verb
wait
To serve customers at tables.
She waits tables at a cafe near the university.
Etymology
The older verb concerns watching or attending. Waiting on customers preserves that attentive service, especially at dining tables.
More examples
- He waited on our table.
- They need someone to wait tables tonight.
- Who is waiting on those guests?
Forms
wait · waits · waited · waiting
Similar words
- serve
- Broader; includes assistance beyond waiting at tables.