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waiter Definition

waiter (wātər)

noun

  1. a person who waits or awaits
  2. a man who waits on tables, as in a restaurant
  3. a tray for carrying dishes; salver

Etymology: ME waitere, watchman

waiter Synonyms

waiter

n.

headwaiter, steward, attendant, server, footman, servant, innkeeper, host, proprietor, lackey, garçon (French), counterman, busboy, waitperson*, waitstaff*, tray trotter*, soup juggler*, soda jerk*.

waiter Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • ask: Or they ask the waiter to bring the menu.
  • sing: Entertainment Coral pub lounge, equipped with state-of-the-art audio-visual equipment, dance floor and bar, and even singing waiters!
  • tell: How do I tell the waiter I have a nut allergy?
  • tip: It is customary to tip waiters 15 per cent of the bill.
  • dress: Service is a delight from the black dressed waiters with their long white aprons.
  • hire: Lupin insisted on having a hired waiter, and stood a half-dozen of champagne.

Converse of subject

  • serve: Anyway, we had a lovely meal, served by a lovely waiter in a superb location.

Adjective modifier

  • kilted: Enjoy exceptional entertainment with wine and a gourmet dinner served by our kilted waiters.
  • dumb: Food prepared here can move easily to tables above and below via the dumb waiters.
  • attentive: She seated herself at a small table alone, and an attentive waiter at once approached to take her order.
  • rude: Quite fast, you catch the eye of one of the notoriously rude waiters, who will look you up and down and snap.
  • Italian: I, mixed with an unknown Italian waiter - what am I?
  • Spanish: That new Spanish waiter I was telling you about, Manuel, is bloody useless.

Modifies a noun

  • service: Instead of waiter service, have a buffet bar.

Noun used with modifier

  • cocktail: Sofas, table service, cocktail waiters and a DJ make it a great place for a couple of pre-club drinks.
  • head: He was head waiter at St Andrews Golf Club Scotland.
  • wine: On the next table the wine waiter is topping up glasses.
  • comedy: Rachel Sylvester meets the comedy waiters paid to wreck your evening.
  • restaurant: Robots take orders in restaurant Robot waiters are taking the orders in a restaurant in China.

Preposition: in

  • restaurant: You should ask yourself how secure is handing your details to a waiter in a restaurant.
waiter Quotes

The best number fora dinner party istwoömyself and a damn good head waiter.

—Gulbenkian, Nubar Sarkis

Would you convey my compliments to the purist who reads your proofs and tell him or her that I write in a sort of broken-downpatoiswhichissomething likethewaya Swiss waiter talks, and that when I split an infinitive,God damn it, I split it so it will stay split.

—Chandler, Raymond

   A diplomat these days isnothing but a head waiter who's allowed to sit down occasionally.

—Ustinov, Sir PeterAlexander

Browse dictionary entries near waiter

  1. Waite
  2. wait up for
  3. wait on
  4. wait for
  5. wait-a-bit
  6. wait
  7. waistline
  8. waistcoat
  9. waistcloth
  10. waistband
  1. waiting
  2. waiting game
  3. waiting list
  4. waiting period
  5. waiting room
  6. waitperson
  7. waitress
  8. waitstaff
  9. waive
  10. waiver