Forms: 3 awaitie, 3–6 awate, 3–7 awaite, 4 aweyte, 4–5 aweite, 3–6 awayte, 6 awayt, awaight, adwate, 6– await. [a. ONF. awaitie-r (OF. aguaitier) to lie in wait for, watch, observe, f. à to + waitier (OF. guaitier, mod. guetter) to watch, ad. OHG. wahtên, mod.G. wachten: see WAIT v. With the development of meanings, cf. ATTEND v.]
† 1. To keep watch, watch for; esp. to watch stealthily with hostile parpose; to lie in wait for, waylay. a. trans. Obs.
a. 1230. Ancr. R., 174. Me awaiteð ou … as me deð þeoues þet beoð ibroken to chirche.
c. 1320. Cast. Loue, 767. Vre fo Þat vs awayteþ day and niht.
1382. Wyclif, Ex. xxi. 13. Who forsothe is not aweytid [insidiatus].
1475. Caxton, Jason, 133. How Jason … was awayted in a wood and assaylled.
1530. Palsgr., 441/2. I awayte, I lye in wayte of a person to marke what he dothe or sayeth, Je aguayte.
1634. Malory’s Arthur (1816), II. 413. Sir Agravaine … awaited queen Guenever and sir Launcelot, for to put them to a rebuke and shame.
1671. Milton, Samson, 1197. Your ill-meaning politician lords … Appointed to await me thirty spies.
† b. refl. Obs.
1297. R. Glouc., 49. Þe kynges broþer and þe Erl of Kent al so … Awatede him to þilke ost, þat þe Emperour inne was.
† c. intr. usually with inf. Obs.
a. 1230. Ancr. R., 174. Leste he … awaitie uorte worpen upon ou his crokes.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 899. Wommon to stynge awayte þou shal.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Sompn. T., 344. Ther is ful many an eyghe and many an eere Awaytand on a lord, and he not where.
c. 1440. Gesta Rom., 224. He awaytid and caste him, in alle that euere he myght, for the dethe of his fadir.
1530. Palsgr., 441/2. Let him awayte hardely, for … he may happe to be taken sleper.
1596. Drayton, Legends, ii. 141. Thou seest who doth awaite, T’ intrap thy Beautie.
† 2. trans. To watch for a chance of doing, contrive, plan, plot (harm of some sort) to a person. Obs.
c. 1400. Rom. Rose, 7525. He awaited nothing, But to deceive Faire-Welcoming.
c. 1430. Syr Gener., 2560. To awaite him shame.
c. 1450. Lonelich, Grail, lvi. 330. Forto don ȝow swich dishonowr, Owther ȝow velonye to awayten.
† 3. To watch, look at, observe, notice. a. trans.
c. 1350. Will. Palerne, 1711. Sche a-wayted wel þe white bere skinnes.
c. 1400. Apol. Loll., 92. Ȝe schal not a wat dremis. Ibid., 93. A waytiþ not þeis Egipcian daies.
c. 1449. Pecock, Repr., II. xiii. 226. It is diligentli to be awaitid whether the feend entermetith him.
† b. intr. or with subord. cl. To look, take note. Obs.
c. 1300. Beket, 85. Out he ȝeode forte awaite what that wonder were.
c. 1350. Will. Palerne, 2415. Eche wiȝh wol aweite after þe white beres.
1393. Langl., P. Pl., C. XVIII. 62. Awaite hoo haþ moost neede.
† 4. To watch over, look after, attend to. a. trans.
c. 1340. Cursor M. (Trin.), 5416. Þus coude Ioseph … Awayte his lord þe kyngus prow.
1393. Langl., P. Pl., C. VII. 279. Yf ich sente ouer see my seruaunt … my profit to a-waite.
† b. intr. with on, inf. phr., or subord. cl. To keep watch, give heed, take care, endeavor. Obs.
c. 1430[?]. ? Lydg., in Rel. Ant., I. 158. Well a-waytyng to fulfyll anoon What thi soverain commandith the to done.
