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3. can't wait

can't wait

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can't wait

(for something (to happen)) to be very eager, as if to be unable to endure the wait for something to happen. I am so eager for my birthday to come. I just can't wait.

See also: wait

can't wait (to do something)

to be very eager, as if to be unable to endure the wait until it is possible to do something. I'm glad it's almost summertime—I just can't wait to go swimming!

See also: wait

can't wait

Be very eager, anxious, or impatient, as in We can't wait for the baseball season to begin or I can't wait to see Dad-it's been a year. While the literal sense of being unable to wait (for lack of time) is much older, this figurative usage dates only from about 1930.

See also: wait