▪ I. await, v.
(əˈweɪt)
Forms: 3 awaitie, 3–6 awate, 3–7 awaite, 4 aweyte, 4–5 aweite, 3–6 awayte, 6 awayt, awaight, adwate, 6– await.
[a. ONF. awaitie-r (OF. aguaitier) to lie in wait for, watch, observe, f. à to + waitier (OF. guaitier, mod. guetter) to watch, ad. OHG. wahtên, mod.G. wachten: see wait v. With the development of meanings, cf. attend v.]
† 1. To keep watch, watch for; esp. to watch stealthily with hostile purpose; to lie in wait for, waylay. a. trans. Obs.
| c 1230 Ancr. R. 174 Me awaiteð ou..as me deð þeoues þet beoð ibroken to chirche. c 1320 Cast. Loue 767 Vre fo Þat vs awayteþ day and niht. 1382 Wyclif Ex. xxi. 13 Who forsothe is not aweytid [insidiatus]. 1475 Caxton Jason 133 How Jason..was awayted in a wood and assaylled. 1530 Palsgr. 441/2, I awayte, I lye in wayte of a person to marke what he dothe or sayeth, Je aguayte. 1634 Malory's Arthur (1816) II. 413 Sir Agravaine..awaited queen Guenever and sir Launcelot, for to put them to a rebuke and shame. 1671 Milton Samson 1197 Your ill-meaning politician lords..Appointed to await me thirty spies. |
† b. refl. Obs.
| 1297 R. Glouc. 49 Þe kynges broþer and þe Erl of Kent al so..Awatede him to þilke ost, þat þe Emperour inne was. |
† c. intr. usually with inf. Obs.
| c 1230 Ancr. R. 174 Leste he..awaitie uorte worpen upon ou his crokes. a 1300 Cursor M. 899 Wommon to stynge awayte þou shal. c 1386 Chaucer Sompn. T. 344 Ther is ful many an eyghe and many an eere Awaytand on a lord, and he not where. c 1440 Gesta Rom. 224 He awaytid and caste him, in alle that euere he myght, for the dethe of his fadir. 1530 Palsgr. 441/2 Let him awayte hardely, for.. he may happe to be taken sleper. 1596 Drayton Legends ii. 141 Thou seest who doth awaite, T' intrap thy Beautie. |
† 2. trans. To watch for a chance of doing, contrive, plan, plot (harm of some sort) to a person. Obs.
| c 1400 Rom. Rose 7525 He awaited nothing, But to deceive Faire-Welcoming. c 1430 Syr Gener. 2560 To awaite him shame. c 1450 Lonelich Grail lvi. 330 Forto don ȝow swich dishonowr, Owther ȝow velonye to awayten. |
† 3. To watch, look at, observe, notice. a. trans.
| c 1350 Will. Palerne 1711 Sche a-wayted wel þe white bere skinnes. c 1400 Apol. Loll. 92 Ȝe schal not a wat dremis. Ibid. 93 A waytiþ not þeis Egipcian daies. c 1449 Pecock Repr. ii. xiii. 226 It is diligentli to be awaitid whether the feend entermetith him. |
† b. intr. or with subord. clause. To look, take note. Obs.
| c 1300 Beket 85 Out he ȝeode forte awaite what that wonder were. c 1350 Will. Palerne 2415 Eche wiȝh wol aweite after þe white beres. 1393 Langl. P. Pl. C. xviii. 62 Awaite hoo haþ moost neede. |
† 4. To watch over, look after, attend to. a. trans.
| c 1340 Cursor M. (Trin.) 5416 Þus coude Ioseph..Awayte his lord þe kyngus prow. 1393 Langl. P. Pl. C. vii. 279 Yf ich sente ouer see my seruaunt..my profit to a-waite. |
† b. intr. with on, inf. phr., or subord. clause. To keep watch, give heed, take care, endeavour. Obs.
| ? c 1430 ? Lydg. in Rel. Ant I. 158 Well a-waytyng to fulfyll anoon What thi soverain commandith the to done. 1484 Caxton Curial 1 Thou awaytest frely on thyn owne pryuat thynges. 1489 Caxton Faytes of A. ii. xxxix. 163 Ought always to awayte of all theire powere to dryue and sette theire enemyes a grounde. 1531 Elyot Gov. (1580) 180 Accompteth hym a beast..and awaighteth diligently to trust him with nothing. 1603 H. Crosse Vertues Commw. (1878) 15 Awaiting that voluptuousnesse haue no preheminence in the soule. |
† 5. To wait upon, as a servant or attendant, to attend. a. trans. Obs.
| 1393 Gower Conf. III. 22 His cokes ben for him affaited, So that his body is awaited, That him shall lacke no delite. a 1547 Earl of Surrey Aeneid iv. 174 Then issued she, awayted with great train. 1641 J. Jackson True Evang. Temper iii. 175 His Baptismall Laver [was] awaited by a Dove. [Cf. 1671 in 1.] |
† b. intr. with on, upon; or absol. Obs.
| 1393 Gower Conf. III. 70 Where as this guiler faste by Upon this god shall prively Awaite. c 1400 Epiph. (Turnb. 1843) 125 To se on the non other a watyng But beestes. c 1500 To serve a Lord in Babees Bk. (1868) 368 The servitours to be redy to awayte. 1523 Ld. Dacre in St. Papers (1836) IV. 65 Horsemen, to adwate upon hym. 1600 Tourneur Transf. Met. lii, Awaited on by Truth, his Page, full kind. 1742 Pope Dunc. iv. 117 On whom three hundred gold-capt youths await. |
† 6. intr. To wait upon to transact business. Obs.
