Part 918

2. To look for (mentally); to look forward to, as to something that is believed to be about to happen or come; to have a previous apprehension of, whether of good or evil; to look for with some confidence; to anticipate; -- often followed by an infinitive, sometimes by a clause (with, or without, that); as, I expect to receive wages; I expect that the troops will be defeated. "Good: I will expect you." Shak. "Expecting thy reply." Shak.

The Somersetshire or yellow regiment . . . was expected to arrive on the following day.

Macaulay.

Syn. -- To anticipate; look for; await; hope. -- To Expect, Think, Believe, Await. Expect is a mental act and has aways a reference to the future, to some coming event; as a person expects to die, or he expects to survive. Think and believe have reference to the past and present, as well as to the future; as I think the mail has arrived; I believe he came home yesterday, that he is he is at home now. There is a not uncommon use of expect, which is a confusion of the two; as, I expect the mail has arrived; I expect he is at home. This misuse should be avoided. Await is a physical or moral act. We await that which, when it comes, will affect us personally. We expect what may, or may not, interest us personally. See Anticipate.

Ex*pect", v. t. To wait; to stay. [Obs.] Sandys.

Ex*pect", n. Expectation. [Obs.] Shak.

Ex*pect"a*ble (?), a. [L. expectabilis.] That may be expected or looked for. Sir T. Browne.

{ Ex*pect"ance (?), Ex*pect"an*cy (?), } n. 1. The act of expecting ; expectation. Milton.

2. That which is expected, or looked or waited for with interest; the object of expectation or hope.

The expectancy and rose of the fair state.

Shak.

Estate in expectancy (Law), one the possession of which a person is entitled to have at some future time, either as a remainder or reversion, or on the death of some one. Burrill.

Ex*pect"ant (?), a. [L. expectans, exspectans, p. pr. of expectare, exspectare: cf. F. expectant.] Waiting in expectation; looking for; (Med.) waiting for the efforts of nature, with little active treatment.

Expectant estate (Law), an estate in expectancy. See under Expectancy.

Ex*pect"ant, n. One who waits in expectation; one held in dependence by hope of receiving some good.

An expectant of future glory.

South.

Those who had employments, or were expectants.

Swift.

Ex`pec*ta"tion (?) n. [L. expectio. exspectio: cf. F. expectation.] 1. The act or state of expecting or looking forward to an event as about to happen. "In expectation of a guest." Tennyson.

My soul, wait thou only upon God, for my expectation is from him.

Ps. lxii. 5.

2. That which is expected or looked for.

Why our great expectation should be called The seed of woman.

Milton.

3. The prospect of the future; grounds upon which something excellent is expected to happen; prospect of anything good to come, esp. of property or rank.

His magnificent expectations made him, in the opinion of the world, the best match in Europe.

Prescott.