emphasizing or thinking of the bad part of a situation rather than the good part, or the feeling that bad things are more likely to happen than good things
There is now a mood of deepening pessimism about/over the economy.
a way of saying that you hope something does not happen
God forbid (that) his parents should ever find out.
to feel or show great happiness about something
People rejoiced at seeing their leader.
to think that someone should behave in a particular way or do a particular thing
I expected you to write me letters.
expect
verb (expects, expecting, expected)
1 to think that somebody or something will come or that something will happen:
I'm expecting a letter.
We expected it to be hot in South Africa, but it was quite cold.
She's expecting a baby (= she is going to have a baby) in June.
2 If you are expected to do something, you must do it:
I am expected to work every Saturday.
3 (British, informal) to think that something will happen or is probably true:
I expect she'll be late. She usually is.
They haven't had lunch yet, so I expect they're hungry.
'Is Ian coming?' 'Oh yes, I expect so.'
expect
ex‧pect S1 W1 /ɪkˈspekt/ BrE AmE verb [transitive]
[Word Family: noun: ↑expectancy, ↑expectation; adverb: ↑expectantly, ↑unexpectedly; adjective: ↑expectant, expected ≠ ↑unexpected; verb: ↑expect]
[Date: 1500-1600; Language: Latin; Origin: exspectare 'to look forward to', from spectare 'to look at']
1. THINK SOMETHING WILL HAPPEN to think that something will happen because it seems likely or has been planned
expect 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. DEMAND to demand that someone does something because it is a duty or seems reasonable
expect 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 ARRIVE 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 people
4. 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) if a woman is expecting, she is going to have a baby
6. what can/do you expect? spoken used to say that you are not surprised by something unpleasant or disappointing:
He was late, but what do you expect?
7. how do/can you expect ...? spoken used to say that it is unreasonable to think that something will happen or be true:
If I can’t help her, how can you expect to?
8. I expect British English spoken used to introduce or agree with a statement that you think is probably true:
I expect you’re right.
‘Do you think they’re going to attack?’ ‘I expect so.’
COLLOCATIONS
■ adverbs
▪ fully 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.
■ phrases
▪ as 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 it Bad 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 something It’s unreasonable to expect a tenant to pay for repairs to the outside of the house.
expect
ex·pect [expect expects expected expecting] [ɪkˈspekt] [ɪkˈspekt] verb
1. transitive to think or believe that sth will happen or that sb will do sth
• ~ sth We are expecting a rise in food prices this month.
• ~ sth from sb/sth Don't expect sympathy from me!
• ~ sth of sb/sth That's not the sort of behaviour I expect of you!
• ~ to do sth You can't expect to learn a foreign language in a few months.
• I looked back, half expecting to see someone following me.
• ~ sb/sth to do sth House prices are expected to rise sharply.
• I didn't expect him to become a successful writer.
• Do you really expect me to believe you?
• ~ (that)… Many people were expecting (that) the peace talks would break down.
• it is expected that… It is expected that the report will suggest some major reforms.
2. transitive (often used in the progressive tenses) to be waiting for sb/sth to arrive, as this has been arranged
• ~ sb/sth to expect a visit/call/letter from sb
• Are you expecting visitors?
• We were expecting him yesterday.
• ~ sb to do sth We were expecting him to arrive yesterday.
3. to demand that sb will do sth because it is their duty or responsibility
• ~ sth (from sb) Her parents expected high standards from her.
• He's still getting over his illness, so don't expect too much from him.
• ~ sth (of sb) Are you clear what is expected of you?
• ~ sb to do sth They expected all their children to be high achievers.
• We are expected to work on Saturdays.
• ~ to do sth I expect to be paid promptly for the work.
4. intransitive, transitive (informal, especially BrE) (not used in the progressive tenses) used when you think sth is probably true
• ‘Will you be late?’ ‘ I expect so.’
• ‘Are you going out tonight?’ ‘ I don't expect so.’
• ~ (that…) ‘Who's eaten all the cake?’ ‘Tom, I expect/I expect it was Tom.’ ‘That’ is nearly always left out.
compare unexpected
Idioms: expecting a baby ▪ to be expected ▪ what do you expect?
Verb forms:
Word Origin:
mid 16th cent. (in the sense ‘defer action, wait’): from Latin exspectare ‘look out for’, from ex- ‘out’ + spectare ‘to look’ (frequentative of specere ‘see’).
Thesaurus:
expect verb
1. T
• They're not expecting to get any money from the government.
think • • look forward to sth • • anticipate • • bargain for/on sth • • look for sth • • look ahead • • watch for sb/sth • |formal await •
expect/think/anticipate that…
It is expected/thought/anticipated that…
expect/look forward to/anticipate/look for/await results
2. T
• They expect their children to be high achievers.
demand • • ask • • insist • • hold out for sth • |formal require • • stipulate •
expect/demand/ask/require sth from sb
expect/demand/ask/insist/require/stipulate that…
expect/ask/require sb to do sth
Expect, demand or ask? Ask is not as strong as expect or demand, both of which can be more like a command.
