verb
expect
ihk-SPEHKT
verb
1
To believe that something will happen.
"We expect the results to arrive by Friday."
"I didn't expect to see you here."
2
To regard something as required or owed.
"Employers expect punctuality from their staff."
3
To be pregnant.
"She's expecting her first child in the autumn."
How to Use Expect
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo believe something will happen, or to be pregnant.
Common pairings
expect the worst
expect a delay
be expecting
Word Forms
expected past tense, expect plural, expected plural, expects singular, expect singular, expected singular, expectest singular, expectedst singular, expecteth singular
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We _____ the results to arrive by Friday.
Etymology
From Latin exspectare, "to look out for, await," from ex- ("out") plus spectare ("to look at").