different between await vs ahead

English

Etymology

From Middle English awaiten, from Old Northern French awaitier (“to lie in wait for, watch, observe”), originally especially with a hostile sense; itself from a- (“to”) + waitier (“to watch”). More at English wait.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /??w??t/
• Rhymes: -e?t

Verb

await (third-person singular simple present awaits, present participle awaiting, simple past and past participle awaited)

1. (transitive, formal) To wait for.

2. (transitive) To expect.
3. (transitive) To be in store for; to be ready or in waiting for.
4. (transitive, intransitive) To serve or attend; to wait on, wait upon.
5. (intransitive) To watch, observe.
6. (intransitive) To wait; to stay in waiting.

Usage notes

• As await means to wait for, it is not followed by "for". *I am awaiting for your reply is therefore incorrect.

Synonyms

• (wait for): wait for, anticipate, listen (of a sound); See also Thesaurus:wait for
• (serve or attend): attend to, service; See also Thesaurus:serve

Translations

Noun

await (plural awaits)

1. (obsolete) A waiting for; ambush.
2. (obsolete) Watching, watchfulness, suspicious observation.

   • Also, madame, syte you well that there be many men spekith of oure love in this courte, and have you and me gretely in awayte, as thes Sir Aggravayne and Sir Mordred.

   • 1596, Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene, VI.6:

     For all that night, the whyles the Prince did rest […] He watcht in close awayt with weapons prest […].

References

Anagrams

• Iwata

English

Etymology

a- +? head

(nautical) Beyond the head (of a ship). This may have drifted into more general English usage where it is used to describe something as being 'in front of'.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /??h?d/
• Rhymes: -?d
• Hyphenation: ahead

Adverb

ahead (not comparable)

1. In or to the front; in advance; onward.

2. In the direction one is facing or moving.

3. In or for the future.

4. At an earlier time.

5. Having progressed more.

Antonyms

• (nautical) astern
• behind

Hyponyms

• straight ahead

Derived terms

• ahead of time
• go-ahead

Related terms

• ahead of

Translations

Anagrams

• aahed