Dictionary

expect en · VERB

Pronunciation

• /ɛkˈspɛkt/
• (US) audio
• /ɪkˈspɛkt/

Etymology

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

Meanings

1. (ambitransitive) To predict or believe that something will happen
   • when you least expect it
   • And temperatures are expected to keep rising. 2018, VOA Learning English > China's Melting Glacier Brings Visitors, Adds to Climate Concerns:
   • I expect to be able to walk again after getting over my broken leg.
   • I expect it'll rain this weekend, but I hope it won't.
   • The hostage is expected to be released later today.
   • “[…] 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:
   • I did not expect you'd come before I asked you to, but do expect you to apologize for it.
2. To consider obligatory or required.
   • 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:
   • England expects that every man will do his duty. 1805, Nelson, Horatio via Pasco, John, signal sent at the Battle of Trafalgar
3. To consider reasonably due.
   • You are expected to get the task done by the end of next week.
   • My parents expected too much of me when I was in college.
   • How am I expected to reach the next level?
4. (of a woman or couple, qualifier:continuous aspect only) To be pregnant, to consider a baby due.
   • 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, transitive) To wait for; to await.
   • 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
   • You keep on making me expect you again and again. Only the other day, when I thought you on the point of arriving I was suddenly put off by you till Quintilis (July). 1920, Cicero, translated by Evelyn Shirley Shuckburgh, The Letters of Cicero: The Whole Extant Correspondence in Chronological Order, volume 1 (hardcover), London: G. Bell and Sons, Ltd., page 11:
   • 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]:
6. (intransitive, obsolete) To wait; to stay.
   • I will 'expect until my change in death, / And answer at Thy call 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:

Forms

Deriveds

expectative · sexpect · expectee · expective · expecting · expect the unexpected · half-expect · expected · expecter · halfexpect · expection · overexpect · unexpected

Relateds

expectable · expectancy · expectant · expectation

Synonyms

attend · bargain for · wait for · await · tend · remain · wait · expect · wish · want · demand · hope · wait on · hold up · abide · tarry · wait · look for · bide · stay · keep · hope · call for · await · anticipate

Translations (125)