| 1448 J. Shillingford Lett. (1871) 62 Y wold awayte upon hym there as sone as he hadde dyned. 1489 Plumpton Corr. 83 To assigne a place, wher..I might awayte upon you. |
7. To wait for (a coming event or person). a. trans. (This and 8 a are the only current senses.)
| 1393 Gower Conf. III. 258 The tigre his time awaiteth In hope for to cacche his pray. 1542–3 Act 34 & 35 Hen. VIII, ix. §1 Awaiting..the comming of the said great botes. 1667 Milton P.L. iv. 550 Betwixt these rockie Pillars Gabriel sat..awaiting night. 1876 Green Short Hist. iv. §3 (1882) 179 King Bruidi awaited them at the head of the Picts. 1878 Seeley Stein III. 464, I shall await your answer with the greatest eagerness. |
† b. intr. with on, for; or absol.: towait. Obs.
| c 1386 Chaucer Frankl. T. 571 Aurelius.. Awaiteth nyght and day on this myracle. 1393 Gower Conf. III. 319 Every man with great desire Awaiteth upon his coming. 1530 Palsgr. 441/2, I have awayted here for you this houre. 1677 R. Cary Chronol. i. i. i. xii. 45 They awaited until 29 Days were accomplished. 1725 Pope Odyss. vi. 169 In dubious thought the King awaits. 1821 Scott Kenilw. vii, The acclamations..of the commons who awaited without. |
† c. with for = ‘look out’ for, expect. Obs.
| 1591 Shakes. 1 Hen. VI, i. i. 48 Posteritie, await for wretched yeeres. 1608 Hieron Wks. (1624) I. 689 Both to trust vnto and awaite for thy saluation. |
8. To be in store for, be reserved for. a. trans.
| 1593 Shakes. 2 Hen. VI, i. iv. 35 What fates await the Duke of Suffolke? 1727 De Foe Apparitions iv. 34 What may await us behind the dark curtain of futurity. 1849 Macaulay Hist. Eng. I. 632 Honors and rewards which he little deserved awaited him. |
† b. intr. (with for or inf.) arch.
| 1633 Bp. Hall Hard Texts 382 That glory which awaits for thee. 1861 Pycroft Agony Point xxvi. (1862) 247 The duties that awaited to try his powers. |
▪ II. † aˈwait, n. Obs.
Forms: 4–6 awayte, aweyte, 4–7 awaite, awayt, 5 avayte, 7 (awate), 4–8 await.
[a. ONF. await, aweit, (OF. aguait, mod. aguets), f. await-, aguaitier: see prec.]
1. A lying in wait or waylaying with hostile intent; ambush, ambuscade; a snare, plot.
| 1387 Trevisa Higden Rolls Ser. IV. 165 Delyvered out of þe awaytes [ab insidiis] of his owne moder. 1460 J. Capgrave Chron. 317 Where was leyd gret avayte on the Kyng to his destruccion. 1491 Caxton How to Die 12 The temptacyons of the deuyll and his ryghte subtyl awaytes and fallaces. 1526 Tindale Acts. ix. 24 There awayte [Wyclif, the aspies of hem] wer knowen of Saul. 1611 ibid., Their laying awaite [1881 Revised, their plot] was knowen of Saul. 1677 Hobbes Dial. Com. Laws 184 The killing by awayt, or of malice prepensed. 1691 Blount Law Dict., Await seems to signify what we now call waylaying, or lying in wait, to execute some mischief. 1867 in Smyth Sailor's Word-bk. |
b. in await: in ambush; with be, sit, stand, lay, lie. So upon await.
| c 1386 Chaucer Nun's Pr. T. 405 Homicides..That in awayte lyn to morther men. 1393 Gower Conf. III. 311 For hate is ever upon await. c 1440 Gesta Rom. 8 Deth..stondith euermore redy in awaite, for to shete his dart. 1580 Sidney Arcadia (1622) 185 There in await had he laid these murtherers. 1600 Fairfax Tasso v. xviii. 78 The hidden deuill, that lies in close awate To win the fort of vnbeleeuing man. 1610 Holland Camden's Brit. i. 400 Many frames wherin shooters..and slingers were set in await. |
2. Watching, watch, watchfulness; heed, caution. to have or take good await: to take good heed. to set good await: to watch carefully.
| c 1374 Chaucer Troylus iii. 408 In aweyte alwey, and in fere. 1430 Lydg. Chron. Troy i. viii, They sette good awayte On euery syde leste there were deceyte. 1461 Paston Lett. 399 II. 22 Take good awayte to your person. 1523 Ld. Berners Froiss. I. xliv. 60 The fronters towarde Fraunce were euer in good awayt. 1531 Elyot Gov. (1580) 97 They should haue good awayt that they spake not in such familiar facion..as..before. |
b. to have or keep (a person) in await, to make or lay await on: to keep a look-out upon, to watch suspiciously.
| c 1386 Chaucer Monk's T. 735 No man trust upon hir favour longe, But have hir in awayt for evermo. ― Manciple's T. 45 A good wyf..Schuld not be kept in noon awayt. 1469 Paston Lett. 609 II. 351 He myght not speeke with you, ther was made so gret awayte upon hym and upon you boothe. 1523 Ld. Berners Froiss. I. cccvi. 459 His men hadde him in suspect, and layed great awayt on him. |
3. Waiting, expectation. rare.
| 1557 Primer, Dirige Ps. xxix, With long awaite I loked after our Lorde: and he intended unto me. |