Await
/əˈweɪt/
verbBeginnerCommonGeneral
Meaning
Question
Definitions
1
To wait for; to expect the arrival of.
/əˈweɪt/
verbneutralBeginner
General
To wait for (someone or something)
She awaited the arrival of her guests.
💡 Simply: To wait patiently for something.
More Examples
2
The prisoner awaited his trial.
3
We await news with bated breath.
How It's Used
General
"I await your response."
From Old English *āwētan, from *ā- (on, at) + *wētan (to know, expect). The sense shifted from 'to wait for' to 'to expect' and then back again to its current primary meaning.
While the word has roots in Old English, its modern usage largely reflects its evolution through Middle English and Modern English, retaining a consistent meaning.
Memory tip
Imagine 'a wait' – that's what awaiting is.
Practice
aweitawaite
Usage
20%Spoken
80%Written