es esperarse (to look for, look forward to, anticipate) · ka მოლოდინი (to look for, look forward to, anticipate) · bg оча́квам (to look for, look forward to, anticipate) · hy ենթադրել (to consider reasonably due) · es expectar (to consider reasonably due) · km រំពឹង (to look for, look forward to, anticipate) · es tener la expectativa de (to look for, look forward to, anticipate) · sl pričakovati (to consider reasonably due) · pt predizer (to look for, look forward to, anticipate) · ja 期待する (to look for, look forward to, anticipate) · nn forvente (to consider obligatory) · hy ակնկալել (to look for, look forward to, anticipate) · es estar/permanecer expectante de/por (to consider reasonably due) · hy սպասել (to look for, look forward to, anticipate) · got 𐍅𐌴𐌽𐌾𐌰𐌽 (to look for, look forward to, anticipate) · hy համարել (to consider reasonably due) · de erwarten (to consider reasonably due) · fi odottaa (to look for, look forward to, anticipate) · mk очекува (to look for, look forward to, anticipate) · sl pričakovati (to consider obligatory) · vi mong đợi (to look for, look forward to, anticipate) · fi ajatella (to look for, look forward to, anticipate) · sv förvänta (to consider reasonably due) · fr attendre (to consider obligatory) · fa انتظار داشتن (to look for, look forward to, anticipate) · hy կարծել (to consider reasonably due) · pt prever (to consider reasonably due) · fr s'attendre à (to look for, look forward to, anticipate) · cy disgwyl (to look for, look forward to, anticipate) · ro prezice (to look for, look forward to, anticipate) · fi odotella (to look for, look forward to, anticipate) · nb forvente (to consider obligatory) · es exigir (to consider reasonably due) · sv förvänta (to consider obligatory) · ar تَوَقَّعَ (to look for, look forward to, anticipate) · eo anticipi (to look for, look forward to, anticipate) · ta எதிர்பார் (to look for, look forward to, anticipate) · ru ожида́ть (to consider obligatory) · de erwarten (to look for, look forward to, anticipate) · hu elvár (to consider obligatory) · ga coinne a bheith agat ar (to look for, look forward to, anticipate) · pt esperar (to look for, look forward to, anticipate) · bg оча́ква се (to consider reasonably due) · ga súil a bheith agat ar (to look for, look forward to, anticipate) · es estar/permanecer expectante de/por (to look for, look forward to, anticipate) · uk очі́кувати (to consider reasonably due) · la exspecto (to look for, look forward to, anticipate) · da forvente (to look for, look forward to, anticipate) · it pensare (to look for, look forward to, anticipate) · pl spodziewać się (to look for, look forward to, anticipate) · es figurarse (to look for, look forward to, anticipate) · es pretender (to consider reasonably due) · mi kawatau (to look for, look forward to, anticipate) · fi odottaa (to consider obligatory) · he ציפה (to look for, look forward to, anticipate) · ta எதிர்ப்பார்த்தல் (to consider obligatory) · nb forvente (to consider reasonably due) · la spērō (to look for, look forward to, anticipate) · cmn 期待 (to look for, look forward to, anticipate) · th คาดหวัง (to look for, look forward to, anticipate) · ru наде́яться (to look for, look forward to, anticipate) · ga dréim (to look for, look forward to, anticipate) · ota اوممق (to look for, look forward to, anticipate) · uk очі́кувати (to consider obligatory) · it aspettarsi (to look for, look forward to, anticipate) · ru ожида́ть (to consider reasonably due) · da forvente (to consider obligatory) · uk наді́ятися (to look for, look forward to, anticipate) · fi odotella (to consider obligatory) · txb päkw- (to look for, look forward to, anticipate) · nn forvente (to consider reasonably due) · grc προσδοκάω (to look for, look forward to, anticipate) · nn forvente (to look for, look forward to, anticipate) · nl verwachten (to consider obligatory) · es expectar (to look for, look forward to, anticipate) · de erwarten (to consider obligatory) · sv förvänta (to look for, look forward to, anticipate) · es pretender (to consider obligatory) · pl oczekiwać (to consider reasonably due) · cmn 期望 (to consider reasonably due) · hu számít (to look for, look forward to, anticipate) · fr prédire (to look for, look forward to, anticipate) · pt esperar (to consider obligatory) · es esperar en (to consider reasonably due) · el αναμένω (to look for, look forward to, anticipate) · ba көтөү (to look for, look forward to, anticipate) · az ummaq (to consider reasonably due) · es tener la expectativa de (to consider obligatory) · es tener la expectativa de (to consider reasonably due) · es estar/permanecer expectante de/por (to consider obligatory) · mi tūmanako (to look for, look forward to, anticipate) · nah chiya (to look for, look forward to, anticipate) · hy ակնկալել (to consider obligatory) · sw kutazamia (to look for, look forward to, anticipate) · it aspettarsi (to consider obligatory) · ang wēnan (to look for, look forward to, anticipate) · es aguardar (to look for, look forward to, anticipate) · cs očekávat (to look for, look forward to, anticipate) · pl oczekiwać (to look for, look forward to, anticipate) · hu vár (to consider reasonably due) · it predire (to look for, look forward to, anticipate) · pt aguardar (to look for, look forward to, anticipate) · he ציפה (to consider reasonably due) · cmn 預料 /预料 (to look for, look forward to, anticipate) · it aspettarsi (to consider reasonably due) · pl oczekiwać (to consider obligatory) · ca predir (to look for, look forward to, anticipate) · hu elvár (to consider reasonably due) · es esperar (to look for, look forward to, anticipate) · sl pričakovati (to look for, look forward to, anticipate) · sl nadejati se (to look for, look forward to, anticipate) · hy ենթադրել (to consider obligatory) · es exigir (to consider obligatory) · sv vänta sig (to look for, look forward to, anticipate) · ca esperar (to look for, look forward to, anticipate) · da forvente (to consider reasonably due) · nl verwachten (to consider reasonably due) · fr attendre (to look for, look forward to, anticipate) · es expectar (to consider obligatory) · hu számol (with -val/-vel) (to look for, look forward to, anticipate) · ko 기대하다 (to look for, look forward to, anticipate) · la expecto (to look for, look forward to, anticipate) · ka ლოდინი (to look for, look forward to, anticipate) · nl verwachten (to look for, look forward to, anticipate) · nb forvente (to look for, look forward to, anticipate)