[WAIT v.1 + -ING2.]
1. That waits upon, or attends to, another; that acts as an attendant, or waiter. Often hyphened to the qualified sb. as in waiting-gentlewoman, -lady, WAITING-MAID, -MAN, -WOMAN, etc.
1538. N. Country Wills (Surtees), 159. To every one of my wayting servauntes vj s. viij d. the pece.
1594. Shaks., Rich. III., II. i. 121. When your Carters, or your wayting Vassalls Haue done a drunken Slaughter. Ibid. (1599), Much Ado, II. ii. 14. I thinke I told your Lordship … how much I am in the fauour of Margaret, the waiting gentlewoman to Hero.
1598. Marston, Sco. Villanie, III. ii. If one should sewe For Lesbias loue, hauing two daies to wooe … and should imploy those twaine The favour of her wayting-wench to gaine, Were he not mad?
1620. trans. Boccaccio’s Decam., II. vi. I. 47. This Gentle man … one especiall day…, with his wife, seruants, and waiting hounds [It. merely con suoi cani], wandred vp into the Iland.
1713. Hearne, Collect. (O.H.S.), IV. 76. Her little waiting Dogs was got under her Clothes.
1749. Fielding, Tom Jones, X. ix. Certain pecuniary civilities, which are by custom due to the waiting-gentlewoman in all love-affairs.
1829. Scott, Anne of G., xxi. That dressing my mistress is the only part of a waiting-lady’s life that I have the least fancy for.
1861. Meredith, Poems, Patriot Engin., 35. Why, there’s the ale-house bench:… And there’s my waiting-wench, As lissome as a hound.
1864. Burton, Scot Abr., I. v. 268. It would, after all, have perhaps been more difficult to find waiting-boys who could speak English.
2. That waits for some person or thing; expectant; remaining stationary, or deferring action, expectantly.
1654. Clarke Papers (Camden), III. 12. The present effect is startling to all nacions round about, all in a waiteing frame where this cloud will light.
1703. Rowe, Fair Penit., I. i. Thy waiting Bride ev’n chides thee for delaying.
1720. Ramsay, Rise & Fall of Stocks, 24. As little bairns frae winnocks high Drap down saip-bells to waiting fry.
1896. Harper’s Mag., April, 671/2. All noise and movement gradually ceased, and a waiting stillness followed which was solemn and impressive.
Hence Waitingly adv.
1882. C. E. Turner, in Macm. Mag., April, 478/1. [She] lived waitingly and hopefully ‘on the eve’ of an active career.
1894. Crockett, Lilac Sunbonnet, 26. The Marrow minister … looked waitingly at the young man.
