▪ believe that (someone or something) will arrive soon: "Celia was expecting a visitor"
▪ require (something) as rightfully due or appropriate in the circumstances: "we expect great things of you"Similarrequireask forcall forlook forwishwanthope forcount onrely oninsist ondemand
▪ require (someone) to fulfil 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:"they're just friends of his, I expect"
Word Originmid 16th century (in the sense ‘defer action, wait’): from Latin exspectare ‘look out for’, from ex- ‘out’ + spectare ‘to look’ (frequentative of specere ‘see’).