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expect definition

ex·pect (ek spekt′, ik-)

transitive verb

  1. to look for as likely to occur or appear; look forward to; anticipate I expected you sooner
  2. to look for as due, proper, or necessary to expect a reward
  3. Informal to suppose; presume; guess
  4. Obsolete to wait for

Etymology: L expectare, exspectare < ex-, out + spectare, to look, freq. of specere, to see: see spectacle

Related Forms:

expect Idioms

be expecting

Informal to be pregnant

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Alternate definitions:

idioms expect idiom

expect Synonyms

expect

v.

  1. To anticipate

    await, look forward to, hope for, foresee; see anticipate 1, count on.

  2. To require

    demand, insist upon, exact; see require 2.

  3. *To assume

    presume, suppose, suspect; see assume 1. See syn. study at anticipate.


Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

expect Usage Examples

Object

  • outcome: Here is an example of the expected outcomes for History at KS3.

Preposition: that

  • student: It is expected that students and staff will make reasonable efforts to resolve matters at the outset.

Noun phrase with adjective complement

  • less: I wouldn't expect anything less than a full refund, and a real effort to find a replacement photographer.

Adjective complement

  • more: Would not expect more than 2-3 goals maximum per year.

Modifying Another Word

  • reasonably: Students can reasonably expect their own rooms to be places where their individual preferences are respected and not ignored.

Used with why or when

  • when: Explains what GUM clinics are and what can be expected when you visit one.

Infinitive complement

  • attend: Servers are expected to attend Church on a regular basis, whether on the serving schedule or not.

Preposition: of

  • graduate: Like other Music courses at Leeds, the program aims to balance personal exploration and the skills and knowledge expected of a music graduate.
expect usage examples (more)

The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.

expect quotes

If you do not expect the unexpected, you will not find it; for it is hard to be sought out, and difficult.

-Heraclitus   fl.500

Hofstadter's Law: It alwaystakeslonger thanyouexpect, even when you take into account Hofstadter's Law.

-Hofstadter, Douglas R(ichard)

As I know more of mankind I expect less ofthem, and am ready now to call a man a good man, upon easier terms than I was formerly.

-Johnson, Samuel known as Dr Johnson

expect quotes (more)

Webster's New World Dictionary of Quotations Copyright © 2005 by Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Published by Wiley, Hoboken, NJ. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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MLA Style

"expect." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009

  • Your Dictionary. 4 July 2009
  • <www.yourdictionary.com/expect>

APA Style

expect. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary

  • Retrieved July 4th, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/expect

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