3. T (especially BrE, spoken)
• I expect he'll be late, as usual.
suppose • • imagine • • suspect • • assume • • presume • |especially spoken take it • |especially BrE, spoken I dare say • |especially AmE, spoken guess •
expect/suppose/imagine/suspect/assume/presume/take it/dare say/guess that…
I expect/suppose/imagine/suspect/assume/presume/guess so.
Language Bank:
expect
Discussing predictions
▪ The number of people using mobile phones to purchase goods and services is expected ▪ / likely ▪ to more than double by the end of 2015.
▪ Experts have predicted ▪ / forecast ▪ that the number of people using their mobile phones to pay for goods and services should exceed 190 million in 2015.
▪ This figure is set to ▪ reach 200 million by 2016.
By ▪ 2015, 800 million mobile phone users worldwide will ▪ be participating in social networks via their phone.
▪ Sales of mobile phones in 2009 were lower than expected ▪.
▪ The company's announcement of 1.26 billion handsets sold for the year is in line with predictions ▪.
Language Banks at fall, illustrate, increase, proportion
Synonyms:
demand
require • expect • insist • ask
These words all mean to say that sb should do or have sth.
demand • to ask for sth very firmly; to say very firmly that sb should have or do sth: ▪ She demanded an immediate explanation.
require • [often passive] (rather formal) to make sb do or have sth, especially because it is necessary according to a law or set of rules or standards: ▪ All candidates will be required to take a short test.
expect • to demand that sb should do, have or be sth, especially because it is their duty or responsibility: ▪ I expect to be paid promptly for the work.
insist • to demand that sth happens or that sb agrees to do sth: ▪ I didn't want to go but he insisted. ◊ ▪ We ▪ insist on ▪ the highest standards at all times.
ask • to expect or demand sth: ▪ You're asking too much of him.
demand, expect or ask?
Ask is not as strong as demand or expect, both of which can be more like a command.
to demand/require/expect/ask sth of/from sb
to demand/require/expect/insist/ask that…
to require/expect/ask sb to do sth
to demand/require/expect/ask a lot/too much/a great deal
to be too much to expect/ask
Example Bank:
• As expected, they lost the election.
• Did you honestly expect me to believe that?
• I didn't really expect them to come.
• I do not necessarily expect an easy answer to this question.
• I think my parents always expected too much of me.
• I was half expecting to see Jim at the concert.
• I would expect the factory to be working again as normal by next week.
• It would be foolish to expect this at his age.
• It would be unreasonable to expect them to do all that work for free.
• My parents fully expect us to get married.
• She confidently expects to win.
• The economy is widely expected to pick up in the first half of next year.
• The wine list is excellent, as is to be expected from such a high-class restaurant.
• They rightly expect to be obeyed.
• This kind of behaviour is to be expected from a two-year-old.
• Was she really naive enough to expect that he had changed?
• We can expect to see an improvement in the weather over the next few days.
• We expect good results from our employees.
• You are entitled to expect certain minimum standards of accommodation.
• You can hardly expect to learn a foreign language in a few months.
• You can't seriously expect me to sympathize with you.
• ‘Are you going out tonight?’ ‘I don't expect so.’
• ‘Will Bill be there?’ ‘I expect so.’
• Are you clear about what is expected of you?
• Don't expect sympathy from me!
• Don't expect too much from him.
• Double the expected number of people came to the meeting.
• Her parents expect high standards from her.
• I didn't expect him to become a successful writer.
• I expect he'll be late, as usual.
• I'm expecting an important call.
• Many people were expecting that the peace talks would break down.
• That's not the sort of behaviour I expect of you.
Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary - 4th Edition
expect / ɪkˈspekt / verb (THINK)
B1 [ T ] to think or believe something will happen, or someone will arrive:
We are expecting a lot of applicants for the job.
[ + (that) ] I expect (that) you'll find it somewhere in your bedroom.
I expect (that) he'd have left anyway.
[ + to infinitive ] He didn't expect to see me.
The financial performance of the business is fully expected (= almost certain) to improve.
We were half expecting you not to come back.
(only) to be expected normal and what usually happens:
All parents of small children get tired. It's to be expected.
expect / ɪkˈspekt / verb [ T ] (DEMAND)
B2 to think that someone should behave in a particular way or do a particular thing:
I expect punctuality from my students.
[ + to infinitive ] Borrowers are expected to (= should) return books on time.
expected / -ˈspek.tɪd / adjective [ before noun ]
B2
The expected counter-attack never happened.
expect / ɪkˈspekt / verb (BE PREGNANT)
be expecting (a baby) B2 to be pregnant:
She shouldn't be lifting those boxes if she's expecting.
Kate and Dom are expecting a baby.
© Cambridge University Press 2013
expect
[ɪkspe̱kt]
♦
expects, expecting, expected
1) VERB If you expect something to happen, you believe that it will happen.
[V to-inf] ...a council workman who expects to lose his job in the next few weeks...
[V n to-inf] They no longer expect corporate profits to improve...
