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Glite Dictionary
to wait out

to wait out

42 4.3
Stay where you are until bad weather or danger passes
  • phrasal verb
  • /weɪt aʊt/
translation icon : esperar a que pase
  • We had to wait out the rain before continuing our picnic.
  • wait out the storm

Examples

  • I'll wait out here, thank you.

    Within Our Gates (1920)

  • And looking back now, I realized all I was doing was just waiting out the collapse of my relationship, of my health.

  • My guess is they think they can wait out the administration.

  • If you want, you can wait out here and I can handle it.

    Tell It Like a Woman (2022)

  • Uh, listen, if you could wait out front for 15 minutes...

    Fallen (1998)

  • You guys can wait out here if you want.

    Wrong Turn (2003)

  • "People still go there from the modern town to wait out the heat.

    Academic text (2002)

  • Then I'll wait out in the car for ya.

    Gable and Lombard (1976)

  • Sometimes, one must wait out the crowds full of camera-toting tourists in order to capture a decent image.

    Academic text (2006)

  • Cuddled in their nests, mice wait out the worst winter weather.

    Academic text (1991)

Synonyms

to sit out
vsto wait out
2 3.9

Stay in a place or situation until something boring ends

stay in place until the unpleasant thing passes rather than actively enduring to the end

Antonyms

to leave
∞ 1.0

To go away from a place, person, or group

to face
∞ 2.2

To deal with a difficult situation or person

How Long

to ride out
20 5.3
to weather
48 5.2
to wait out
42 4.3

Surface Forms

wait out infinitive
waited out past
waited out past participle
waiting out present participle
waits out third person singular

Morphology

wait + out

The core notion of remaining until an event finishes is signalled by 'wait', and the particle 'out' contributes a sense of enduring something to its end rather than its literal 'outside' meaning. Because the particle's contribution is metaphorical and depends on knowledge of phrasal-verb patterns, a B1 learner who only knows the literal meanings may not fully predict this use without prior exposure.

Etymology

Wait out gives a simple picture: you wait in one place while the bad thing passes and finally goes out. So it means 'to stay where you are until something unpleasant ends'.