expect

 
Pronunciation: /ɪkˈspɛkt, ɛk-/

verb

[with object]
  • regard (something) as likely to happen: it’s as well to expect the worst [with object and infinitive]: the hearing is expected to last a week [with clause]: one might expect that Hollywood would adjust its approach
  • regard (someone) as likely to do or be something: [with object and infinitive]: they were not expecting him to continue
  • believe that (someone or something) will arrive soon: Celia was expecting a visitor
  • require (something) as rightfully due or appropriate in the circumstances: we expect great things of you
  • require (someone) to fulfil an obligation: [with object and infinitive]: we expect employers to pay a reasonable salary
  • (I expect) informal used to indicate that one supposes something to be so but has no firm evidence: they’re just friends of his, I expect [with clause]: I expect you know them?

Phrases

be expecting (a baby)

informal be pregnant: his wife was expecting again

(only) to be expected

completely normal: he had a few lines about the eyes, but at forty-seven that was only to be expected

what can (or do) you expect?

used to emphasize that there was nothing unexpected about a person or event, however disappointed one might be: What do you expect? He was just like all the others, only you were too thick to see it

Derivatives

expectable

adjective

expectably

adverb

expectedly

adverb

Origin:

mid 16th century (in the sense 'defer action, wait'): from Latin exspectare 'look out for', from ex- 'out' + spectare 'to look' (frequentative of specere 'see')