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Expect

1. To wait for; to await. Let's in, and there expect their coming. (Shak)

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. Expecting thy reply. The Somersetshire or yellow regiment . . . Was expected to arrive on the following day. (Macaulay)

Synonym: 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.

Origin: L. Expectatum, to look out for, await, expect; ex _ out spectare to look at. See spectacle.