wait a minute
To stop or pause briefly. This phrase is usually used to initiate an interruption. Wait a minute, I'm confused. What exactly happened when you went to the mall? Now wait a minute! I did nothing wrong, and I won't stand to hear such nasty accusations! I think we should wait a minute before we start, just to see if anyone else shows up.
wait a second
1. To wait or pause for a moment. Often used as an imperative. Can you please wait a second so I can tie my shoe? We waited a second before turning the water back on.
2. A phrase spoken when one has a realization about something they had not thought of until that moment. Wait a second, Jeff said he was driving here, but his car is in the shop. He must have forgotten. Wait a second... these aren't bananas, they're plantains!
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
wait a minute
1. Stop, I want to say something, as in Wait a minute-he wasn't there yesterday.
2. What a surprise, as in
Wait a minute! It was you who called the police? For a similar phrase, see
hold everything.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.