Word family noun expectancy expectation adjective expectant expected ≠ unexpected verb expect adverb expectantly unexpectedly
From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishldoce_718_zexpectex‧pect /ɪkˈspekt/ ●●● S1 W1 verb [transitive] 1 think something will happenEXPECT to think that something will happen because it seems likely or has been plannedexpect to do something I expect to be back within a week. The company expects to complete work in April.expect somebody/something to do something Emergency repairs were expected to take three weeks. I didn’t expect him to stay so long.expect (that) There’s the doorbell – I expect it’ll be my mother. He will be hard to beat. I fully expect (=am completely sure about) that and I’m ready. ‘Who are you?’ he murmured, only half expecting (=thinking it was possible, but not likely) her to answer. He didn’t get his expected pay rise.as expected (=in the way that was planned or thought likely to happen) As expected, the whole family was shocked by the news.something is (only) to be expected (=used to say that you are not surprised by something, especially something unpleasant) A little nervousness is only to be expected when you are starting a new job.2 demandEXPECT to demand that someone does something because it is a duty or seems reasonableexpect something from somebody The officer expects complete obedience from his troops.expect somebody to do something I can’t expect her to be on time if I’m late myself.expect a lot of somebody/expect too much of somebody (=think someone can do more than may be possible) The school expects a lot of its students.3 think somebody/something will arriveWAIT to believe that someone or something is going to arrive We’re expecting Alison home any minute now. Snow is expected by the weekend. an expected crowd of 80,000 people4 think to think that you will find that someone or something has a particular quality or does a particular thing I expected her to be taller than me, not shorter.5 → be expecting (a baby)6 → what can/do you expect?7 → how do/can you expect ...?8 → I expectCOLLOCATIONSadverbsfully expect (=completely)We fully expected to win.confidently expect (=with a feeling of confidence)He confidently expected to be elected again.half expect (=partly, but not completely)He walked slowly towards the box, half expecting it to explode.really expect (=definitely)I didn’t really expect her to come.honestly expect (=really expect)Do you honestly expect me to look after the kids while you go on holiday?hardly expect (=almost not)You can hardly expect a child of three to know the difference between right and wrong.rightly expect (=with good reason)The public rightly expects government officials to be honest.phrasesas expected (=in the way that was planned or thought likely to happen)Tickets have not been selling as well as expected.something is (only) to be expected (=used to say that you are not surprised by something unpleasant)After all this rain, some flooding is only to be expected.something happens when you least expect itBad luck tends to happen when you least expect it.somebody is entitled to expect something (=have the right to think something will happen)You’re entitled to expect decent service at these prices.it is reasonable/unreasonable to expect somethingIt’s unreasonable to expect a tenant to pay for repairs to the outside of the house. GRAMMAR: Patterns with expect• You expect to do something: The team expects to win. • You expect someone to do something: We didn’t expect them to come. • You expect that something will happen: We expect that we will arrive at about midday. • You say that you expected that something would happen: They had not expected that there would be so much traffic.• You say that something is expected to happen: Sales are expected to reach $10 million.• In more formal English, you can also say it is expected that something will happen: It is expected that sales will reach $10 million.• You can say you are expecting something. Expect is often used in the progressive: I’m expecting a call from the hospital. • You can use the phrases I expect so or I don’t expect so, usually to give a short answer: ‘Were they surprised?’ ‘I expect so.’‘Will it take long?’ ‘I don’t expect so.’ ✗Don’t say: I expect it.→ See Verb tableExamples from the Corpus
expect• She's shorter than I expected.• This week the company released new drilling results showing that nickel reserves are twice as large as expected.• When he heard the heavy doors open, the loud voices, he knew what to expect.• How many people are you expecting?• I'm expecting a call from him soon.• I'm expecting a fax from Korea. Has anything arrived yet?• At these prices, I expect better service.• People expect lawyers to look this way.• Drivers should expect long delays on all roads out of town today.• But just don, t expect me not to whinge about it.• I hope you.won't expect me to discuss it.• We all expected she'd get the job - it was a real shock when she didn't.• Forecasters expect snow in the mountains.• It might be expected that the percentage thinking that health had improved since their parents' time would increase with age.• Economists expect the economy to grow by 5% next year.• Perkins fully expects to be back in Boston by July 1.• I expected to find him in the bar, but he wasn't there.• The Hindu of May 20 reported that the death toll in the coastal districts had reached 817 and was expected to rise.• Light rain is expected today in the Bay Area.expect to do something• In New York City, 1 to 3 inches of snow is expected to accumulate before changing to freezing rain tonight.• Final profit figures are expected to be published in late February.• She expects to graduate next spring with a degree in psychology.• They expect to move early next year.• Even in retirement, he is expected to remain a looming presence in education circles and the South Bay.• Normally we expect to see government providing collective goods.• Normally you should expect to see percentages shown alongside the original number.• Omron sold 6,000 Lunas in 1992 and expects to sell 3,000 Luna 2001s over the next 12 months.• By holding stock in a company, they expect to win the business of insuring its employees.expect somebody to do something• You are expected to return all books by Monday.Origin expect (1500-1600) Latin exspectare “to look forward to”, from spectare “to look at” 