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v. ex·pect·ed, ex·pect·ing, ex·pects v.tr. 1. a. To look forward to the probable occurrence or appearance of: expecting a phone call; expects rain on Sunday. 2. To consider reasonable or due: We expect an apology. 3. To consider obligatory; require: The school expects its pupils to be on time. 4. Informal To presume; suppose. v.intr. To be pregnant. Used in progressive tenses: My wife is expecting again. [Latin exspectāre : ex-, ex- + spectāre, to look at, frequentative of specere, to see; see spek- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.] ex·pecta·ble adj. ex·pecta·bly adv. ex·pected·ly adv. ex·pected·ness n. Synonyms: expect, anticipate, hope, await These verbs relate to the idea of looking ahead to something in the future. To expect is to look forward to the likely occurrence or appearance of someone or something: "We should not expect something for nothing—but we all do and call it Hope" (Edgar W. Howe). Anticipate sometimes refers to taking advance action, as to forestall or prevent the occurrence of something expected or to meet a wish or request before it is articulated: anticipated the storm and locked the shutters. The term can also refer to having a foretaste of something expected: The police are anticipating trouble with rowdy fans after the game. To hope is to look forward with desire and usually with a measure of confidence in the likelihood of gaining what is desired: I hope to see you soon. To await is to wait expectantly and with certainty: She is eagerly awaiting your letter. |
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