Expect

• POS: Verb (transitive)
• HYPHEN: ex=pect

CIDE DICTIONARY

Expect, v. t. [L. expectatum, to look out for, await, expect; ex + out spectare to look at. See Spectacle.].

•  To wait for; to await.  [1913 Webster]

  "Let's in, and there expect their coming."  [1913 Webster]
•  To look for (mentally); to look forward to, as to something that is believed to be about to happen or come; to have a previous apprehension of, whether of good or evil; to look for with some confidence; to anticipate; -- often followed by an infinitive, sometimes by a clause (with, or without, that); as, I expect to receive wages; I expect that the troops will be defeated.  [1913 Webster]

  "The Somersetshire or yellow regiment . . . was expected to arrive on the following day."

Syn. -- To anticipate; look for; await; hope.

Expect, v. t. 

 To wait; to stay.  Sandys.  [1913 Webster]

Expect, n. 

 Expectation.  Shak.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Expect, v.tr.
1 (often foll. by to + infin., or that + clause) a regard as likely; assume as a future event or occurrence. b (often foll. by of) look for as appropriate or one's due (from a person) (I expect cooperation; expect you to be here; expected better of you).
2 colloq. (often foll. by that + clause) think, suppose (I expect we'll be on time).
3 be shortly to have (a baby) (is expecting twins).

Idiom

be expecting colloq. be pregnant.

Derivative

expectable adj.

Etymology

L exspectare (as EX-(1), spectare look, frequent. of specere see)

THESAURUS

Expect

account as, anticipate, apprehend, approach, aspire to, assume, await, bank on, be afraid, be destined, be fated, be imminent, be to be, be to come, believe, come, come on, conceive, conclude, confide, conjecture, consider, contemplate, count, count on, daresay, deduce, deem, demand, desire, divine, draw near, draw on, dread, dream, envisage, envision, esteem, estimate, face, fancy, feel, feel confident, foreknow, foresee, foretell, gather, grant, guess, harbor the hope, have a hunch, have an idea, have an impression, have an inkling, have in mind, have in view, have the idea, hold, hold as, hope, hope against hope, hope and pray, hope for, hope in, hope to God, imagine, infer, judge, keep in view, lean upon, let, let be, lie ahead, live in hopes, look, look for, look forward to, look upon as, loom, maintain, near, need, nurture the hope, opine, plan, plot, predict, prefigure, presume, presuppose, presurmise, project, prophesy, provisionally accept, reckon, reckon on, regard, rely on, repute, require, rest assured, say, sense, set down as, suppose, surmise, suspect, take, take for, take for granted, take it, take to be, think, threaten, trow, trust, understand, view as, wait for, want, ween, wish

ROGET THESAURUS

Expect

Hope

VB hope, trust, confide, rely on, put one's trust in, lean upon, pin one's hope upon, pin one's faith upon, feel hope, entertain hope, harbor hope, indulge hope, cherish hope, feed hope, foster hope, nourish hope, encourage hope, cling to hope, live in hope see land, feel assured, rest assured, feel confident, rest confident, presume, promise oneself, expect, hope for, anticipate, be hopeful, look on the bright side of, view on the sunny side, voir en couleur de rose, make the best of it, hope for the best, put a good face upon, put a bold face upon, put the best face upon, keep one's spirits up, take heart, take heart of grace, be of good heart, be of good cheer, flatter oneself, lay the flattering unction to one's soul, catch at a straw hope against hope, reckon one's chickens before they are hatched, count one's chickens before they are hatched, give hope, inspire hope, raise hope, hold out hope, promise, bid fair, augur well, be in a fair way, look up, flatter, tell a flattering tale, raise expectations (sentient subject), encourage, cheer, assure, reassure, buoy up, embolden.

Expectance

VB expect, not be surprised, not wonder, nil admirari, make nothing of.

Probability

VB be probable, give color to, lend color to, point to, imply, bid fair, stand fair for, stand a good chance, run a good chance, think likely, dare say, flatter oneself, expect, count upon.

Expectation

VB expect, look for, look out for, look forward to, hope for, anticipate, have in prospect, have in contemplation, keep in view, contemplate, promise oneself, not wonder at, not wonder if, wait for, tarry for, lie in wait for, watch for, bargain for, keep a good lookout for, keep a sharp lookout for, await, stand at 'attention' abide, bide one's time, watch, foresee, prepare for, forestall, count upon, think likely, lead one to expect, have in store for, prick up one's ears, hold one's breath.

Foresight

VB foresee, look forwards to, look ahead, look beyond, scent from afar, look into the future, pry into the future, peer into the future, see one's way, see how the land lies, get the lay of the land, see how the wind blows, test the waters, see how the cat jumps, anticipate, expect, be beforehand, predict, foreknow, forejudge, forecast, presurmise, have an eye to the future, have an eye to the main chance, respicere finem, keep a sharp lookout, forewarn.