expect

[ ik-spekt ]
/ ɪkˈspɛkt /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR expect ON THESAURUS.COM

verb (used with object)

to look forward to; regard as likely to happen; anticipate the occurrence or the coming of: I expect to read it. I expect him later. She expects that they will come.
to look for with reason or justification: We expect obedience.
Informal. to suppose or surmise; guess: I expect that you are tired from the trip.
to anticipate the birth of (one's child): Paul and Sylvia expect their second very soon.

Idioms for expect

    be expecting, to be pregnant: The cat is expecting again.

Origin of expect

1550–60; < Latin ex(s)pectāre to look out for, await, equivalent to ex- ex-1 + spectāre to look at, frequentative of specere; see spectacle

SYNONYMS FOR expect

1 Expect, anticipate, hope, await all imply looking to some future event. Expect implies confidently believing, usually for good reasons, that an event will occur: to expect a visit from a friend. Anticipate is to look forward to an event and even to picture it: Do you anticipate trouble? Hope implies a wish that an event may take place and an expectation that it will: to hope for the best. Await ( wait for ) implies being alert and ready, whether for good or evil: to await news after a cyclone.
SEE SYNONYMS FOR expect ON THESAURUS.COM

usage note for expect

3. This sense of expect ( I expect you went with them. I expect you want to leave now. ) is encountered in the speech of educated people but seldom in their writing.

OTHER WORDS FROM expect

Words nearby expect

expansivity, expat, expatiate, expatriate, expatriation, expect, expectancy, expectant, expectation, expectation of life, expectation sunday

Words related to expecting

carrying, expectant

Example sentences from the Web for expecting

British Dictionary definitions for expecting (1 of 2)

expecting
/ (ɪkˈspɛktɪŋ) /

adjective

informal pregnant

British Dictionary definitions for expecting (2 of 2)

expect
/ (ɪkˈspɛkt) /

verb (tr; may take a clause as object or an infinitive)

to regard as probable or likely; anticipate he expects to win
to look forward to or be waiting for we expect good news today
to decide that (something) is requisite or necessary; require the boss expects us to work late today
See also expecting

Derived forms of expect

expectable, adjective expectably, adverb

Word Origin for expect

C16: from Latin exspectāre to watch for, from spectāre to look at

Idioms and Phrases with expecting

expect

see when least expected.