1484. Caxton, Curial, 1. Thou awaytest frely on thyn owne pryuat thynges.
1489. Caxton, Faytes of A., II. xxxix. 163. Ought always to awayte of all theire powere to dryue and sette theire enemyes a grounde.
1531. Elyot, Gov. (1580), 180. Accompteth hym a beast … and awaighteth diligently to trust him with nothing.
1603. H. Crosse, Vertues Commw. (1878), 15. Awaiting that voluptuousnesse haue no preheminence in the soule.
† 5. To wait upon, as a servant or attendant, to attend. a. trans. Obs.
1393. Gower, Conf., III. 22. His cokes ben for him affraited, So that his body is awaited, That him shall lacke no delite.
a. 1547. Earl Surrey, Aeneid, IV. 174. Then issued she, awayted with great train.
1641. J. Jackson, True Evang. Temper, iii. 175. His Baptismall Laver [was] awaited by a Dove.
[Cf. 1671. in 1.]
† b. intr. with on, upon; or absol. Obs.
1393. Gower, Conf., III. 70. Where as this guiler faste by Upon this god shall prively Awaite.
c. 1400. Epiph. (Turnb., 1843), 125. To se on the non other a watyng But beestes.
c. 1500. To serve a Lord, in Babees Bk. (1868), 368. The servitours to be redy to awayte.
1523. Ld. Dacre, in St. Papers (1836), IV. 65. Horsemen, to adwate upon hym.
1600. Tourneur, Transf. Met., lii. Awaited on by Truth, his Page, full kind.
1742. Pope, Dunc., IV. 117. On whom three hundred gold-capt youths await.
† 6. intr. To wait upon to transact business. Obs.
1448. Shillingford, Lett. (1871), 62. Y wold awayte upon hym there as sone as he hadde dyned.
1489. Plumpton Corr., 83. To assigne a place, wher … I might awayte upon you.
7. To wait for (a coming event or person). a. trans. (This and 8 a are the only current senses.)
1393. Gower, Conf., III. 258. The tigre his time awaiteth In hope for to cacche his pray.
1542–3. Act 34 & 35 Hen. VIII., ix. § 1. Awaiting … the comming of the said great botes.
1667. Milton, P. L., IV. 550. Betwixt these rockie Pillars Gabriel sat … awaiting night.
1876. Green, Short Hist., iv. § 3 (1882), 179. King Bruidi awaited them at the head of the Picts.
1878. Seeley, Stein, III. 464. I shall await your answer with the greatest eagerness.
† b. intr. with on, for; or absol.: To WAIT. Obs.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Frankl. T., 571. Aurelius … Awaiteth nyght and day on this myracle.
1393. Gower, Conf., III. 319. Every man with great desire Awaiteth upon his coming.
1530. Palsgr., 441/2. I have awayted here for you this houre.
1677. R. Cary, Chronol., I. I. I. xii. 45. They awaited until 29 Days were accomplished.
1725. Pope, Odyss., VI. 169. In dubious thought the King awaits.
1821. Scott, Kenilw., vii. The acclamations … of the commons who awaited without.
† c. with for = ‘look out’ for, expect. Obs.
1591. Shaks., 1 Hen. VI., I. i. 48. Posteritie, await for wretched yeeres.
1608. Hieron, Wks. (1624), I. 689. Both to trust into and awaite for thy saluation.
8. To be in store for, be reserved for. a. trans.
1593. Shaks., 2 Hen. VI., I. iv. 35. What fates await the Duke of Suffolke?
1727. De Foe, Apparitions, iv. 34. What may await us behind the dark curtain of futurity.
1849. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., I. 632. Honors and rewards which he little deserved awaited him.
† b. intr. (with for or inf.) arch.
1633. Bp. Hall, Hard Texts, 382. That glory which awaits for thee.
1861. J. Pycroft, Agony Point, xxvi. (1862), 247. The duties that awaited to try his powers.