[V n to-inf] The talks are expected to continue until tomorrow...
[V that] Few expected that he would declare his candidacy for the Democratic nomination for the presidency...
[it be V-ed that] It is expected that the new owner will change the yacht's name...
[V n] They expect a gradual improvement in sales of new cars.
2) VERB: usu cont If you are expecting something or someone, you believe that they will be delivered to you or come to you soon, often because this has been arranged earlier.
[V n] I am expecting several important letters but nothing has arrived...
[V n] I wasn't expecting a visitor...
[V adv n] We were expecting him home again any day now.
3) VERB If you expect something, or expect a person to do something, you believe that it is your right to have that thing, or the person's duty to do it for you.
[V n] He wasn't expecting our hospitality...
[V to-inf] I do expect to have some time to myself in the evenings...
[V n to-inf] I wasn't expecting you to help...
[V n of n] Is this a rational thing to expect of your partner, or not?...
[V amount of n] She realizes now she expected too much of Helen.
4) VERB: with brd-neg If you tell someone not to expect something, you mean that the thing is unlikely to happen as they have planned or imagined, and they should not hope that it will.
[V n] Don't expect an instant cure...
[V to-inf] You cannot expect to like all the people you will work with...
[V n to-inf] Don't expect me to come and visit you there.
5) VERB: only cont If you say that a woman is expecting a baby, or that she is expecting, you mean that she is pregnant.
[V n] She was expecting another baby...
I hear Dawn's expecting again.
6) PHRASE: PHR that, PHR so/not You say `I expect' to suggest that a statement is probably correct, or a natural consequence of the present situation, although you have no definite knowledge. [SPOKEN]
I expect you can guess what follows...
I expect you're tired...
`Will Joe be here at Christmas?' - `I expect so.'...
`I don't think you have much of a case.' - `I expect not.'
7) PHRASE (emphasis) You can say `What can you expect?' or `What do you expect?' to emphasize that there is nothing surprising about a situation or a person's behaviour, especially if you find this disappointing. [SPOKEN]
It tastes artificial, but at that price what can you expect?...
If a guy hunts and owns guns, what do you expect?
expect
ex·pect /ɪkˈspɛkt/ verb -pects; -pect·ed; -pect·ing
1 [+ obj] : to think that something will probably or certainly happen
• We expect (that) the economy will improve. = We expect the economy to improve.
• As expected, the election was very close.
• Costs have been higher than expected. = Costs have been higher than they were expected to be.
• It's expected that the new products will be available next month.
• Prices are expected to rise.
• He's opposed to the new law, as you might expect.
• I expect (that) she won't like the news.
• We were half/fully expecting [=we thought there was a reasonable/good chance] that the game would be canceled.
• Good things sometimes happen when you least expect them.
- often followed by to + verb
• She expects to go to college.
• I expect to do well on the exam.
• Who do you expect to win? = Who do you expect will win?
2 [+ obj] : to think that (someone or something) will arrive or that (something) will happen
• We expect them (to arrive) any minute now.
• We expect rain tomorrow. = We expect it to rain tomorrow.
• I'll expect your letter (to arrive) next week.
• I'm expecting a phone call.
• The expected delivery date is next month.
3 [+ obj] : to consider (something) to be reasonable, required, or necessary
• He's a teacher who expects hard work from his students.
• Her latest film lacks the quality that we've come to expect (from her).
• We expected more from/of you.
• This is not the kind of behavior I expected of you.
• He expects a great deal from/of himself and from/of other people.
• I don't think it's too much to expect that you should get to work on time.
• The supplier expects to be paid on time.
• We expect you to pay your debts.
• “England expects every man to do his duty.” Lord Nelson (1805) -
4 always used in progressive tenses [no obj] : to be pregnant
• She's expecting. : to be due to give birth
• She's expecting next month. [=she will probably give birth next month; her baby will probably be born next month]
5 [+ obj] informal : to suppose or think - usually used after I
• I expect [=guess] that these problems occur in other places too.
• She feels the same way, I expect.
• “Does she feel the same way?” “I expect so/not.”
- ex·pect·able /ɪkˈspɛktəbəl/ adj [more ~; most ~]
• an expectable [=predictable] reaction
When something is in the air you can feel it and you know it is happening or will happen soon.
look at the new boss and all his plans. Change is in the air.
[usually passive] (of insects, etc.) to bite somebody many times: I was being eaten alive by mosquitoes.
I was being eaten alive by mosquitoes.
discussing something to remove bad feelings and misunderstanding between people
He finally cleared the air by saying that she was late just because of traffic and she didn’t mean to disrespect the rules.
to take advantage of an opportunity as soon as it exists, in case the opportunity goes away and does not return
He doesn't often make such offers - I'd strike while the iron is hot if I were you.
A feeling of pleasure and satisfaction that you get because you or people connected with you have done or got something good
She felt a great sense of pride as she watched him accept the award.
something you say when something good happens to someone
Sally's brother is dating my cousin? Get outta here!
You just won the lottery? Get outta here!
