“Waits” or “Weights”

Overview

waits / weights are similar-sounding terms with different meanings (referred to as homophones). To better understand the differences, see below for definitions, pronunciation guides, and example sentences using each term. 👇

Definitions

waits: (noun) the act of waiting (remaining inactive in one place while expecting something). (verb) stay in one place and anticipate or expect something. (verb) wait before acting. (verb) serve as a waiter or waitress in a restaurant.

weights: (noun) the vertical force exerted by a mass as a result of gravity. (noun) sports equipment used in calisthenic exercises and weightlifting; it is not attached to anything and is raised and lowered by use of the hands and arms. (noun) the relative importance granted to something. (noun) an artifact that is heavy. (noun) an oppressive feeling of heavy force. (noun) (statistics) a coefficient assigned to elements of a frequency distribution in order to represent their relative importance.

Pronunciation

waits: w·EY·t·s

weights: w·EY·t·s

Trends

📈 See Trends