difference of wait and await???

Hello! Can somebody tell me the difference between wait and await? I'm quite confused. Could you also provide sample sentences for each. Please enlighten me. Thank you!:)

We had this before. Hold on a second and I'll try to remember.

Difficult to explain...

I think ´wait´ is only a verb, while ´await´ is ALSO an adverb ( because of the ´a´, which makes it characterise a *state of being* ).

I shall wait for you to leave.

= I shall be right here, awaiting for you to leave.

ie:
1] The boat was *adrifting* for 3 days already when the coast guard found it.

2] In a letter, you may end it with ´(...) awaiting your reply (...)´.

I will think a bit better and try better organising my ideas. Sorry, this is the best I can do for now.

Okay, thanks Simon and Antonio.. If you still have something to add, please do. Would be more glad to hear it.

I don't know the difference but damn I am horny

Chariz:

I read a sentence yesterday: ' He sat there and looked away from afar' , maybe this shows better.

If we said ´looked away from FAR´ we would imply that he was somehow distant ( and I don´t think we could say that and be correct ), but what we really want to say is that he was looking at something that was far away (it), not him.

Verb "wait" needs particle "for" for proper use.
Whereas "await" is transitive and therefore needs no particle.

Ask natives, but I've got the feeling "await" sounds more literary than "wait" which is just unmarked.

Examples: "awaiting your instructions..." (dans l'attente de vos instructions), "parcel awaiting delivery" (colis en souffrance), "soldiers awaiting discharge" (soldats en instance de libération).

Thanks Antonio. Yes, I'm starting to get now what you mean.

WAIT-AWAIT: Thanks too..

Some questions though..
1)Do I mean the same thing when i say either "I'll await your reply." or "I will wait for your reply" ??

2) Wait a minute.
Await a minute.
Which is more correct? Is there a difference with the meaning?

Please correct my sentences if they are wrong.

await
v : look forward to the probably occurrence of: "We were
expecting a visit from our relatives"; "She is looking to
a promotion"; "he is waiting to be drafted" [syn: {expect},
{look}, {wait}]



Await \A*wait"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Awaited}; p. pr. & vb. n.
{Awaiting}.] [OldFrench. awaitier, agaitier; ? (Latin ad) + waitier,
gaitier to watch, French guetter. See {Wait}.]
1. To watch for; to look out for. [Obs.]

2. To wait on, serve, or attend. [Obs.]

3. To wait for; to stay for; to expect. See {Expect}.

Betwixt these rocky pillars Gabriel sat, Chief of
the angelic guards, awaiting night. --Milton.

4. To be in store for; to be ready or in waiting for; as, a
glorious reward awaits the good.

O Eve, some farther change awaits us night.
--Milton.

Chariz:

´I´ll wait for your reply´

´Wait a minute´,

´Await´ could only be used if you were a Londoner in one of Charles Dickens novels :-) "It won´t do, so it´s no good atrying it on!" -
Oliver Twist.

I'd say that "await" has almost the same meaning of the verbs "to be" and "to wait" when used to express expectation...or to wait for.

For example:

He is waiting for the train to arrive.

He awaits the arrival of the train.

"Await" is often more literary. In everyday speech, "to wait for" is more commonly used.

mjd:

Good point to remember

There is no difference between AWAIT and WAIT

AWAIT simply means TO WAIT FOR SOMETHING.