Waiting for vs. waiting on

[Andreana]

Hello. Is there any difference between wait for and wait on? Is wait on used more in connection words like saviour? Thanks in advance.
A
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[Alan]

Hi Andreana,

Wait for has the general meaning of anticipate/expect something to happen as in wait for a bus/wait for the rain to stop before going out/wait for a letter to arrive. Wait on is in a way serve/act as servant. In a restaurant a waiter obviously waits on the customers. There is an expression describing looking after someone and doing everything possible: waiting on someone hand and foot. Wait on is also used in American English as an alternative to wait for as in: We sent a letter and are waiting on their reply.

Alan
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English as a Second Language
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