearly five-fold in a year.
Thousands have 12-hour wait in A&E
By JEZ HEMMING Daily Post Reporter jez.hemming@trinitymirror.com PATIENTS are too scared to speak up about long waits for treatment in case they are penalised according to a health watchdog boss.
Patients scared to speak out about wait for treatment; HEALTH CHIEF SAYS PEOPLE FEAR THEY'LL HAVE TO WAIT EVEN LONGER
The long wait for Gymkhana is also blamed on the overcrowding done in the name of " green card holders", who were earlier dependents of primary members and now grown up adults above 21 years.
Up to four decades' wait at Capital's elite clubs
Burris, represented by attorney Jeremy Hutchinson, claimed in a complaint filed in June that Wait "negligently and unreasonably altered his property" and that caused damage to Burris' property.
Back in court
However in Dorset, Dudley and north-east London the average wait was 20 days.
Eating disorder sufferers wait up to 182 days
The target is for no patients to wait longer than eight weeks for such tests - but at present nearly a quarter of patients (22.6%) are.
Record numbers wait for treatment
NSW/ACT chief executive Andrew McKinnon said the wait for an appointment with an ophthalmologist was compounded by the further wait of one to two years for elective surgery.
Still waiting to abolish the "waiting list for the waiting list"
Official figures have revealed that 7000 people had to wait more than four hours from arrival to admission, discharge or transfer between December 23 and January 6, while 291 waited more than 12 hours.
7000 have to wait too long
In purchase situations, customers often need to wait for products and services.
The customer's perspective on waiting time in electronic marketing
Increased wait time for muscle invasive bladder cancer treatment has been demonstrated to detrimentally affect tumour stage.[sup.7] Waiting up to 3 months for radical nephrectomy does not appear to affect outcome, however there may be a bias towards treating more ominous-looking tumours sooner.[sup.8] Although the data are less clear regarding prostate cancer,[sup.9] waiting for such surgeries has negative effects on a patient's quality of life.[sup.10]
High resolution analysis of wait times and factors affecting surgical expediency
Zechariah waits as does Elizabeth; Anna and Simeon wait and see the answer to all their waiting in the child whom Mary and Joseph present in the temple.
Waiting: a spirituality for believers
I stand at the till and wait and wait until someone notices that there is a queue all the way round the shop and calls for assistance.
I'm always waiting; MAILBAG