be host

The man refused, and begged his would-be host to come at once, or it would be too late.

Let me assure your lordship, put in his would-be host here, quickly, that Colonel Craven is gone.

At the same moment the curtains were drawn aside, and she looked out, beckoning imperiously to the would-be host.

Again I saw that he was concerned solely with his humiliation as a would-be host.