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   Ex·pect

   /ikˈspek(t)/

   

   verb

   • 1. regard (something) as likely to happen: "we expect the best" Similar anticipateawaitlook forhope forwatch forlook forward tolook ahead tohave in prospectcontemplatebargain for/onbank onbe prepared forplan forpredictforecastforeseeprophesyenvisageenvision
   • ▪ regard (someone) as likely to do or be something: "they were not expecting him to continue" Similar supposepresumethink it likelythinkbelieveimagineassumeconjecturesurmisecalculatejudgetrustinformal:guessreckonfigure
   • ▪ believe that (someone or something) will arrive soon: "Celia was expecting a visitor"
   • ▪ look for (something) from someone as rightfully due or requisite in the circumstances: "we expect great things of you" Similar requireask forcall forlook forwishwanthope forcount onrely oninsist ondemand
   • ▪ require (someone) to fulfill an obligation: "we expect employers to pay a reasonable salary"
   • ▪ used to indicate that one supposes something to be so, but has no firm evidence or knowledge: "they're just friends of his, I expect"

   Word Origin mid 16th century (in the sense ‘defer action, wait’): from Latin exspectare ‘look out for’, from ex- ‘out’ + spectare ‘to look’ (frequentative of specere ‘see’).

   Derivatives

   • 1. expectable adjective

   Scrabble Points: 17

   • E

     1

   • X

     8

   • P

     3

   • E

     1

   • C

     3

   • T

     1

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