expectation

I

(New American Roget's College Thesaurus)

Expectancy

Nouns

1. expectation, expectancy, anticipation, reckoning, calculation, foresight, prediction, imminence, contingency; contemplation, lookout, prospect, outlook, perspective, horizon. See destiny, intuition, futurity.

2. (concern about future possibility) suspense, waiting, anxiety, presentiment; apprehension, pessimism, dread; hope, belief, faith. Slang, edge city.

Verbs

1. expect, look for, look out for, look forward to; hope for, anticipate, figure or plan on, take in stride; have in prospect, keep in view, wait or watch for, keep a sharp lookout for, await; bide one's time, hold one's breath, hang on; foresee, prepare for, predict, second-guess, count upon, believe in, take for granted, think likely, bargain for or in; push or press one's luck.

2. be expected, be in store, be just around the corner.

3. fulfill one's expectations, come as no surprise.

Adjectives

1. expectant, expecting; openmouthed, agape, all agog; ready, curious, eager, anxious, apprehensive, on tenterhooks, on edge.

2. expected, foreseen, in prospect, prospective, in view, impending, imminent. Informal, on deck, in the cards.

Adverbs — expectantly, on the watch, with bated breath, with ears pricked up, on edge.

Interjections — no wonder! of course! small wonder!

Phrases — if a man's foresight were as good as his hindsight, we would all get somewhere; it's too late to shut the stable door after the horse has bolted.

Quotations — I am giddy, expectation whirls me round. The imaginary relish is so sweet that it enchants my sense (Shakespeare), Expect nothing. Live frugally on surprise (Alice Walker), It is folly to expect men to do all that they may reasonably be expected to do (Richard Whately).

Antonyms, see doubt, unpreparedness, surprise, wonder.

II

(Roget's IV) modif.

Syn. hope, belief, prospect; see anticipation 1 .

III

(Roget's 3 Superthesaurus) n.

anticipation, outlook, prospect, belief, hope, fear, supposition, presumption, likelihood, assumption, forecast.

IV

(Roget's Thesaurus II) noun 1. The condition of looking forward to something, especially with eagerness: anticipation, expectance, expectancy. See SURPRISE. 2. Something expected: anticipation, expectancy, prospect. See SURPRISE.