wait on

1. (North America, colloquial) To wait for an event.

   I'm waiting on the light to change.

2. To wait for a person.

   I'm waiting on you before we can leave.

3. To serve someone; to be a waiter or waitress for a table in a restaurant.

   Synonyms: attend to, service, Thesaurus:serve

   Is someone waiting on you yet?

   • c. 1597, William Shakespeare, “The Merry VViues of VVindsor”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: Printed by Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, OCLC 606515358 ↗, [Act I, scene i]:

     I must wait on myself, must I?

4. (archaic) To attend; to go to see; to visit on business or for ceremony.
5. (archaic) To follow, as a consequence; to await.

   • that ruin that waits on such a supine temper

6. (archaic) To attend to; to perform.
   • 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), imprinted at London: By Robert Barker, […], OCLC 964384981 ↗, Numbers 3:10 ↗:

     Aaron and his sons […] shall wait on their priest's office.

7. (falconry, of a hawk) To fly above its master, waiting till game is sprung.

• wait
• wait on hand and foot