v., -pect·ed, -pect·ing, -pects. v.tr.
- To look forward to the probable occurrence or appearance of: expecting a telephone call; expects rain on Sunday.
- To consider likely or certain: expect to see them soon. See Usage Note at anticipate.
- To consider reasonable or due: We expect an apology.
- To consider obligatory; require: The school expects its pupils to be on time.
- Informal. To presume; suppose.
- To look forward to the birth of one's child. Used in progressive tenses: His sister is expecting in May.
- To be pregnant. Used in progressive tenses: My wife is expecting again.
[Latin exspectāre : ex-, ex- + spectāre, to look at, frequentative of specere, to see.]
expectable ex·pect'a·ble adj.expectably ex·pect'a·bly adv.
expectedly ex·pect'ed·ly adv.
expectedness ex·pect'ed·ness n.
SYNONYMS expect, anticipate, hope, await. These verbs relate to the idea of looking ahead to something in the future. To expect is to look forward to the likely occurrence or appearance of someone or something: "We should not expect something for nothing-but we all do and call it Hope" (Edgar W. Howe). Anticipate sometimes refers to taking advance action, as to forestall or prevent the occurrence of something expected or to meet a wish or request before it is articulated: anticipated the attack and locked the gates. The term can also refer to having a foretaste of something expected: anticipate trouble. To hope is to look forward with desire and usually with a measure of confidence in the likelihood of gaining what is desired: I hope to see you soon. To await is to wait expectantly and with certainty: eagerly awaiting your letter.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
