wait up

verb

1. to delay going to bed in order to await some event

2. informal,  to halt and pause in order that another person may catch up

Idioms and Phrases

Postpone going to bed in anticipation of someone or something, as in My parents always wait up until I get home, no matter how late it is . [Mid-1800s]

Stop or pause so that another can catch up, as in Let's wait up for the stragglers , or Don't walk so fast; wait up for me . [ Colloquial ]

Example Sentences

Senior bankers have had to wait up to eight years to collect their bonus in full to make sure the deals they were being rewarded for turned out to be profitable longer term.

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Some mothers can wait up to six months for assessment and up to a year for one-to-one treatment, according to a 2024 report by the Maternal Mental Health Alliance.

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Ms Brewster said that people can wait up to eight years for a diagnosis as it required a laparoscopy, a keyhole surgery procedure, to confirm the condition.

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This year Coachella replaced its first come first-come, first-served system for campers with a reservation-style programme, forcing attendees to wait up to 12 hours in their vehicles in scorching desert temperatures with limited facilities.

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Patients who believe they were harmed by a disgraced brain surgeon will have to wait up to two years to find out whether he will face criminal charges.

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