Wikipedia
Watchful waiting (also watch and wait or WAW) is an approach to a medical problem in which time is allowed to pass before medical intervention or therapy is used. During this time, repeated testing may be performed.
Related terms include expectant management, active surveillance and masterly inactivity. The term masterly inactivity is also used in nonmedical contexts.
A distinction can be drawn between watchful waiting and medical observation, but some sources equate the terms. Usually, watchful waiting is an outpatient process and may have a duration of months or years. In contrast, medical observation is usually an inpatient process, often involving frequent or even continuous monitoring and may have a duration of hours or days.
Usage examples of "watchful waiting".
All around them, Leia saw, the other ships were starting to settle back into their taut, watchful waiting.
He could sense that in many things, including the watchful waiting of the three cars parked between the Hive and Fosterville.
After that, he went back to watchful waiting, all the while wondering how Skorzeny was going to get word to him that he needed more strong young men thrown into the fire.
However, finding that she was getting no results, from Lensman or Lyranian, she subsided quickly into alertly watchful waiting.
Over the long generations of watchful waiting, the Star Union had built up a massive Reserve Fleet of mothballed warships, ready for instant activation, and the Reserves mobilization had begun the moment Wingmaster Furras first courier drones from Pajzomo had spread the tidings that the War of Vengeance had begun.
Over the long generations of watchful waiting, the Star Union had built up a massive Reserve Fleet of mothballed warships, ready for instant activation, and the Reserve's mobilization had begun the moment Wingmaster Furra's first courier drones from Pajzomo had spread the tidings that the War of Vengeance had begun.