expect
1 ENTRIES FOUND:
expects;
expected;
expecting
expects;
expected;
expecting
Britannica Dictionary definition of EXPECT
1
[+ object]
:
to think that something will probably or certainly happen
— often followed by to + verb
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We expect (that) the economy will improve. = We expect the economy to improve.
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As expected, the election was very close.
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Costs have been higher than expected. = Costs have been higher than they were expected to be.
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It's expected that the new products will be available next month.
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Prices are expected to rise.
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He's opposed to the new law, as you might expect.
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I expect (that) she won't like the news.
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We were half/fully expecting [=we thought there was a reasonable/good chance] that the game would be canceled.
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Good things sometimes happen when you least expect them.
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She expects to go to college.
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I expect to do well on the exam.
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Who do you expect to win? = Who do you expect will win?
2
[+ object]
:
to think that (someone or something) will arrive or that (something) will happen
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We expect them (to arrive) any minute now.
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We expect rain tomorrow. = We expect it to rain tomorrow.
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I'll expect your letter (to arrive) next week.
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I'm expecting a phone call.
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The expected delivery date is next month.
3
[+ object]
:
to consider (something) to be reasonable, required, or necessary
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He's a teacher who expects hard work from his students.
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Her latest film lacks the quality that we've come to expect (from her).
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We expected more from/of you.
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This is not the kind of behavior I expected of you.
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He expects a great deal from/of himself and from/of other people.
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I don't think it's too much to expect that you should get to work on time.
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The supplier expects to be paid on time.
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We expect you to pay your debts.
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“England expects every man to do his duty.”
Lord Nelson (1805)
4
always used in progressive tenses,
[no object]
:
to be pregnant
:
to be due to give birth
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She's expecting next month. [=she will probably give birth next month; her baby will probably be born next month]
5
[+ object]
informal
:
to suppose or think
— usually used after I
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I expect [=guess] that these problems occur in other places too.
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She feels the same way, I expect.
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“Does she feel the same way?” “I expect so/not.”
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an expectable [=predictable] reaction
