expecting

5 definitions • 10 examples

present participle of

to think or believe something will happen, or someone will arrive:

We are expecting a lot of applicants for the job.

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.

be fully expected to The financial performance of the business is fully expected (= almost certain) to improve.

half expect someone to do something We were half expecting you not to come back.

normal and what usually happens:

All parents of small children get tired. It's to be expected.

to think that someone should behave in a particular way or do a particular thing:

expect someone to do something Borrowers are expected to (= should) return books on time.

expect something from someone I expect punctuality from my students.

to be pregnant:

She shouldn't be lifting those boxes if she's expecting.