expect
verb/ɪkˈspɛkt/ · /ɛkˈspɛkt/
Etymology From Latin expectāre, infinitive form of exspectō (“look out for, await, expect”), from ex (“out”) + spectō (“look at”), frequentative of speciō (“see”).
1
Ambitransitive To predict or believe that something will happen
- when you least expect it
- I expect to be able to walk again after getting over my broken leg.
4 more examples
- The hostage is expected to be released later today.
- I expect it'll rain this weekend, but I hope it won't.
- I did not expect you'd come before I asked you to, but do expect you to apologize for it.
- “[…] They talk of you as if you were Croesus—and I expect the beggars sponge on you unconscionably.” And Vickers launched forth into a tirade very different from his platform utterances. He spoke with extreme contempt of the dense stupidity exhibited on all occasions by the working classes.1918, W[illiam] B[abington] Maxwell, chapter XIII, in The Mirror and the Lamp, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, →OCLC:
2
To consider obligatory or required.
- England expects that every man will do his duty.1805, Nelson, Horatio via Pasco, John, signal sent at the Battle of Trafalgar
- I was born and immediately thrown into a society that makes its own rules, standards, and expectations. I am expected to behave. I am expected to deliver. I am expected to live up to the contrived standards of the society.2015, Sajith Buvi, I Am 7.5 Billion Human, page 49:
3
To consider reasonably due.
- My parents expected too much of me when I was in college.
- You are expected to get the task done by the end of next week.
4
Of a woman or couple To be pregnant, to consider a baby due.
Continuous aspect only
- We are expecting our third in June.
- “You are pregnant?” he asked with shock in his voice. “Yes, Justin, I am expecting a child,”2011, Eva Fischer-Dixon, The Bestseller:
5
Obsolete To wait for; to await.
- Let's in, and there expect their coming.c. 1596–1598 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Merchant of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene i]:
- The knight fixed his eyes on the opening with breathless anxiety, and continuing to kneel in the attitude of devotion which the place and scene required, expected the consequence of these preparations.1825, Walter Scott, The Talisman, A. and C. Black (1868), 24-25
6
Obsolete To wait; to stay.
- I will 'expect until my change in death, / And answer at Thy call1636, G[eorge] S[andys], “(please specify the page)”, in A Paraphrase upon the Psalmes of David. And upon the Hymnes Dispersed throughout the Old and New Testaments, London: [Andrew Hebb […]], →OCLC:
- Derived terms
- expectative, expected, expectee, expecter, expecting, expection, expective, expect the unexpected, half-expect, halfexpect, overexpect, sexpect, unexpected
- Related terms
- expectable, expectancy, expectant, expectation