Wait On
In Southern and Appalachian speech, wait on means to wait for the arrival or action of someone or something. It reflects a regional shift in preposition choice compared to Standard English.
You'll hear 'waitin’ on' instead of 'waitin' for' down here - it's a common one. You'll hear 'waitin’ on' instead of 'waitin' for' down here - it's a common one. Pronunciation
/weɪt ɑn/
Meaning & Usage
- To wait for someone or something to arrive or happen (verb phrase)
We waited on ’em nearly two hours.Well they never did show.Origin and Etymology
While wait on is attested in general English with other meanings (like providing service), the sense of "wait for" has become strongly associated with Southern and Midland American dialects, including Appalachian English. It likely arose from natural variation in preposition use preserved in regional speech patterns.
Usage Notes
Wait on in this sense is common in informal Southern and Appalachian conversation but is often corrected in formal writing as "wait for." The construction remains widespread in the region because it feels efficient and natural in spoken dialogue.
- wait on - "We’re waitin’ on the rain to stop."
- waitin’ on - dropped "g" version in relaxed conversation
- Standard English equivalent: wait for