What is "to wait upon"

Wait \Wait\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Waited; p. pr. & vb. n. Waiting.] [OE. waiten, OF. waitier, gaitier, to watch, attend, F. guetter to watch, to wait for, fr. OHG. wahta a guard, watch, G. wacht, from OHG. wahh[=e]n to watch, be awake. [root]134. See Wake, v. i.]

1. To watch; to observe; to take notice. [Obs.]

   ``But [unless] ye wait well and be privy, I wot right well, I am but dead,'' quoth she.
   --Chaucer.

2. To stay or rest in expectation; to stop or remain stationary till the arrival of some person or event; to rest in patience; to stay; not to depart. All the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come. --Job xiv. 14. They also serve who only stand and wait. --Milton. Haste, my dear father; 't is no time to wait. --Dryden. To wait on or To wait upon.

   1. To attend, as a servant; to perform services for; as, to wait on a gentleman; to wait on the table. ``Authority and reason on her wait.''
      --Milton. ``I must wait on myself, must I?''
      --Shak.

   2. To attend; to go to see; to visit on business or for ceremony.

   3. To follow, as a consequence; to await. ``That ruin that waits on such a supine temper.''
      --Dr. H. More.

   4. To look watchfully at; to follow with the eye; to watch. [R.] ``It is a point of cunning to wait upon him with whom you speak with your eye.''
      --Bacon.

   5. To attend to; to perform. ``Aaron and his sons . . . shall wait on their priest's office.''
      --Num. iii. 10.

   6. (Falconry) To fly above its master, waiting till game is sprung; -- said of a hawk.
      --Encyc. Brit.