|
| ex·pect [ ik spékt ] (past and past participle ex·pect·ed, present participle ex·pect·ing, 3rd person present singular ex·pects) |
verb |
|
| Definition: |
| |
1. transitive verb confidently believe something: to believe with confidence, or think it likely, that an event will happen in the future
  A few setbacks along the way were only to be expected.
|
2. transitive verb wait for anticipated thing: to wait for, or look forward to, something that is believed to be going to happen or arrive
I'm expecting a visit from them any day now.
|
3. transitive verb demand something as right or duty: to demand or anticipate receiving something because of a perceived right to it or because it is due or appropriate
They expect you to abide by their rules.
|
4. transitive and intransitive verb be going to have baby: to be pregnant with or look forward to the birth of a child
(
informal
)
(
used only in progressive tenses
)
She is expecting her third in July.
|
| [Mid-16th century. < Latin ex(s)pectare "look out for" < spectare "look at" < specere "to look"] |
|
| ex·pect·a·ble adjective |
| ex·pect·a·bly adverb |
| ex·pect·ed·ly adverb |
| ex·pect·ed·ness noun |
|
