Wait a second meaning in English
Learn how to use Wait a second correctly with Gymglish.
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Definition
wait a second: just a minute, hang on, give me a second
Could you wait a second? I need to go to the bathroom.
Wait a second. What did Philip mean when he said that "he scored"?
Examples
- "Wait a second. Philip: how do you spell that?"
- "There must have been a mistake... wait a second."
- "As I said, this one's on me... Wait a second, 35 dollars?"
- "Susie : Wait a second."
- "Wait a second, Southside Johnny?"
- "Luna : Wait a second, Susie, we don't want to get lawyers involved here."
- "Wait a second, what's that?"
- "Wait a second, what's this?"
- "Stephen : Just wait a second... Can't be too careful."
- "Brent : Wait a second, where is Horatio Oléré?"
- "Wait a second, let's see... Let's see... Ahh, I forgot about that!"
- "Wait a second, what's the catch?"
- "Wait a second... the Delavigne perfumes... they must be disgusting!"
Exercise 1
Please hold the line.
From the list below, select those sentences which could replace the sentence "please hold the line" in this context, and express the same meaning.
There may be more than one correct answer!
From the list below, select those sentences which could replace the sentence "please hold the line" in this context, and express the same meaning.
There may be more than one correct answer!
Please hold the line.
From the list below, select those sentences which could replace the sentence "please hold the line" in this context, and express the same meaning.
There may be more than one correct answer!
From the list below, select those sentences which could replace the sentence "please hold the line" in this context, and express the same meaning.
There may be more than one correct answer!
"Please hold" is a shorter, and grammatically correct, version of "please hold the line". This expression is frequently used during telephone conversations: either with a real person, or an automated response service. Example: "Please hold. We are trying to connect your call".
It does not make sense to use the term "quit" in this context. To "quit" means "to stop". Example: "I'm trying to quit smoking". It cannot be used to ask someone not to "hang up" the telephone or to "stay on the line".
"Wait a second" is a polite way of asking your correspondent to "hold the line", and is very useful on the telephone. Example: "Wait a second please, I'll see if she's available".
This is grammatically incorrect: the term "patient" cannot be used as a verb. It is either a noun: "The doctor sees 100 patients per day", or an adjective: "Julia is a very patient woman".
"To hang up" is to end a phone call: the opposite meaning to "please hold the line"!
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