Wiktionary

expect

English

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Etymology

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From Latin expectāre, infinitive form of exspectō (“look out for, await, expect”), from ex (“out”) + spectō (“look at”), frequentative of speciō (“see”).

Pronunciation

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  • IPA(key): /ɪkˈspɛkt/, /ɛkˈspɛkt/
  • Audio (US):(file)
  • Hyphenation: ex‧pect
  • Rhymes: -ɛkt

Verb

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expect (third-person singular simple present expects, present participle expecting, simple past and past participle expected)

  1. (ambitransitive) To predict or believe that something will happen
    Synonyms: anticipate, hope, look for
    when you least expect it
    I expect to be able to walk again after getting over my broken leg.
    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.
    • 1918, W[illiam] B[abington] Maxwell, chapter XIII, in The Mirror and the Lamp, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, →OCLC:
      “ […] 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.
    • 2018, VOA Learning English > China's Melting Glacier Brings Visitors, Adds to Climate Concerns‎[1]:
      And temperatures are expected to keep rising.
  2. To consider obligatory or required.
    Synonyms: call for, demand
    • 1805, Nelson, Horatio via Pasco, John, signal sent at the Battle of Trafalgar:
      England expects that every man will do his duty.
    • 2015, Sajith Buvi, I Am 7.5 Billion Human, page 49:
      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.
  3. To consider reasonably due.
    Synonyms: hope, want, wish
    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. (continuous aspect only, of a woman or couple) To be pregnant, to consider a baby due.
    • 2011, Eva Fischer-Dixon, The Bestseller:
      “You are pregnant?” he asked with shock in his voice. “Yes, Justin, I am expecting a child,”
  5. (obsolete, transitive) To wait for; to await.
    Synonyms: await; see also Thesaurus:wait for
  6. (obsolete, intransitive) To wait; to stay.
    Synonym: wait
    • 1636, 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:
      I will 'expect until my change in death, / And answer at Thy call

Usage notes

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Derived terms

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Translations

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Translations to be checked

Further reading

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Anagrams

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