wait

attendre

Rester quelque part ou laisser passer le temps jusqu'à l'arrivée de quelqu'un ou jusqu'à un événement.

En anglais simple : To stay somewhere or let time pass until someone arrives or something happens.

• Please wait here.
• I waited for Anna outside the shop.
• How long have you been waiting?

Comment l'utiliser : wait for someone/something (We waited for the bus.); wait until… (Wait until the light turns green.); wait to do something (They waited to hear the result.)

Expressions courantes : wait for someone, wait a minute, wait outside, wait patiently

servir, faire le service

Prendre les commandes des clients et leur apporter à manger et à boire dans un restaurant.

En anglais simple : To take customers' orders and bring them food and drinks in a restaurant.

• He waits tables at weekends.
• I waited on a large family last night.
• She earned good tips waiting tables.

Comment l'utiliser : wait on someone (A friendly server waited on us.); wait tables (She waits tables at a small cafe.)

Synonymes : serve

Expressions courantes : wait tables, wait on someone, wait at tables

attente

Le temps qui passe avant l'arrivée de quelqu'un ou avant qu'un événement se produise.

En anglais simple : A period of time before someone arrives or something happens.

• There was a long wait.
• After a short wait, the doctor called me in.
• Was the meal worth the wait?

Comment l'utiliser : a wait for someone/something (We faced a long wait for the next train.)

Synonymes : delay

Expressions courantes : long wait, short wait, wait for something

embuscade, affût

Une position cachée où l'on attend pour surprendre ou attaquer quelqu'un à son approche.

En anglais simple : A hidden position taken to surprise or attack someone when they come near.

• The hunters lay in wait.
• A cat was lying in wait for a mouse.
• Armed men lay in wait beside the narrow road.

Comment l'utiliser : lie in wait for someone/something (The soldiers lay in wait for the enemy patrol.)

Synonymes : ambush

Expressions courantes : lie in wait, in wait for someone

attends, une minute

Se dit pour demander une pause afin de vérifier, expliquer ou comprendre quelque chose.

En anglais simple : Used to tell someone to pause so you can check, explain, or understand something.

• Wait! What did you say?
• Wait a minute! I thought we were leaving tomorrow.
• Wait, do you mean you already know her?

Synonymes : hold on, hang on

Expressions courantes : wait a minute, wait a second, wait just a moment