expect
[ ik-spekt ]
/ ɪkˈspɛkt /
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
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.
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
Example sentences from the Web for expect
British Dictionary definitions for expect
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, adverbWord Origin for expect
C16: from Latin
exspectāre to watch for, from
spectāre to look at
Idioms and Phrases with expect
expect
see when least expected.